Video - How to Merge your Google+ Local and G+ Business Pages - Detailed Instructions

[Linda Buquet]

<a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/showthread.php?323-BREAKING!-Google-Business-Merge-with-Google-Place-Pages-Starts-RIGHT-NOW!"><img src="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/G+Local.jpg" alt="" title="GoogleLocal" width="110" align="left" hspace="10" /></a> Matthew Hunt from Small Business Online Coach created a GREAT step-by-step video detailing how to set up and merge your Google+ Business page with your Google Places AKA G+ Local page.

Since many of us are visual learners, I think it's really helpful to watch the process instead of just reading how to do it. So great job Matthew and thank you for sharing!


<center><strong><a href="http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/blog/video-connect-google-page-google-local-page/">Video - How to Connect Your Google Plus Page to Your Google Local Page</a></strong>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H__pBpALfU4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>

Be sure to head over to Matt's blog to read the full post. <strong></strong><strong><a href="http://www.smallbusinessonlinecoach.com/blog/video-connect-google-page-google-local-page/">How to Video On How to Connect Your Google Plus Page to Your Google Local Page</a></strong>

Also see other step-by-step instructions, help docs and more G+ Local Merge resources at the Local Search Forum announcement here: <strong><a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/showthread.php?323-BREAKING!-Google-Business-Merge-with-Google-Place-Pages-Starts-Now!">BREAKING! Google+ Business Merge with Google Place Pages Starts Now!</a></strong>
I'm adding all new resources to the 1st post as I discover them.

Reminder: the upgrade/merge is not available yet for service area businesses with hidden address.
See link above for more details on that.

Thanks again Matt! Great job on the video!

What do you guys think? Was that helpful? Any questions?

 

[rossicone]

Hi Linda!

Thanks for sharing this video with us, it was really helpful! I had a quick couple of questions regarding this merging process:

1) For the early merger, you have to re-verify your listing through a verification letter in the mail. In a couple of months, or whenever, when Google forces this merger on business owners, do you think they will force a re-verification process as well? Basically I am wondering that if we wait and have Google merge the Google+ Local listing and Google Plus Page on their own, will we still have to reverify the final merged outcome?

2) Besides more social features, is there any benefit to merge these two listings/pages on our own compared to waiting for Google to do it? Will Google give authority/higher rank to those who have merged sooner than those who have waited? Or any benefit like that?

I would love to know your thoughts. Once again, thank you for all of your help!!

PS This forum is awesome...what did we do before it!? haha

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Rachel,

No one knows for sure - likely not even Google, what the next phase will entail but here is what I ASSUME. (But G does not always do what I assume they will OR what's even logical.)

But my feeling is with this phase 1 merge since it happens FROM the G+ side, which was never verified AND since you are requesting a merge with an existing Place page, it forces verification. Otherwise people could just create a G+ page and HIJACK someone else's Place page and merge it.

However since Place pages are already verified what I picture happening is just a button inside dash that says merge me or upgrade me and boom, that's it. (That's IF you don't already have a G+ page.)

If you DO have a G+ page BUT it's in a diff account there may be verification required to prove you are the owner of both and they really belong together.

2) Besides more social features, is there any benefit to merge these two listings/pages on our own compared to waiting for Google to do it? Will Google give authority/higher rank to those who have merged sooner than those who have waited? Or any benefit like that?

I would love to know your thoughts. Once again, thank you for all of your help!!

PS This forum is awesome...what did we do before it!? haha

Thanks on the forum compliment. I think it's awesome too.

Re #1 I answered this for someone else in the main announcement thread and said:

In past Google said wait and let G upgrade the Place page if you don't already have a G+ page and that was my advice as well.

But in this annoucement Jade said go ahead and create one if you want to get started early.

So it depends on your time IMO. If you are being paid enough to go the extra mile for clients and manage their whole Internet presence then go for it. If a budget client, wait for Google to offer the next step which I think will be less work for you.

Now you need to create the G+ page, verify, enter PIN, etc. Later I believe (but don't know for sure - no one does yet) but I think it will be more of an automatic upgrade sort of like the upgrade from GP to G+L was.

"Will Google give authority/higher rank to those who have merged sooner than those who have waited? Or any benefit like that?"

Don't know but don't think so.

Thanks for the great questions! Did I answer them?

 

[rossicone]

Hi Linda!

Yes this answered all of my questions. Thanks for such a timely reply!

Have a nice day

 

[shondarogers]

Very helpful video - thank you! QUESTION: ihave several clients (6) who are all realtors in the same office for the sameXYZ company. In the past, i have listed them Google Places as: XYZcompany:agent name Suite 100 (or 200 or 300...and so on. Do you think i am still ok doing this? What has happened thus far withthe berger (and before, quite honestly) is all the agents information isgetting garbled together with showing wrong cell numbers and photos fordifferent agents - XYZCompany:agent name and Suite # is always correct...it's just the other info that seems to get garbled. Any advice for a"fresh" start with this situation?<o></o>
<o> </o>

 

[Linda Buquet]

This is really a question about Google Places G+Local best practices in general and separate from the new merge/upgrade to G+ business that this video and thread is about. (So sorry when I told you to move your blog comment here I should have read the comment 1st and directed you to a better thread.)

