Comments on: Reviews Are Dead! Long Live Reviews – Will Facebook Places Change the Review Landscape?

By: Mike Stewart

Mike Stewart — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:35:36 +0000

@chris,

I understand that the short messages won’t stick…. but as profiles and personalities become the norm, your Facebook being tagged to your Google, to your Yahoo, etc., you will see a connection between the short bursts of excitement or dissappointment towards a business… the difference is that it will be instant.

The real question is:

How will businesses begin responding to reviews and comments? Since they can finally attach to who did the review, will they respond with resolutions to problems and be held accountable for “doing the most good” or will they continue to ignore reputations and customer service?

Might be better to discuss this separately.

Cheers,
Mike Stewart

p.s. I decided not to attend BIA/Kelsey here in Dallas. Makes sense to save the conference fees for PubCon. If any of you guys want a drink, meet me at the http://www.DFWSEM.org meeting on the 15th….. on me of course!

By: Mike Stewart

Mike Stewart — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:29:18 +0000

As I said here, http://www.smbseo.com/facebook-places-vs-google-places-local-search-battle , that Like is the new review. I believe that the authenticity is an issue. Consumers appreciate and want TRUST. Social is the new review. Whether it be via check-in, sharing, liking, or tweeting. Long or short. Search engines are forcing profiles and personalities. This is the new review. The best directory sites will be those that recommend, share, or communicate the trust of doing business in the most effective manner. Those that tap into social media will have a future. Those that can’t or won’t, simply will fail. That is my two cents.

Great discussion fellas! SUBSCRIBED.

Cheers,
Mike

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:59:04 +0000

@Zac
Localeze does have a bulk upload and it is expensive

@Bryan

I am with you BUT and this is a big BUT if those with money and time pollute the reviews in an effort to increase their business AND Google & other review sites do nothing then reviews become useless and “Likes” take on more value.

By: Zac Stafford

Zac Stafford — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:28:23 +0000

sigh. doesn’t see that localeze has a bulk upload, and it is EXPENSIVE!

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:35:33 +0000

I think people would still rather read quality reviews as opposed to reviews of people at the place your about to go.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:42:27 +0000

@Vansci
At this point, it appears to me that the business information, other than location, is not discoverable. In its initial incarnation it is just a place where friends can meet…but I agree that the way in which Facebook makes this more detailed information visible will to a large extent define how well the product succeeds.

@Chris
Certainly in its current, limited scope reviews are not threatened. I think Seb’s point (which I don’t totally agree with) is that at some point these locations will acrue lots and lots of comments and likes and that will be the equivalent of good reviews…

@Zac
Currently the base data is coming from Localeze which does allow for bulk uploads. One would hope that that info will regularly flow into the FB page…

By: Zac Stafford

Zac Stafford — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:34:13 +0000

More importantly, will large businesses be able to bulk upload their physical locations? Not surprisingly, Facebook is mum on the topic.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:06:52 +0000

My understanding is that Facebook Places is about letting your friends know where you are at a particular time: in a restaurant, coffee shop, hotel, etc. Yes you may “review” that business by saying “try the sandwhich” or “don’t use the pool”, but how will that become a permanent business review that stays somewhere posted on the net for others to see, not just your friends. I believe FB Places will be successful among some FB friends, in will increase local search in some circles, but reviews sites are definitely not dead yet.

By: SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 19, 2010

SearchCap: The Day In Search, August 19, 2010 — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:19:21 +0000

[...] Reviews Are Dead! Long Live Reviews – Will Facebook Places Change the Review Landscape?, Mike Blumenthal [...]

By: Andy Kuiper

Andy Kuiper — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:00:33 +0000

With regard to FaceBook Places, I don’t think Reviews are dead, nor do I think they are terminally ill. However, much ‘buzz’ (sorry Google) could be raised about businesses that are seen as ‘trendy’ to certain demographics (new business openings, promotions, bars, hotels, events, etc.) who use and monitor FB Places.

What will be interesting is how well it takes hold and how G responds to this feature introduction.

Will FB Places primarily used be teens – who are much more socially conscious of what their peers are up to than most?

That someone is actually ‘at’ a particular business is not as important to me as what they have to say about the business. If I’m looking for a good seafood place and my FB friends are ‘checked in’ at a Japanese restaurant; it’s not really relevant to me.

However, what FB does with this feature could be pretty cool. If they create a blending of data to a business Like/Places page… sort of a one-stop information hub on who’s there, who likes it, what people say about the place, maps, how to get there, hours of operation, promotions, discounts, videos, photos, etc., that might be good.

Then G Local Places might be competing in the SERPS with FB Places (I believe FB Like pages are currently indexable).

Mobile/Local is sure going to get interesting quick.