What if you never had a google map page

[mohawkmadness]

So my question is if you never had a google map page and have nothing to merge, when you create a brand new google plus local business page and verify it, will it show in the google local serps (hiding my address from public) and if so how long does that take. And since there is no google map page there is no dashboard.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Want to be sure on terminology because there are 2 types of products with almost same name. SO I'm going to call a Google Place page a Google Place page.

If you set up a Google Place page (which is actually still what it's called on the page where you set it up and in the link below) then YES it will be indexed and it will also put you on Google maps. AND you will have the Places dashboard which is where you make your edits and add images.

http://www.google.com/places/ Click get started on the right.

Don't worry about merging with a Google+ Business page yet because if you have a service area business or have to hide address on your Place page, then you aren't eligible to merge yet anyway.

As far as timing, it can take about a week before your page is live but it won't necessarily show up for keyword searches right away. That can take about 6 weeks.

 

[mohawkmadness]

I set up a place page for a different listing and when that was validated it was blank where the analytics should be, no analytics or the - - marks. I did just recently set that up also. I'm still a little confused, so google plus local business page is different than the google places page. So a google plus local business page won't show up in google places maps.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Google botched the branding and made this all really confusing.

What used to be called the Google Place page is STILL called the Google Place page on the business owner side.

But it morphed into what's called a G+ Local page. So G+ local page is the public page you see (and it's the same as the Place page.)

So Google Place page and G+ Local page are the same thing (just diff names) and yes they show in G search and on G maps.

If you created a Google Places/Google+ Local page already then you should NOT do it again. It's a violation to have 2.

It's normal for there to be no stats for up to 6 weeks. They don't show right away. That does not mean the page is broken, means it's still working it's way into the local database.

 

[mohawkmadness]

Its starting to make sense. If I had a google plus local page how would I have 2 if google plus business page is seperate and won't show in the maps. Let's say I created a google plus business page first and validated it, and then created a google local places page and validate it they would both show or only the places page in the maps.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Only the Google Places/G+ Local page shows in search results and in maps.

 

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Linda,
I really wish Google would update their own documents to reflect the new terminology. Maybe they've confused themselves as much as the rest of us

 

[Linda Buquet]

Oh Miriam, if you only knew how bad it is. Then there is also a local Google+ page which is a different product. Not a Place page/Google+ local page.

If you Google looking for Google+ Local Google shows you the help docs for how to set up a local Google+ page - the 'other' type of page, not the one you are looking for.

We've been going round and round because now they want to change the names again. Even more convoluted than you know!

 

[MiriamEllis]

Another name change? Oh my gosh! I'll be on the lookout for that. I have noticed that about searches bringing up irrelevant documents related to other things. Just about every day, I have to search for sources to back up/explain something I'm writing and it is just not fun.

Yet, I'm still kind of living in a state of breathless relief that search works in the Google and Your Business forum. When that stopped working right before they changed to the new forum, I was practically ill!

Keep up the awesome work Linda. I try to check in here every day.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Ya that is one plus currently. At least search works pretty well in the new G forum.

Sidenote - didn't have time to share your SEOmoz review post here today but planning to tomorrow. Great job!