Major Update - New Google Places Dashboard - All-in-one Local Listing Management

[Brian]

I have just taken on a couple listings that that are a mess.
Spammed keywords, City name in wrong places and dupes. Is it a good idea to update asap in the old dashboad and get everything up to stuff. Or should I wait and just make the changes in the new dash.

 

[Linda Buquet]

As always the answer in each case is it depends.

1) If not merged, and if VIOLATIONS - then it's broken, must fix it. Clean up violations and don't wait because who knows how long it will be. Could be next week or could take months for the new dash to fully roll out. (I don't think so, but it's possible.)

FYI but remember, if merged, can't edit in Places dash - need to do it in G+)

2) If it's more minor problems like KW repetition in the description, could still clean them up.
Really no reason to wait.

3) Only thing I would wait on is merging. Wait until get new dash and G+ widget.

4) Dupes, you never want to claim those anyway, so they don't have anything to do with either dash. You can clean those up via report a problem or troubleshooter or via minimizing, just depending on which type of dupe it is. (All covered in your training docs/MP3.)

 

[Linda Buquet]

This thread is 3 pages long and went off on a few tangents. So I started a new thread with new news.

Jade just informed us the new Places dashboard is starting to slowly roll out to existing Places accounts. Previously it was only showing up on newly created accounts.

See the announcement and complete details here:

New Google Dashboard Rolling out to Existing Places Accounts

 

[Linda Buquet]

Head's up and GREAT NEWS!

Faster image uploads with the new dashboard.

Just got email from Jade saying that she posted an update at the Google forum.

Update - May 30

If you're using the new dashboard, your photo uploading experience is now improved. Photos uploaded via the new Place for Business dashboard will now go live in hours in most cases.
You can send us feedback about this and other features by clicking on the gear on the right -> Send Feedback. Thanks!

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Excellent news!

 

[freerunr]

Head's up and GREAT NEWS!

Faster image uploads with the new dashboard.

Just got email from Jade saying that she posted an update at the Google forum.

Update - May 30

If you're using the new dashboard, your photo uploading experience is now improved. Photos uploaded via the new Place for Business dashboard will now go live in hours in most cases.
You can send us feedback about this and other features by clicking on the gear on the right -> Send Feedback. Thanks!

Yeah, I noticed this happening this week.... bringing us that much closer to speedy updates to listings, alluded to last year by Google.

 

[Linda Buquet]

One of the many new feature improvements I didn't get around to posting about in the initial announcement. (Yes Toto, you can finally easily re-arrange/select the profile photo!)

Major Improvements to Image Management in New Google Places Dashboard

 

[Susan Walsh]

Thanks Linda! We're still waiting on the new Google Places dashboard here in MA - anyone in the Forum from MA with the new dashboard? Do you think Google does it by state? As you can see I'm not very patient. I'm a Gemini...

 

[Andrew Forster]

Anyone in Canada getting the new layout yet?

Also - is there any word on what to do if you have a places dashboard, and a merged / verified Google+ Local page - are these all getting merged into this new layout?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Also - is there any word on what to do if you have a places dashboard, and a merged / verified Google+ Local page - are these all getting merged into this new layout?

Hi Andrew, I think this post refers to what you are inquiring about - Google Groups

I?m using Google+ to manage the local page for my business; what should I do?
Please continue using Google+ for management, as you had before. If you were using both Google+ and Google Places for business, you should continue doing so. When we are ready to migrate the pages that have social features, we will have further instructions.

 

[Andrew Forster]

Thanks Colan

 

[Linda Buquet]

Just discovered and early upgrade request form for those of you that can't wait.

Request Early Upgrade to NEW Google Places Dashboard Here... Cha-Ching

 

[Linda Buquet]

Jade just posted an update at the Google and your Business forum.

"As of June 18, the new Places for Business dashboard will be rolling out to new users in the following countries: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Norway, Croatia, Finland, Singapore, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. "

 

[djbaxter]

I'm not seeing it yet. I wonder when old users (old? moi?) will get to see it. ~ David in Canada

 

[Linda Buquet]

Alot of us "old" users don't have it yet. ~ Linda in Socal.

 

[djbaxter]

So you're saying that this reflects blatant anti-ageist bias at Google?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Jade just let us know she updated the post at the G forum.

Update - August 6
As of August 6, the new Places for Business dashboard will be rolling out to new users in Canada and Spain.

 

[Andrew Forster]

So what happens if you're adding another location? As far as I know, you're supposed to do it at places.google.com even if you have another location being managed from the Google+ dashboard.

For example, our company has a new location in South Edmonton, so I added it via Google Places. Up at the top of the dashboard in Places I'm seeing this:

[SIZE=-1]Coming soon: An easier to use Google Places for Business
We're making Google Places for Business easier to use. You don't have to do anything to get the new Google Places for Business, it'll be automatically updated when available.
Learn more about the changes.

Any thoughts?
[/SIZE]

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Andrew, I believe that's the notice that's been there since the new dashboard started to roll out. (At least here in the US.) It's just telling you the new dashboard will be rolling out soon and you'll be auto updated when it does.

 

[Andrew Forster]

So this will be some sort of time warp / sync with Google Places / Google+ Local into the new dashboard ... ohhhh baby that's exciting - let's just hope the merge works well and properly imports data points from map maker, Google places and Google+ effectively!