Questions about multiple G+ local pages versus G+ branding. Are we doing this right?

[frank3rd]

I hope I have posted this in the correct forum. If not, I apologize for my mistake.

My employer has asked me to review and suggest a plan of action to utilize our many G+ pages more effectively. I believe that our current G+ focus is not at all effective and may even be completely wrong.

Here is how we are configured. Our company has a master account that should be a person but is actually the company name and was created before that was required. The master account now resembles a brand page more than a person. This has been the main page for our web links and routing from our web site and blog. We also have 47 individual G+ local pages for each of our physical storefronts. We do have what looks to be a brand page, but this page has been neglected and is not complete. My employers expect to have reasonable activity on all the sites as to increase traffic, but every activity I consider that utilizes all of our location pages ends up classified as spam (or I have read that it will and refuse to proceed at this time).

I have come to the realization that there is no way to have activity on all of our G+ local pages without spam issues.

Am I wrong in this assumption? Should we scrap the existing configuration for a more G+ brand centric focus and have the local pages follow and comment? I do not see a way to have 47 local pages appear active without breaking upsetting google with spam or hiring a small army.

 

[billbean]

Frank,

You've definitely got a challenging situation. If it were me...

Confirm you have a "Brand" page and focus activity on that one.

Make sure your various location pages are all set up correctly and profiles fully developed. Setting up email forwarding from each of these Gmail accounts would be critical. I can't imagine logging in regularly to 47 accounts.

Each of those location pages need reviews, but I don't think they need regular posting. In the short term I would add a single post that directed people to the main Brand page for "the latest." In the long run, the only sustainable effort would be getting the location managers or another location employee to handle regular activity.

That's my two cents.

 

[frank3rd]

Thanks for the reply, Bill.

The current setup is really a mess, but isn't very hard to access the individual G+ local pages as they are all located under the main G+ account.

Is there any way to have the posts on the brand page trickle down through the local pages beyond +1s and comments by each location? I am really worried about generating spam and I am trying to stay away from activities that lead in that direction.

 

[billbean]

The current setup is really a mess, but isn't very hard to access the individual G+ local pages as they are all located under the main G+ account.

Frank, are you sure these pages are of the Local variety? Unless something just changed, multi-location is not an option for the G+ Local Dashboard. Under the old Places dashboard it is possible to manage multiple locations.

Is there any way to have the posts on the brand page trickle down through the local pages beyond +1s and comments by each location?

If I understand your situation correctly, you have 48 google+ pages. I can't imagine a benefit to the business from posting to them regularly. And if there was a benefit, I can't imagine a way you could do it that would justify the cost of doing it.

Once you've gotten the basic benefit of an accurate Google local listing the only additional value to be derived is from actual engagement by G+ users. That's hard enough to accomplish with one page. +1's, comments, and reshares between the 48 pages is worthless.

If I'm missing something, I'm hoping someone will speak up. I'm open to being challenged on this.

 

[frank3rd]

Thanks again for the reply, Bill.

As per your first question on the status of the pages, i was under the impression that all the G+ business pages were combined with G+ local prior to my involvement. SInce you brought it up, i have since considered if this is the case and found most of our pages have been classified as a verified local business as per the check mark by the business name in the business profile. If this is not the right way to confirm, then I am sorry. I was unable to find any other indications for combined G+ business pages in my search.

In reference to your last comment on the necessity of trying to show activity on 48 pages, I agree that it seems to be nearly insurmountable for a single person or even a small group of people accomplish effectively. I only ask because I have been tasked with attempting to accomplish that. If it is impossible, i need to find as much reference material as I can to support that claim along with a counter proposal for our G+ focus.

Sounds like I need to come up with a new plan.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Bill, you accidentally replied via email, so no one saw it but me. Please copy your email reply here to the forum when you get a chance.