BREAKING! Google+ Business Merge with Google Place Pages Starts Now!

[Linda Buquet]

Places dashboard is not going away quite yet, in this early version of merge. Google just informed us for awhile you will have both dashboards so can check analytics in Places dash. But I think Google is recommending now to make your changes in the G+ dash after you merge and they say edits should go live faster there.

I just removed the part in original post about no more Places dash as that's not ready to happen quite yet.

 

[Jim Froling]

I must be missing something. Google+ Dashboard?

I'm not finding it anywhere. I see a bunch of other dashboards i.e. Site Analytics and some references to this great new feature but that's it. I need to continue seeing client traffic (impressions/actions), search queries, etc. like the good 'ol Places Dashboard.

Can you point me in the right direction or offer some insight?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Sorry was in a rush and maybe didn't explain enough. There are no analytics in G+ yet, hence the need to still have the Places dash. I said the G+ dashboard - meaning the backend where you go to edit and make changes.

Away from office. Back later. Hard time typing on this keyboard. Will be back later.

 

[Linda Buquet]

There is a confusing and convoluted post at the Google for Business forum proving just how confusing and convoluted this is and how confused even consultants that do this for a living are.

Andrew AKA SQLPerformance long complicated Q is here.

Jade just attempted to clarify.

What should we put in a + Local Business page to 'merge' with its Places entry?
Jade answered:

Clarifying my post on August 3 about the verification available to social local Google+ pages --

Business owners who have made pages in the local business/place category in Google+ now have the option to verify those pages. This will merge the social Google+ page with the page in Google+ Local (with reviews). This merged page should be managed through the Google+ admin interface. (This verification is not yet available to service-area businesses.)

If a business owner does not yet have a social local Google+ page but would like to have the upgraded experience/stay current, he/she should create a social local Google+ page and go through the verification process. Even if the business was verified in Google Places, you've gotta go through the postcard verification again.

If a business owner doesn't want to go through the process again, or doesn't want to post regular social updates, or is unclear about his/her options, we recommend that he/she continues to manage the page through the Google Places for Business dashboard. We'll have an upgraded option available to everyone, eventually, and are working on solutions for the many different types of users and pages we have.

 

[Keenan Glass]

I spoke to Andrew the other day to try help clear up some of his confusion, none of which Jade addressed in her reply (btw).

Andrew's question was how to move forward if you have multiple Google accounts for Places, G+ and Gmail. And how does the ability to set up managers and transfer ownership really work.

For most it won't really matter as there is only one Google account. But for others, I think it takes some careful thought about your G+ strategy. ie. How you interact as a person vs how you wish to interact as a business.

Then again, I'd like to see how my local plumber is going to find the time to make sure he's posting valuable content he's up to his knees in _____.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Now that PINs are coming in and people are starting to merge, some bugs and issues are starting to crop up as I expected they would.

See this thread: Merging Google+ Business Page and Google+ Local Listing (via separate accounts)

AND if you have not merged yet, but are considering, see this thread.
Google+ Business Update - Pros and Cons of Merging Google Places Now Vs Waiting

 

[Linda Buquet]

Just added this to top resource section. Jade just posted some Q & A and suggestions re the merge.

<a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/showthread.php?444-Google-Local-Merge-FAQ-from-Google">Google+ Local Merge FAQ from Google</a>

 

[Chris B]

For most it won't really matter as there is only one Google account. But for others, I think it takes some careful thought about your G+ strategy. ie. How you interact as a person vs how you wish to interact as a business.

Then again, I'd like to see how my local plumber is going to find the time to make sure he's posting valuable content he's up to his knees in _____.

Keenan, that was my question to, I cant see many local biz owners taking the time to go post and interact since they are already busy enough which could lead us into adding an extra service for them to do it but then as you said, how do they want to portray themselves.

