If I have a Google+ Business page, do I need a Google Places page as well?
-
It seems like the two are redundant? Any official word on this? I'm fairly OCD about things being tidy and I dont want to split my reviews / shares / etc between two profiles. Are they not the same thing?
I searched for my company, both my plus business page and my places page came up. I attached a SS of the situation.
-
the question has been answered perfectly! Thanks
-
Jonathan - please let me know if you still don't feel that your question has been answered.
-
In all markets where we work with wedding photographers, the local/ maps listings matter. Until your Google+ business page and your Google+ local/ Places page merge, you should optimize each. They will merge eventually, likely within the next few months based on what I am seeing.
There is no reason to get rid of the Places listing, and it would have negative consequences in that you would be attempting to remove the main piece of real estate that can get you listed in the maps listings that are showing up on the first page. Google+ Local (Places) allows you to not show your address, but instead use a service area. It is a simple selection option in the dashboard. This is how all service based businesses that do not have customers coming to their place fo business are supposed to be doing it. So, just claim/ verify it and optimize it properly, then wait until it merges. This will help your efforts.
If you choose to claim/ verify and then try to delete the listing, there is a very high likelihood that Google will just re-add the unclaimed listing based on the data it has, which might still be the home address of your client (and you just wouldn't have control over it). Not advisable.
-
I need to bump this and offer more information. Both accounts are fairly new, and I just want to know what the negative effects of deleting the google places profile would be? There's no reviews on it, I'd rather it not show up because it has a map for the cover photo instead of our branding, and its a mailing address anyway, not an actual studio because the photographer works from home and doesn't want to list the home address publicly. Thanks in advance.
-
Unfortunately Google is still in limbo here. They are moving forward, very slllloooowwwwllllyy. Last May '12, they started the move from Google Places to Google+Local. Previously Places was too static and didn't allow enough engagement, etc as they were dropping the Google+ overlay onto all of their properties. Well it has been over a year and they are still in limbo. You fall into the category of non-merged. You shouldn't do anything right now until they finish the transition. It will only cause problems as Oleg suggested.
We have seen a lot of our clients already merged, while many aren't. Until it happens, you need to make sure that you have everything completed on both and that it matches up. Don't neglect the Places page
The best guideline to telling which of the 3 scenarios you fall into, is outlined perfectly (with visuals) in the Search Engine News Local Search book (called Unfair Advantage) that was just updated this month. You fall into the category that they suggest to not do anything with right now.
-
just thinking that it might be better to have all reviews on the google plus business page as it is better branded and if people come looking and im splitting traffic, +1s, shares, and reviews its likely going to be worse in the end to have two. On top of that, we don't really have customers come to us.
I'm looking into this because I'm wanting to find best practices for showing on the front page map. I've always been in markets where the map didn't show so organic listings were my game. Now I'm SEOing for a wedding photographer and the map shows (which is stupid because most of them don't have actual storefronts.) and now the map is part of the game. Any thoughts on both issues would be greatly appreciated.
-
When you create a listing from G+ local biz page, it asks you for a phone number and tries to look it up in their current places pages. If it does exist, they try to merge them. Looks like you have both showing up, personally, I'd keep them both as is.
G local is very buggy in terms of updating and merging listings and at this point, not sure how you would proceed if you wanted to merge them. Perhaps someone else can jump in.
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Google Custom Search vendors and options
Hi everyone, We're in the process of finding someone who will be able to help set up Google Custom Search on our site and are having some trouble - most agencies we were hoping could help solely focus on Google Search Appliance, a hardware-specific approach that doesn't suit our needs. Specifically, we'd like to replace our current site search engine with Google Custom search, as well as configure it as deeply as possible for the best search experience I'm hoping people could give me some ideas on who might be able to help, or the best places to look. Thanks in advance!
Industry News | | digitalcrc1 -
Very odd behavior. Google is changing “%20” to “+” in my URLS
I just realized many of the links on my site are BROKEN when entered from a Google SERP. This didn’t used to be this way. I have no idea what’s going but I’m worried. It involves a folder of our site that has a space in it. Google is even displaying the proper “%20” in the SERP but when I click the link it replaces that “%20” with a + which breaks the link!! You can see this in action by typing in “brown jordan sheffield furniture” without quotes into Google. You’ll see our site come up first and displaying this link sheffieldfurniture.com/Other%20Furniture/BrownJordan.html but when you click it the link is broken! This is happening on many of our pages! Anyone know what in the world is going on?
Industry News | | SheffieldMarketing0 -
What are the meta tags should be included in the website and all its pages?
Hi Moz teams and all community members, I have been thinking that what are the necessary meta tags should I include in the website and all its pages? Please guide me with the detail manner and how important each of these as I found this useful link. Best,
Industry News | | Futura
Teginder0 -
Is this still Google?
My niche, my concern.
Industry News | | webfeatus
http://www.google.com/search?q=jimbaran+villa
My site just dropped out of the rankings completely. But if you look at the Google search above you will notice 2 things:
1. First page: 75% of space above the fold is dedicated to Google making money
2. Subsequent pages: It is like you don't actually search "Google" If you flip through a few pages what you actually search is:
agoda.com
flipkey.com
tripadvisor.com
homeaway.com Do I have a point or am I simply having a cynical day?1 -
Hello, Actually I have bit of doubt. If I create Google plus business page. Will it helpful or effects for my website ranking?
If I create Google plus business page. Will it helpful or effects for my website ranking?
Industry News | | jaybinary0 -
Searching for another Defender of the Front Page!
Greetings Mozfriends and Champions! My company is searching for a performance based SEO that can handle multiple websites and platforms at the same time. Was wondering if any of you fine people would be interested in such a quest. Please reply to the message or you can E-mail me at Jsmith@frontlinemobility.com. Good Luck Champions! Justin Smith
Industry News | | FrontlineMobility0 -
Google guidlines 2011
Guys I have asked for the leaked SEO guidlines just to fine tune my SEO campaigns and it seems no one wanted to send it to me. Anyone can do it here, please?
Industry News | | SearchOfficeSpace230 -
Googles' Anonymous data sharing "pool"
Is sharing this information good for my websites? And Is it Open information for anyone to hack into, and see my sites analytics? Bottom line, good or a bad thing?
Industry News | | smstv0