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You may think I was going to talk about the actual name of the custom URL Google offers. I'm not. (That part is easy. Most local businesses get their name with city tacked on EVEN IF the name is very unique and no one else is using it. So if you don't like the name offered, don't accept it - because at this point you can't change it.)
But another problem just came up in the private Pro conference calls I do for my training clients, that some business owners (and consultants) may not be aware of.
I can see many small business owners wanting the custom URL for branding. AND especially to make an easy to remember link to give customers when they try to get reviews, or simply a short link for business cards or whatever.
Here is a random example of a G+ Local Business Page with a custom URL.
https://plus.google.com/+Joanbundylaw/
Note: When you click link, it automatically redirects to the "Posts" page, not the "About" page.
https://plus.google.com/+Joanbundylaw/posts
So that presents a couple problems.
1) The reviews, important business description, categories and map are not on the "Posts" page.
2) If the business is not doing any posts, then that page the custom URL automatically defaults too is just blank. Not a great user experience.
Mike posted about the fact that one of the problems with Google's "forced march to social" is the fact that from the search results page - the link to the G+ page also goes to the "Posts" page. So much of what he said in his post at LocalU esterday also applies here. Google+ Pages for Local: An SMB Survival Guide - Local University
So instruct clients that aren't into social or posting, not to accept the custom URL. Or if they already do. be sure they know that if they want to link to it to either say "view our reviews on Google" or "Leave us a review on Google" they don't use the direct custom URL but need to tack on the "About" page at the end, like this: https://plus.google.com/+Joanbundylaw/about
Pros on my call think the business owner should be able to select in the G+ dashboard, which page they want their custom URL to redirect to.
The default should not automatically be the posts page because:
.:. Some business owners don't post.
.:. Many would rather show off their reviews.
.:. Some may use it more like a business card and therefore want description, location and contact details to be prominent.
Weigh in if you agree or if you've had experience with this being a problem.
If so and if we can get some comments about this, then I'll alert Google to this thread and tell them we think the custom URL redirect should offer a choice of landing page.
But another problem just came up in the private Pro conference calls I do for my training clients, that some business owners (and consultants) may not be aware of.
I can see many small business owners wanting the custom URL for branding. AND especially to make an easy to remember link to give customers when they try to get reviews, or simply a short link for business cards or whatever.
Here is a random example of a G+ Local Business Page with a custom URL.
https://plus.google.com/+Joanbundylaw/
Note: When you click link, it automatically redirects to the "Posts" page, not the "About" page.
https://plus.google.com/+Joanbundylaw/posts
So that presents a couple problems.
1) The reviews, important business description, categories and map are not on the "Posts" page.
2) If the business is not doing any posts, then that page the custom URL automatically defaults too is just blank. Not a great user experience.
Mike posted about the fact that one of the problems with Google's "forced march to social" is the fact that from the search results page - the link to the G+ page also goes to the "Posts" page. So much of what he said in his post at LocalU esterday also applies here. Google+ Pages for Local: An SMB Survival Guide - Local University
So instruct clients that aren't into social or posting, not to accept the custom URL. Or if they already do. be sure they know that if they want to link to it to either say "view our reviews on Google" or "Leave us a review on Google" they don't use the direct custom URL but need to tack on the "About" page at the end, like this: https://plus.google.com/+Joanbundylaw/about
Pros on my call think the business owner should be able to select in the G+ dashboard, which page they want their custom URL to redirect to.
The default should not automatically be the posts page because:
.:. Some business owners don't post.
.:. Many would rather show off their reviews.
.:. Some may use it more like a business card and therefore want description, location and contact details to be prominent.
Weigh in if you agree or if you've had experience with this being a problem.
If so and if we can get some comments about this, then I'll alert Google to this thread and tell them we think the custom URL redirect should offer a choice of landing page.
