Comments on: Which Restaurant Review sites are used by Google Maps? http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/ Developing Knowledge about Local Search Sun, 20 May 2012 21:09:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Mike http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-536358 Mike Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:13 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-536358 @Paddy Sorry, did not read your post carefully. Historically Google has only taken reviews from sites with whom that had some sort of data sharing agreement and required fairly large volumes of reviews. They have recently announced support for hReview formatted reviews but still apparently are requiring some screening before scraping the reviews. See my recent post: <a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2010/09/22/google-announces-full-support-for-microformats-in-local/" rel="nofollow">Google Announces Full Support for Microformats in Local</a> for more details. @Paddy

Sorry, did not read your post carefully. Historically Google has only taken reviews from sites with whom that had some sort of data sharing agreement and required fairly large volumes of reviews. They have recently announced support for hReview formatted reviews but still apparently are requiring some screening before scraping the reviews. See my recent post: Google Announces Full Support for Microformats in Local for more details.

]]> By: Paddy Coyne http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-536352 Paddy Coyne Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:29:03 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-536352 We launched a restaurant website for Ireland in 2009. Several reviews have been added. The reviews are not being picked up by google. Anyone know if there are criteria to be met for the reviews to be picked up.? We launched a restaurant website for Ireland in 2009. Several reviews have been added. The reviews are not being picked up by google. Anyone know if there are criteria to be met for the reviews to be picked up.?

]]> By: Clark H Smith http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-386638 Clark H Smith Tue, 12 May 2009 14:13:18 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-386638 I'm not sure what the bloggers purpose for this site is... so pardon me if I am OT, but I appreciate these lists of review sites provided above. I am a casual traveler and I like to do a lot (read: LOT) of research before visiting a new locale. Planning a trip to Alaska in June 09, I discovered that there are really not many good reviews of restaurants online - regardless of the volume of sites and reviews. I've made it my purpose, when not traveling, to write reviews about restaurants in my area (Greater KC MO) so that hopefully other travelers will be better informed. Your list of which review sites pick up on Google is my target now. I'm writing a review once and then posting it on several sites. So, thanks for the nerd-work, thanks for the the list, and if you ever get to my area look up Smokehouse BBQ and do your mouth a favor. I’m not sure what the bloggers purpose for this site is… so pardon me if I am OT, but I appreciate these lists of review sites provided above. I am a casual traveler and I like to do a lot (read: LOT) of research before visiting a new locale. Planning a trip to Alaska in June 09, I discovered that there are really not many good reviews of restaurants online – regardless of the volume of sites and reviews. I’ve made it my purpose, when not traveling, to write reviews about restaurants in my area (Greater KC MO) so that hopefully other travelers will be better informed. Your list of which review sites pick up on Google is my target now. I’m writing a review once and then posting it on several sites. So, thanks for the nerd-work, thanks for the the list, and if you ever get to my area look up Smokehouse BBQ and do your mouth a favor.

]]> By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Maps Offers Refine by User Rating Option | Developing Knowledge about Local Search http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-205986 Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Maps Offers Refine by User Rating Option | Developing Knowledge about Local Search Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:53:16 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-205986 [...] rating on local rankings. In research done last year, it seemed that the quantity of reviews had significantly more impact on ranking than the quality of [...] [...] rating on local rankings. In research done last year, it seemed that the quantity of reviews had significantly more impact on ranking than the quality of [...]

]]> By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local » New Google tools will impact Maps http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-258 Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local » New Google tools will impact Maps Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:36:44 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-258 [...] The first is Google My Reviews whereby a logged in Google user can find all of his or her reviews made on Google properties. Given the role that reviews currently play in Google Maps this will (at some point) will obviously affect local ranking. [...] [...] The first is Google My Reviews whereby a logged in Google user can find all of his or her reviews made on Google properties. Given the role that reviews currently play in Google Maps this will (at some point) will obviously affect local ranking. [...]

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-255 Mike Blumenthal Tue, 19 Dec 2006 18:38:11 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-255 Carrie Thanks for stopping by. Mike Carrie

Thanks for stopping by.

Mike

]]> By: Carrie Hill http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-250 Carrie Hill Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:25:59 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-250 WOW - this is great data - my company specializes in SEM for hospitality websites and this information is a great backup for our position that the more reviews you have, the better off you are. Thanks for the compilation and I know I'll be referring a few clients here! ~Carrie WOW – this is great data – my company specializes in SEM for hospitality websites and this information is a great backup for our position that the more reviews you have, the better off you are.

Thanks for the compilation and I know I’ll be referring a few clients here!
~Carrie

]]> By: Friday Night Link-o-rama » Small Business SEM http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-208 Friday Night Link-o-rama » Small Business SEM Sat, 16 Dec 2006 05:34:13 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-208 [...] Some good data from Mike Blumenthal, who did some digging through Google Maps to see where they get their restaurant reviews and where they get the restaurant listing data. [...] [...] Some good data from Mike Blumenthal, who did some digging through Google Maps to see where they get their restaurant reviews and where they get the restaurant listing data. [...]

]]> By: Mike Blumenthal http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-199 Mike Blumenthal Fri, 15 Dec 2006 17:04:04 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-199 Bill- Thanks for you data. This list is by no means exhaustive. It represents that which is used on a small sample and in one market only. This needs to be expanded and if time allows I will do so next week. If anyone wants to help on this project let me know and we can parcel out the work. Mike Bill-
Thanks for you data.

This list is by no means exhaustive. It represents that which is used on a small sample and in one market only. This needs to be expanded and if time allows I will do so next week. If anyone wants to help on this project let me know and we can parcel out the work.

Mike

]]> By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local » Part 3 - sources for Google Map’s Restaurant Rankings http://blumenthals.com/blog/2006/12/13/which-review-sites-are-used-by-google-maps/comment-page-1/#comment-196 Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local » Part 3 - sources for Google Map’s Restaurant Rankings Fri, 15 Dec 2006 14:55:31 +0000 http://blumenthals.com/blog/?p=60#comment-196 [...] In Part 1 of this series I review which directories Google is using in creating their Local Listing for Restaurants, in Part 2 I looked at their sources for reviews and ratings and its impact on ranking. In this third installment I will review the aggregate results of all data Google uses in providing information for the Local Listing in the restaurant industry Google Map’s ranking algorithim is complicated. This summary reviews its sources and from that one can glean some ideas about what influences ranking. Clearly though the underlying rules rely different weighting and factors that have yet to be determined. In fact it is clear that Google Maps and Google Organic weight the data differently. My simplified analysis does not (and can not) establish definitively what these relative weights are. It can however point us to the data sources that Google is using and perhaps allow us to develop models for improving rankings. Here is a summary all the details that Google Maps captured for the search Restaurant Buffalo, NY on each listing that I analyzed: [...] [...] In Part 1 of this series I review which directories Google is using in creating their Local Listing for Restaurants, in Part 2 I looked at their sources for reviews and ratings and its impact on ranking. In this third installment I will review the aggregate results of all data Google uses in providing information for the Local Listing in the restaurant industry Google Map’s ranking algorithim is complicated. This summary reviews its sources and from that one can glean some ideas about what influences ranking. Clearly though the underlying rules rely different weighting and factors that have yet to be determined. In fact it is clear that Google Maps and Google Organic weight the data differently. My simplified analysis does not (and can not) establish definitively what these relative weights are. It can however point us to the data sources that Google is using and perhaps allow us to develop models for improving rankings. Here is a summary all the details that Google Maps captured for the search Restaurant Buffalo, NY on each listing that I analyzed: [...]

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