Is this a merged Google Business page?

[Kristen]

Apparently, I missed the update where Google My Business pages look different when you are logged into an account, vs. when you are logged out. I've never seen this issue before.

URL 1) We have what appears to be a busienss page here (based on the /b/ : This one has 4 reviews, but only if you are logged into a Google account.
https://plus.google.com/b/102364396843800464042/102364396843800464042/reviews

URL 2) However, there is also this URL which appears to be the same listing, but has no review associcated with it: https://plus.google.com/b/102364396843800464042/102364396843800464042/reviews

They have different URLS when you are logged into a Google profile, but the same URL when you are logged out of a Google profile.

Can anyone shed some light on this? It looks as if a Google Business page was merged with the business listing, but I'm not clear on whether these are the same or different listings since they are showing 0 reviews and 4 reviews.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Kristen

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Kristen,

I'm seeing same URL, same page and 4 reviews on both links you gave.

I'm logged into Google and using Classic G+ and Firefox.

 

[James Watt]

I think you may have accidentally posted the same link twice. Both URLs are identical. I looked though, and I couldn't find a duplicate of your listing.

I think what you're actually noticing, is the new Google+ design that rolled out last November. Here's an article describing the change. No GMB pages display reviews when viewed in the new layout... only when looking at it in the classic layout, so that's probably what's tripping you up. It's definitely all just one profile though, so no worries.

I noticed too by the way that your service area is set huge... like 500 miles or something. Generally you're going to hurt your chances to rank anywhere if you're anything over 40 miles. If you're hoping to show in other regions outside where you're actually located, you'll need to accomplish that with other methods. Either way, you'll definitely want to bump down that service area radius.

 

[Kristen]

Thanks for the insight and feedback Linda and James. Good catch James - I'm not sure why the service area was so large, perhaps the client logged in at some point and changed that. It is now set back to 20 miles.

I'm afraid I did accidentally post the same URL twice.

1) Here is the URL I posted above: https://plus.google.com/b/102364396843800464042/102364396843800464042/posts

- When I am logged into the account in classic view on this URL, I see no reviews: 2016-04-09_1545 - kristenb's library

- When I am logged out I see new Google +, so I can't see the reviews, but I do see them come up in the knowledge panel.

Also, when I am logged in, the above URL doesn't redirect to the one below, but when I am logged out, it does. Not sure if that matters.

2) Here is the second URL: https://plus.google.com/102364396843800464042/about?hl=en

When I am logged into the account on this URL, I see 4 reviews: 2016-04-09_1550 - kristenb's library

When I am logged out, I see the same as above. I know the CID appears to be the same on both URLS, but the b in the first URL and missing reviews threw me off.

Given these facts, these are still both the same local listing then, correct?

Final question - I know for reviews we should come up with an alternate link, but to generally link to the local page (on the contact page for example), should we be linking to the new Google + page or to the maps listing?

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Kristen, it's hard to tell because there's a couple confusing things going on.

1st off you posted the exact same URL again - both end in 4642.

But in the screenshot for the top URL in the last post the URL ends up ends in 4640 and has a /b/ in the string. I just get 404 but maybe I'm missing a number. Can you provide the right link to that page cu again every link so far has been 4642.

But here is one of the biggies. I think there's some confusion about what you're looking at, or maybe somehow you didn't notice what tabs you're on…

But refused left FOR the business in classic are always on the about tab.

One of your screenshots above the one that you said has no reviews – you are on the reviews tab and reviews for the business don't show up there and never have. That reviews tab is something totally different - that's for reviews this business leaves for other businesses. So about tab is reviews received. The reviews tab is reviews left.

Since this business has never left anyone a review and that review tab is empty I would hide it so it doesn't confuse customers too. They might click they are looking for customer reviews. You hide it in the G plus page dashboard, if I remember right it support the bottom.

Not supposed to be working so signing off now. But I hope that helped clarify part of it.

 

[Kristen]

Hi Linda,

Yes, I think it was the tabs that were confusing me. All these changes are making me question everything now. But now that you mention it, I do recall that there is a difference with the reviews tab.

They are the same URLS, but one had the b in it and I thought that was always an indication of a business page, but that must be the logged in URL.

Thanks again for your clarification. Hope you are feeling better.

Kristen

 

[James Watt]

Hi Kristen,

you'll notice that the b automatically redirects to the URL without the b. Not entirely sure where that link with the b might have come from, but it's definitely the same listing. I think Linda found your real confusion, that review tab wasn't where reviews pop up.

As far as where to link customers, that's a good question. Google's recommendations are frankly kind of terrible (having customers do a search for the business and leave it that way... totally nonfunctional for multi location businesses) and it's a little hard to find a better place to send people.

Here's the current best practices link for your business:
https://www.google.com/search?q=Edm...8109435801127342#lrd=0x0:0x53a82597f41b49ae,1

Try and it out and you'll see how it looks. This'll work for users on desktop, mobile, logged in, and logged out.

I personally always use a forwarding URL (have http://restorelogs.com/review or something redirect to that link above) that when when the link inevitably stops working and you need to come here to find the new link that'll work, it's easy to change it without breaking anything.

 

[Kristen]

Hi James,

Thank you again for the insight. That's a good tip to use a forwarding URL. I did see a number of tools people in the community have created to grab the URL, is there one in particular you used to find that URL?

Thanks,
Kristen

 

[Linda Buquet]

But in the screenshot for the top URL in the last post the URL ends up ends in 4640 and has a /b/ in the string. I just get 404 but maybe I'm missing a number. Can you provide the right link to that page cuz again every link so far has been 4642.

Oops I see the issue. Was reading the URLs in the screenshots and thought they were different. But diff browser with each one so in one part of the #s weren't showing.

 

[James Watt]

I made that link with Pleper.