Google+ Local IMAGES After the Display Update???

[Linda Buquet]

Continued from Google+ Local HUGE Layout Change

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HEAD'S UP! Greg Gifford from AutoRevo, one of our valued members just posted a much needed "Google Plus Cover Image Template" Download template at BOTTOM of the post below.

Google Plus Changes Cover Photo Size (again)

NOTE: The post above was about the Google+ display update.

This post I want to talk specifically how the PURE unmerged G+ Local image layout, in the Places dashboard works now.

Hey Greg, QUESTION for you. (And anyone else that knows.)

I had a previous client come back that is adding his son to his practice and want's me to re-do all the images on his unmerged G+L page.

I'd been focusing in that other post on the G+ display update. Since I don't do hands on any more normally I've not been in the dashboard working on stuff. It just occurred to me I don't even know how images in the Places dash work now. And I realized if I have questions some of you may as well.

Pardon if this is a dumb Q, BUT I don't have a pure G+ Local page in the Places dashboard any more I can play with/test with. And even if I did image uploads take so damn long I would not be able to quickly test this.

So the Q is - is your template only for MERGED G+ Business pages? Are image sizes requirements different for the pure G+ L pages?

And how do you get a big top image to replace the map on G+ L pages? OR do you only get that big top banner image with G+ - so you have to merge/verify to get it?

In looking further since I asked the Q, it looks like all G+ L page have the big map instead of image at top, is that what you guys are seeing? Has anyone seen a pure, un-merged G+ L page with a big image?

AND how do you know which image goes in the little circle on the map?

NEVERMIND - just checked several and it looks like the 1st image you add goes there, so better be sure it will be an image cropped into a circle.

For reference/example here is some random Dentist G+L page I pulled just to be sure we are looking at/talking about the same type of page.
https://plus.google.com/110017504731419960227/about?hl=en

Anyone else have any G+ L image Qs? Am I the only one that's lost? Suddenly now that I have to work in a dashboard again, I'm totally disoriented. Maybe I need to stop helping you guys so much and go back to working on clients, to get hands on, so I can figure this stuff out on my own.

Or maybe I'm foggy, due to still being half asleep due to the time change???

But again, feel like if I'm a little confused maybe others are too? So decided to share, to prove the fact that there are no dumb questions here.

So anyway I need to tell my Dentist what image sizes/dimensions I need. The more I look at it, I guess G+ L images have not really changed much, except for the fact you need to be sure the 1st image is one that will crop nicely with that circle layout?

I'm going to ping Greg who I'm crowning our official image guru and ask him to share his feedback. But please anyone else with PURE G+ L image questions or answers, please weigh in as well.

 

[Greg Gifford]

Sorry, just saw this... been sitting in sessions at SMX West.

The image update is just related to G+ on the social side of things... so it applies to personal profiles, business pages, and merged biz/local pages.

BUT, as you saw, they updated the layout for a "pure, un-merged" local page. Instead of a ginormous image, you get a ginormous map. And instead of your user image going in the circle, one of your uploaded images goes there.

And, we still haven't found any sort of answer about the photo strip. We know that once you've merged, you're not supposed to use the Places Dash to edit anything, but in several cases, the photo strip images are the pics that were uploaded in the Places Dash - but after the merge, they don't appear in the dash, and there's no way to get rid of the image. Also, it looks like publicly uploaded images can be places in the photo strip as well. And so far, there's no way for the business to edit which images show up there, so you have zero control.

IMHO, just shows that at some point soon, "Places" will go away and everything will be "Plus" - and I strongly suspect that merging will go away as well, as the new hybrid page/listing will be the standard.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Greg, sorry to email you. Didn't realize you were at SMX.
ENJOY! And thanks so much for taking the time to post.

IMHO, just shows that at some point soon, "Places" will go away and everything will be "Plus" - and I strongly suspect that merging will go away as well, as the new hybrid page/listing will be the standard.

Looks like things are getting close to heading that way. See this post!
http://localsearchforum.catalystema...dont-merge-google-local-g-business-pages.html