I'm just now getting involved in social media on a non business site and actually tried to hire a company that claimed they were experts at it and were horrible. I could have done what they did in my sleep and now that im doing it on my own, I dont think i want someone else posting for me.

now im sure there are things we can do, post vids, maybe some pics, articles we do for them and post on their blog or elsewhere and things like that.

but the overall question is.... is this going to be necessary to have an active google+local merged acct to maintain or get rankings?

Chris

 

[Keenan Glass]

Unclear, but there will be advantages to being ahead of the game.

Why Every Marketer Now Needs a Google+ Strategy | SEOmoz

 

[Keenan Glass]

has anyone had their About Us edits go live on a newly verified +Page? It's been a week and none of ours have shown up. Just wondering what they mean by "a few days."

 

[Linda Buquet]

Oh come to think of it I wondered about that on mine. BUT I don't really use my Local page much, thought maybe it was just me and didn't pay that much attention.

If I remember right when I hit edit profile on the G+ page it's there but does not show live on the page.

Yep just checked and still not there. What I assumed was that the G+ about is overwritten by the data from the Place page (cats and desc, etc.)

This weekend I'll do some checking on some other ones and see what I can figure out.

 

[Pankaj Kumar]

Hi Travis Van Slooten,

If your client don't have the Google+ business page, then you must go for creating one with the local/business/places category for the business. Once you are finished with that, then only Google will be able to get your pages merged.

Thanks
Pankaj Kumar

 

[Keenan Glass]

One our our Introduction edits finally went live.... HooRay!!!!.....


Oh wait, it looks like total crap.... Booo!!!!

 

[Linda Buquet]

One step forward...

I saw your post with the one guy on the G forum, so saw that he got his description and it just had one little HTML thing at end. A br or something. But ya, yours looks lovely!

 

[Keenan Glass]

By removing all the formatting, page breaks, contractions and any other symbols, I can get it down to a couple of open and closing paragraph tags, so it's not horrible.

 

[Linda Buquet]

NEW 11/29/12 -Jade just did a bunch of updates to the original G+merge/verify FAQ.
Verification available for local pages created in Google+

But Mike, Jade and I ALL advise waiting. If you have not merged yet - DON'T!

See the following posts:

Google+ Local Merge/Verify with G+ Page Problems? New Help Doc

Is Google Local Really this Broken? Who's in Charge? What's the Solution?

 

[Daniel]

Well, I have to say I'm quite confused by all this. Not sure where to start...but appreciate any input or pointing me to the correct resource.

1) SAB w/hidden address
2) I have a Google Places for Business page - have had it for a few years
3) I have a Google + page for my business, but there's not much info on there except my address. I think it was auto-created by google at some point and imported data from my Places for Business page.

I want to get client reviews now, but don't want to mess anything up. As well, if merging the accounts will make things simpler and increase my ranking I'm all for it. I just don't want to lose my data, pics, and reviews (to be gotten in the near future).

I just now went into my Google+ page and clicked manage account. It sent me a verification code, but am hesitant to input it as I don't know what effects this will create. Any ideas for going forward?!?!

---------- Post Merged at 12:57 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:57 PM ----------

Well, I have to say I'm quite confused by all this. Not sure where to start...but appreciate any input or pointing me to the correct resource.

1) SAB w/hidden address
2) I have a Google Places for Business page - have had it for a few years
3) I have a Google + page for my business, but there's not much info on there except my address. I think it was auto-created by google at some point and imported data from my Places for Business page.

I want to get client reviews now, but don't want to mess anything up. As well, if merging the accounts will make things simpler and increase my ranking I'm all for it. I just don't want to lose my data, pics, and reviews (to be gotten in the near future).

I just now went into my Google+ page and clicked manage account. It sent me a verification code, but am hesitant to input it as I don't know what effects this will create. Any ideas for going forward?!?!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Service area businesses with address hidden are NOT supposed to merge yet. It won't help ranking and if you want reviews that part is on your Place page anyway. Don't enter the verification code.

 

[Daniel]

Awesome, thanks for confirming this.

 

[Michael Cordova]

@Linda

Can you merge if your G+ Local page and G+ Biz page are claimed in different gmail accounts?