Google + Local Multiple locations (1250 locations)

[Ccleal11]

Hi hoping you can help me figure this out since google haven't been able to. I spoke to 5 different reps and all say a different thing.
First of all, i work for a company that manage 4 business each with about 1200 stores each and no website so local marketing is essential.
We have a corporate g+ page and have a place account with all the locations. Im assuming is the old dashboard because I don't see the G+ page for each location. We have a place account for each business.
We would like to create g+ local pages for each location and merge them with the places so have a verified g+ local page for each. Google advise to wait until the new dashboard but who knows when that would happen and we need the g+ pages. 1. We are super proactive about reviews and would like to start monitoring them better 2. We would like the knowledge graph. 3. Post ads are key right now.
So, what is the best way to handle this at the moment?


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[Linda Buquet]

I strongly recommend waiting to be auto-upgraded for lots of reasons.

For one all along Google and other experts have recommended not manually creating a G+ page and merging.

And Google has always recommended against it with multiple locations.

Almost everyone is upgraded at this point except problem accounts and some multi-location businesses. So I don't think it will be long.

"we need the g+ pages. 1. We are super proactive about reviews and would like to start monitoring them better"

I'm curious how you see G+ helping you monitor reviews. G+ is just the social layer.

"2. We would like the knowledge graph."

I checked a few of your stores and even though they aren't upgraded they still have a knowledge graph. I thought I remembered in the past listings showed up there even before they were upgraded.

 

[Ccleal11]

Thanks Linda. 1. Right now, places have the review option and You need to claim each location with a postcard to be able to respond to the reviews. When they merge with g+ you can respond from the page. Am i wrong?
2. Yes but we would like the recent posts and reviews to show as well.
2.


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[Linda Buquet]

1) Yes you need to claim the Place page. No you don't need G+. You can respond to reviews from Places.
Reviews are tied to the Place page.

2) Yes for posts to show you would need G+ posts. But reviews are tied to the Place page, not the G+ page so they should show if you have enough.

 

[Ccleal11]

Thats the thing in order to respind to review thru places you have to verified each location by sending the postcard. We dont want or cant involve 1200 owners/managers and we dont want them having access to the account. So when they merge we can respond to the reviews through the page not places since essentially it is a g+ local page.
When you said, the will show if you have enough-- how many reviews do you need for it to show in the knowledge graph?


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[Linda Buquet]

Thats the thing in order to respind to review thru places you have to verified each location by sending the postcard. We dont want or cant involve 1200 owners/managers and we dont want them having access to the account. So when they merge we can respond to the reviews through the page not places since essentially it is a g+ local page.

No I think you are confused.

You originally asked if you could create a G+ page and merge with Place page.

THAT would take verification at each location too.

Are you trying to avoid each location having to verify?

If so, then the answer is the bulk feed. Then you do all the verification.

But again responding to reviews happens on the Places side of the hours so you need to get the Places listings verified.