Google+ Local Merge FAQ from Google

[Linda Buquet]

Jade just posted an FAQ of sorts in the Google forum. Want to be sure everyone sees this update.

<a href="https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/business/nqzouJ3KkU8/_loAS8QnQ44J%5B1-25%5D">What should I do during the upgrade to local Google+ pages?</a>

<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">What you should do during the upgrade to local Google+ pages? </span><br><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;"></span><br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Should I verify? </span><br><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;"></span><br><ul style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Storefront business with a page in Google+</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (under the local business/place category) who are using it regularly: </span><a href="https://productforums.google.com/forum/#%21category-topic/business/cLdShAg9xYs%5B1-25%5D" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">request verification</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">. You will need to get a postcard sent to your business address and enter the PIN. Then, manage this page using the Google+ pages admin. Do not use the Google Places for Business to edit after verifying in Google+.</span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Verified owner in the Google Places for Business</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">: continue to manage your information from the Google Places for Business dashboard and please wait for further instructions. We are working on a smooth upgrade process for everyone.</span></li><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">New storefront businesses:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (not verified on Google Places for Business) you may create a page in Google+ (under the local business/place category) and go through the verification process. Then, manage your page through the Google+ pages admin.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;"></span><br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">What if I?m a ...</span><br><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;"></span><br><ul style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Service area business with address correctly hidden</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">: the upgraded (merged) local Google+ pages are not currently supporting service area businesses. Please continue to manage it via Google Places for Business and hide your address as necessary, detailed in the</span><a href="http://support.google.com/places/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=107528" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quality guidelines</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></li><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Big brand or business with multiple locations</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">: There is no way to link a single brand page to multiple local Google+ pages. Continue to manage your brand page in Google+, if you already have on. To manage your locations, continue to use use the Google Places for Business dashboard.</span></li></ul><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;"></span><br><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a sticky situation...</span><br><span style="font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;"></span><br><ul style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Created a page in Google+ in a category other than local business/place?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Only +pages in the local business/place category can be verified and merged with a Google-generated local Google+ page. There is no way to change the category of +pages. You may create a page in the local business/place category and verify that if you?re not currently verified in Google Places for Business. We will not be able to move your followers or content.</span></li><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Data issues?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"> continue to use </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edit business details</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to resolve these issues. Please do not attempt to merge or verify a page with data issues. </span></li></ul><ul style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone else verified your social local Google+ page?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Please make sure it isn?t a Google-generated page. If you?re sure it?s a social page, you can learn more about admin rights </span><a href="http://support.google.com/plus/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=2661706" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></li><li style="list-style-type: disc; font-size: 15px; font-family: Arial; background-color: transparent; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone else verified your Google-generated page? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; white-space: pre-wrap;">You can also request verification. Any Google-generated pages can be verified by any account in Google Places for Business. If you suspect that someone else is adding incorrect information to your Google-generated page, use </span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-decoration: underline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://support.google.com/places/bin/static.py?hl=en&ts=1386120&page=ts.cs" target="_blank">this troubleshooter</a>.</span></li></ul><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u><br></u></span></font></div><div><font face="Arial"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'll update this as we get more news. Hope it helps!</span>

 

[Keenan Glass]

• New storefront businesses: (not verified on Google Places for Business) you may create a page in Google+ (under the local business/place category) and go through the verification process. Then, manage your page through the Google+ pages admin.

What do ya'll think?

Which would you recommend for a new listing>??

 

[shondarogers]

Can someone please clarify what a google + social page is?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Can someone please clarify what a google + social page is?

That's a distinction Jade sometimes uses to point out it's a Local Google+ Business page (that has the social features) not a Google+ Local Page (AKA Place page, which has reviews and no social features.) (Because Google botched the branding and named them the same with just the words in reverse order.)

She's been talking to us about how to rename or rebrand because it's so confusing to try to explain what type of G+ page people are talking about when trying to help them in the forum. Especially since now we have some Local G+ pages that have merged with G+ Local pages. (which are techically ALSO G+ Local pages with social features BUT a different animal than one that is pre-merge.) Dang, I'm starting to confuse myself!

Where's that animated smiley that has the eyes going back and forth and makes it look like you are going crazy???

 

[Keenan Glass]

I was going to say that a Google+ social page is like a Facebook Page.

And Google+ is like Facebook, only without users.

Linda, maybe Google should call G+ Local pages... Places pages.

I came up with that all on my own.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Linda, maybe Google should call G+ Local pages... Places pages.

I came up with that all on my own.

LOL Keenan you crack me up! You have no idea how ridiculously funny that is and how many times (sadly) we've gone round and round on this with no resolution.

That's what I keep telling them since that's what the sign up page, help docs and dash all still call it. PLUS I said since Places is going away soon, why TEMPORARILY re-name/re-brand since it's going away anyway. Why cause more confusion? Just call a Place page a Place page for now. But who listens to me???

 

[Chris Alphen]

Hi Linda

I know this is weeks old but I'm just going through some of these - great forum by the way - the thing that struck me here is something I generally have a problem with - Google says "we can't" or "you can't" or "there's no way to" well we can land a man on the moon can't we? Is it harder to provide functionality to Google + local places + Google? Apparently for them.

Thanks Linda