Are Business Pages (finally) being merged to SAB +Local pages?

[danrippon]

Well, it's finally got me. I've been pretty good with keeping a clear head on the whole shamozzle of a debacle - but this one...

Yesterday I noticed a client's G+ business page was displaying their address - which I didn't recall it doing before. It's a home-based SAB, so naturally I thought "uh-oh what's going on here?" and started digging, as mindful of the well publicised red flags, I haven't merged their business page with their +Local page (set up as a Google Places page pre G+).

And that's why I ask the question - their G+ business page is now displaying the attributes of a +Local page, insofar as showing the page as verified, with opening hours, a link for directions to, and the ability to leave reviews:



Of course, this leads to a second question - if it has been merged by the overlords, as an SAB, is it a "bug" that the address is being displayed, and should I remove it?

Am I going mad? Have I missed some vital piece of news buried at the bottom of a blog post about my neighbour's dog? Are my client's profiles / entries about to get borked, or is the assimilation continuing as planned?

Any suggestions much appreciated!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hmmm, only seeing that little snippet of a page but that looks like an odd variation to me. Neither Google+ Local (Place pages) or Google+ merged pages look quite like that. It has some elements of each but is like some new breed of page, at least based on what I can see.

There is a review button which means it's a Place page. But there is also a post tab which suggests it's a merged G+. BUT I can't see a Follow button or verified check mark next to name - I think they are cut off.

Does it have a check mark next to the name like mine below and a red follow button?
You may need to log out and view or view as public.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/113358377118440631404/posts

But aside from what type of page it is. SABs were not supposed to merge yet, but if Google somehow did it automatically you can't help it.

There was and maybe still is a bug that was showing addresses even though hidden.

If we can determine that this is in fact merged, which it does appear to be then you need to be sure not to edit in Places dash any more. There is a way now to hide address in Google+. You need to be sure that setting is right. But if it's set right, yet address is showing then it's a bug.

The good news is Google says they won't delete listings showing address due to the bug.

 

[danrippon]

LOL, yay! Because everyone loves a "that looks like an odd variation"

Sorry, yes I had cropped the snippet - there is a checkmark next to the name, and there is a follow button - so I guess that makes it a merged page.

(With a merged page, what do I do with the +Local page? That's still "live" - do I play wait and see?)

I've just updated the setting to hide the address (ooh, looky, new dashboard too!), so hopefully that makes it all compliant again.

Thanks so much for helping clear that up Linda - as ever you're a great help!

 

[Linda Buquet]

(With a merged page, what do I do with the +Local page? That's still "live" - do I play wait and see?)

Do you mean a G+ Local page (Place page that only has review button, no follow or posts)? Well technically if you only had 1 Place page and 1 G+ page they merged together and you just should have the 1 page.

If you have a G+ Local that's separate either the merge didn't go right or there was a dupe you didn't know about. Can you tell if it's claimed.

So hard to know what's up without being able to see.

 

[danrippon]

Do you mean a G+ Local page (Place page that only has review button, no follow or posts)? Well technically if you only had 1 Place page and 1 G+ page they merged together and you just should have the 1 page.

Yep, that's exactly it, and yep - that's what I thought would have happened too

If you have a G+ Local that's separate either the merge didn't go right or there was a dupe you didn't know about. Can you tell if it's claimed.

I'll have to go with the former - the G+ Local page is the clients old Google Places page I set up a few years ago, and I can still log into it (complete with the original style dashboard) so I guess that also means it's claimed?

I'll stop being difficult (!) - here's the (apparently now merged) Google+ Business Page:

https://plus.google.com/102280931889699014152/posts

and the original, still visible Google+ Local page:

https://plus.google.com/114571259649585539839/about

(The Business Page was created before the original advice for SAB's not to was issued, and both pages are logged into with the same gmail account)

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thank you! So much easier with links given all the possibilities.

I'm busy this AM. Will look later. And there is I think a different form to use in a case like this. Need to dig it up.

 

[Susan Walsh]

Linda, we have a client that I posted about in this Forum last fall. It's a Plumber so we had to hide the address. Well Google keeps adding a major street, not their real address to the Places listing. The street is in the same neighborhood.

I used the troubleshooter and Google help guys, I have one name, fixed it numerous times. I emailed them again a few weeks ago, but it is not fixed as of yet. Here's their listing: https://plus.google.com/105063433996692854978/about?hl=en
Note: Salisbury Street (that is NOT their street name), but it is a well known area of Worcester, MA and his place about 1/2 mile away.

I've also tried to get the logo to be the first photo - it is on the backend (in the dashboard. I asked for his to be fixed or what I should do with no response. The client hasn't complained. I'm hoping once we can merge these types of businesses, things like this will update better with the new dashboard.

After having so many issues with this one, we no longer claim or add these types of businesses. We do provide training along with the troubleshooter, but can't take it on ourselves because of the time spent trying to get it right.

Are Business pages now merging with the SAB Local pages?