Welcome Home to Google+ Local

On May 20, 2012, Google Places converted 80 million Google Places pages into Google+ Local pages: A “Zagat infused” Google+ Local tab merging company information from the Google Places page into Google+ Local Pages.

Google+ Local combines the free availability of Zagat reviews, Google+ Local pages across Google properties and a circles filter to find reviews or recommendations from followers in circles. Gone are the days of five-star reviews; instead you will see Zagat ratings on a 30-point scale, scoring more specifically for food, service and atmosphere. Information for the Google+ Local pages is pulled from the Google Places page (like address, phone number, description, photos, analytics tagged website URL, menu links, categories) to enhance the Google search experience. By connecting all Google outlets, businesses will have better control over its brand and increase engagement on all platforms and increase ranking.

Along with the new Google search results, there is a new “Local” tab on the Google+ page that reads “Recommended Places near…” allowing top results and reviews from connections in the user’s circles. There are several variables that contribute to the content that appears on this page and the same two people won’t see the same results. The search box is used to browse this page and find content relative to the keyword(s).

We encourage our customers to invest the time to create (or have us create!) online business listings with company details, maps, products and services. And don’t worry, the businesses that have existing Google Places Pages will not have to take any action toward the merge. An existing Google+ business page will still remain separate for the time being.

Categorized in: Articles, Marketing, Social Media, Web