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Has Google Places Destroyed Genuine information search?

by fred67
5 replies
I've noticed very recently that if you search for any local business or local topics of interest, virtually the whole of the first page is taken up with 'Places' results. Many of these links go to sites with virtually nothing on except an invitation to link elswhere.

Now while i know this is the latest trend in Black-Hat SEO tactics you would have thought that Google above all would have seen right through this from the start and never even run with it.

What are your thoughts?

Pete.
#destroyed #genuine #google #information #places #search
  • Profile picture of the author NeilC
    Once this starts to get exploited too much then it'll probably get jumped on as do most things that tend to lower the quality of search results.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sachine
    Thats absolutely right... Now everyone's jumping to promote their sites via places...
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  • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
    This is an "information" vs "listing" issue: Is a website needed for local search? For example: local plumbers, most traders listed on places are will merely have the phone number and address. That's enough in most cases, (someone has a leaking tap and they want to call someone fast) so Google is playing the role of a quasi listings directory.

    A plumbing website with hundreds of pages and links would be redundant and Google will ignore it.
    In local search a a local phone number and address is usually all that is needed and that's what Google is providing, just a listing, a bit like the online yellow pages.
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    • Profile picture of the author fred67
      Originally Posted by madison_avenue View Post

      Google is playing the role of a quasi listings directory.

      A plumbing website with hundreds of pages and links would be redundant and Google will ignore it.
      In local search a a local phone number and address is usually all that is needed and that's what Google is providing, just a listing, a bit like the online yellow pages.
      And isn't everyone trying to avoid the Yellow Pages - Yell.com type of referral sites?

      It looks like Google have taken massive back-steps here by basically replicating that type of thing.
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      • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
        Originally Posted by fred67 View Post

        And isn't everyone trying to avoid the Yellow Pages - Yell.com type of referral sites?

        It looks like Google have taken massive back-steps here by basically replicating that type of thing.
        I agree, that's what they're doing locally, and it makes it very difficult to compete against, using the normal methods of content and back links.
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