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Google, What The Heck Have You Done NOW?!?!?

by NetEmpire
13 replies
Google removed the big red "Leave A review Button" from Google Places!
#google #heck #places #reviews
  • Profile picture of the author VegasGreg
    Whoa, that's not cool. Probably a temp glitch, but will see.
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    Greg Schueler - Wordpress Fanatic... Living The Offline Marketing Dream...

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  • Profile picture of the author umc
    From a quick search it looks like they are rolling out a new Google+ Local deal with Zagat reviews. I know nothing about it, but that's what I found. Maybe they are replacing the Google reviews, or adding things and it is glitchy.
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    • Profile picture of the author mojo1
      Originally Posted by umc View Post

      From a quick search it looks like they are rolling out a new Google+ Local deal with Zagat reviews. I know nothing about it, but that's what I found. Maybe they are replacing the Google reviews, or adding things and it is glitchy.
      Google owns Zagat reviews. They bought it sometime during 2011.

      When I saw this the writings were definitely on the walls for how important local search marketing really will become.


      Based on your findings, it would appear they're incorporating all of their properties to really own and control everything local.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rus Sells
    Yeah more proof that Google doesn't know CRAP about local small business. Zagat if for restaurants only. lol WTF Google!
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    • Profile picture of the author BOKKE
      Originally Posted by Rus Sells View Post

      Yeah more proof that Google doesn't know CRAP about local small business. Zagat if for restaurants only. lol WTF Google!
      Nope I don't think they know crap. As usual It simply is the same old story!! The people out there simply abused the Google+ setup for possible ranking. Hallo Fiver can you please give me 1k + for 5 bucks, yet their site never ever even received 1k visitors

      The system was there for visitors to give a rating if they so choose, but like everything it get taken away because dishonest people try and game the system
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by BOKKE View Post

        Nope I don't think they know crap. As usual It simply is the same old story!! The people out there simply abused the Google+ setup for possible ranking. Hallo Fiver can you please give me 1k + for 5 bucks, yet their site never ever even received 1k visitors

        The system was there for visitors to give a rating if they so choose, but like everything it get taken away because dishonest people try and game the system
        Not exactly... +1s really weren't a strong social signal, EVER. It was more for certain searches, and for people in your circles. People abused something that never REALLY worked to how the SEO community thought it would work.

        You can utilize Google + but in a different way than people tell you about.

        Just some updates.. that's all thats going on. You guys are gunna **** when there's a new change in how places get ranked.
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      • Profile picture of the author Stranger Danger
        Originally Posted by BOKKE View Post

        but like everything it get taken away because dishonest people try and game the system
        Some people might disagree with you and say that they are simply trying to work within the system. After all, why pan for a few grams of gold when you can use heavy equipment, industrial rock tumblers, sluice boxes, drills, cats etc.?

        Google is going to continue to corner each market until it can control everything. It will be the ultimate monopoly. At the same time, we must realize that, with each change, comes new demand and more jobs are created because of it.

        It would be one thing if we were writing fake testimonials to deceive consumers, but most people aren't doing that. If anything, they are doing it because google has developed a system that determines the importance of a business listing by how many positive reviews it has. If google wasn't designed this way, most marketers would not bother with such questionable activities, and would instead, focus on what matters.

        It is not gaming the system, it is adapting to change and working within a system that has been designed and determined by the creators of that system - at google.
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  • Profile picture of the author ADukes81
    Here is an article I just read on TechCrucnh;

    Google Looks To One-Up Facebook With Google+ Local: A More Social Google Places, With A Twist Of Zagat
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    • Profile picture of the author Catalyst eMarketing
      I just blogged it with a growing list of Google+ Local articles and resources. There is a bunch more to this than meets the eye and tons more changes are on the way. My head is going to explode.

      I knew based on all the problems in the Places forum there was a big update coming and suspected it was Google+ integration to some degree. But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
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  • Profile picture of the author pwk2000
    Ugh, not a fan of this. I really wish Google would just be a search engine that links to pages it thinks are important... not to pages it creates.

    This is actually good for for marketers... more confusion by small biz owners means more jobs for us.
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  • Profile picture of the author VegasGreg
    From inside one of my Google Places account, this is the link Google provided talking about the new format:
    https://support.google.com/local/bin...answer=2623007

    Thanks for the other links provided, I will check them out as well.
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    Greg Schueler - Wordpress Fanatic... Living The Offline Marketing Dream...

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  • Profile picture of the author NetEmpire
    I just spoke with my Google rep and Google Places IS being phased out sooner rather than later.

    Just when I think I have things figured out.

    Holy cow.

    I did learn something I didn't know.

    In addition to Google new accounts doing keyword research, building the entire campaign, ad grouping, writing the ad copy, etc. for my local PPC clients (and give them $100 credit too) they will also set up and optimize their business for the new Google+ Local.

    :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author affiliatemom
    Here is Hubspot's report on it: Google+ Local Replaces Google Places: What Local Businesses Should Know

    And here is a page where the change is explained for businesses and then at the bottom
    are several specific business examples of the new use of this system: Helping people discover and share local businesses with Google+ - Google and Your Business

    These examples:
    The Meatball Shop
    Delfina Restaurant
    Oh! Sushi
    North Bowl
    Pomegranate Cafe
    Chicago Music Exchange
    Extreme Martial Arts MMA
    Mezze Restaurant
    Lockhart Smokehouse BBQ
    Mama Pita Mediterranean Grill
    Museum of Making Music
    Nick Strocchia Photography
    Mio Restaurant

    Example Delfina Restaurant's new listing: https://plus.google.com/117725643111884686363/about

    fwiw
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