Google+ Local Information Now Common in Search Results
Local searches showing sitelinks.
A few weeks ago we met with Amy Ravit Korin and Ashley Glassman of Google+. Our SEO specialist Alex wrote about that meeting in his blog post Why Businesses Should Use Google Plus Local. Amy and Ashley talked about Google’s migration away from Google Maps/Google Places over to Google+ Local/Google+ Pages. They told us that in about a year Google expects to have fully migrated the data to Google+.
We continue to see evidence of this migration. Search Engine Results Pages (“SERPs”) have been showing links to business Google+ pages. If a business has Google+ reviews, the current review score is displayed. For example, here are the local results for “running shoes:”
Notice how the two bottom reviews do not show the new 30-point Zagat score. This is because the old Google 3-point reviewing system does not transition over unless someone manually re-publishes their old review.
If a newer business shows up, only a link to their Google+ page will appear:
In this example, I was logged into Google when I performed the search for “riverfront theater chicago”. Google recognized that I was logged in and encouraged my use of Google+, asking if I would like to write a review for the location.
Even though Google+ Local is still transitioning, Google’s integration of Google+ into search results will probably increase as time goes on. If you’ve got a business with a brick and mortar location, we highly recommend you claim your listing. Doing so will allow you to better manage your business’ profile on Google.
Dario Civinelli
Dario is currently an SEO Specialist, providing technical SEO guidance, including copywriting, content recommendations and site architecture recommendations. He has over 10 years experience in digital and print marketing communications, including web development, SEO, PPC, CRM, research and analytics, and user-centered design. Dario has a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois, and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Human-Computer Interaction at DePaul University.
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