So in a nutshell, Google will OFTEN merge listings like that and there are a variety of things you can do to try to avoid that type of merging.

This thread has tons of info and I think addresses the issue really well.
Multiple Agents/Professionals @ Same Location - Google Places Best Practice Tips

After you read through all of that if you still have more questions, please post in that thread and we'll be happy to try to help. (Just trying to keep Q&As organized in the right discussion area.)

 

[laurie]

So, can you clarify something for me? I wasn't able to watch the video - not getting audio right now on my computer for some reason.

Do you still need to set up a Places page first? Or is that completely out and do you just do a G+ personal account and then a business page?

Thanks so much!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Laurie,

1st of all, most experts including myself agree you should maybe wait and not merge with G+ at all yet. It's still too BETA and there are lots of problems. Plus there are important features missing in G+ like categories and analytics.

PLUS many businesses like service area businesses and multi-location businesses don't qualify to merge yet.

"Do you still need to set up a Places page first? Or is that completely out and do you just do a G+ personal account and then a business page?"

But IF brand new brick and mortar business with a walk in commercial location and IF you are sure you qualify and IF you understand the risks and IF you are sure Google has not already created a Place page and IF you really want to do it.? yes you could just set up in G+ and set category as local and skip the Place page set up.

But again you may hit new bugs that don't have solutions yet AND would be missing important features like the ability to add categories.

Does that help clarify or did it raise new Qs?

 

[laurie]

Actually, that does raise a lot more questions.

But IF brand new brick and mortar business with a walk in commercial location and IF you are sure you qualify and IF you understand the risks and IF you are sure Google has not already created a Place page and IF you really want to do it.? yes you could just set up in G+ and set category as local and skip the Place page set up.

That's a lot of "ifs." I am not that familiar with all the problems, I have only heard that businesses should be there. I do know how frustrating it has been trying to find out about all this and trying to set up a page correctly.

Where do you suggest I start? Just not do places of plus yet at this point???

 

[Linda Buquet]

Start here and read the most recent few updates to get more info about everything before you make a decision. http://localsearchforum.catalystema...google-business-merge-google-place-pages.html

What type of business are we talking about?

It's brand new and you've searched maps extensively to be sure there is not a Place page Google already set up for you?

In most cases I would recommend setting up a Place page. You can ALSO set up a Google+ Business page if it's really important for you to start doing social and building circles. Just don't 'verify' the G+ Business page to merge it with the Place page yet. That's the part that's still a little dicey...

 

[laurie]

Thanks Linda. Why have I not heard of this anywhere else?

I'm trying to set up a G+ page for my church. They have a places page, but weren't on G+. Do you think I should wait?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Linda. Why have I not heard of this anywhere else?

Others have said it including the leading expert Mike Blumenthal and even Jade from Google says best to wait. See this thread:
http://localsearchforum.catalystema...le-local-really-broken-whos-charge-whats.html

I'm trying to set up a G+ page for my church. They have a places page, but weren't on G+. Do you think I should wait?

Maybe I misunderstood. It totally sounded to me in your 1st post, like you were saying NO Place page, should you just set up in G+ and skip the Place page!

So if they already have a Place page great. Like I said, you can go ahead and set up a personal profile then a +Business page. Set category as local. Start using G+ just don't merge the 2 or verify the + page yet.

 

[laurie]

Thanks Linda. You did understand me right. That is the case for my church, but eventually, I'd like to start doing this for other sites that my husband designs, and am wondering what the best way to approach it is.

Thanks for your help!

 

[laurie]

I just watched the video (audio is now working) on merging G+ with your places page. Am I right in thinking that you would want to merge it to bring over the reviews, but if there are no reviews yet, you don't have to worry about it?

Also - google places has been replaced with G+ Local, correct? So, if it's a new account, there would be no reason to go into google places at all?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Like I said we recommend NOT merging. Reviews or no does not matter.

Also - google places has been replaced with G+ Local, correct? So, if it's a new account, there would be no reason to go into google places at all?

No... it's SO confusing.

Google+Local is the new name for what used to be a Place page. BUT the dashboard that you manage it in is still branded as Google Places. So just super confusing and overly complicated.

So if as I advised you DON'T set a new listing up in G+, then you still set it up in the Google Places dashboard, but the live page you create is now called a Google+ Local page.

Google just mangled the branding and made this all uber confusing!

 

[laurie]

Ok, so we still go to Google to set it up? You're so right - it is VERY confusing.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Yep you got it. Click the right side getting started. You'll see everything still says "Google Places."

 

[laurie]

Thanks Linda. I think that's it for now. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions as I go on.