Comments on: Google Places Odds and Ends

By: Earlpearl

Earlpearl — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 21:59:10 +0000

Here are some Google Places Odds and Ends for you.

1. Have a problem w/ one of my places accts and reported it in the G Places Forum: I noted what a fruitful and active place it is in this fashion:

A number of smb’s w/ ongoing never ending problems directed their questions directly to you…and didn’t even bother addressing Google. Is that unbelievable? That place is the essence of non service.

OTOH, they really should pay you.

All of which made me think of the following current event and the quick responsiveness of the Google “customer service team”.

Jim Morrison was just pardoned for indecent exposure from a case dating back to 1969. Okay….so who is more responsive….the pardon process in Florida or the Google “Customer Service” Team???

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 01:40:18 +0000

Ah, you are one step (or 100) ahead of me. Just noticed that link at the end.

By: Heather

Heather — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 01:25:59 +0000

Wonder if showing Offers has anything to do with the rumored Groupon buyout….hmmm.

By: Luis

Luis — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:26:01 +0000

It is nice to see that Google finally makes a clear statement about multi-language listings. How ever i still have one question, does anyone knows if you can do multi-language listings using several languages that are not spoken in that country?

For example if I have a hotel in NY and i want to list it in French, German, Spanish, etc. to attrack customers from different nations.

Thanksin advance

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:30:42 +0000

@Dennis

Can you capture a screen shot?

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:23:34 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

I love my family & all but the ever changing layout on the SERP is making me hungry for more searching.

Now (only visible on Chrome w/XP), I’m seeing:

3 ad’s on top followed by 3 organic listings, a 7-Pack of local listings, and 3 ad’s on the bottom. To the right, I’m seeing (8) searches related to (my search) and the floating map below.

Anyone else? If my memory serves me correctly, holidays seem to be a testing day for the god’s.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 04:44:35 +0000

only seeing it on Chrome…

By: Dennis

Dennis — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 04:38:33 +0000

More odd’s and end’s.

I’m seeing the upper right side of results page displaying “Searches related to”. Again, they (Google) really want users to click on what they think is related, similar to or: we think you really mean this!

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:02:40 +0000

@Yaro

I agree, surfacing coupons in the Places search would be a huge push for coupons. Who knows what Google is waiting for… clearly it could monetized in a number of ways if they so chose or it could be used to drive traffic back to Places… either way Google would benefit so their lethargy is/has been inexplicable.

By: Yaro

Yaro — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:38:35 +0000

Might also help Google’s Place Page ctr from the organo-local listings if offers are sprinkled into those results as well. Although, with the inclusion of 3rd party review sites in the organo-locals, it isn’t so clear that Google is focused so much on ctr to the Place Page as on the comprehensiveness of the listings.

In any case, it’s refreshing to see offers gaining buoyancy and surfacing up closer and closer to the end users’ browsing experience.

An interesting idea to incentivize review writing might be “exclusive” offers through hotpot that are only available to users the leave a review. There are just so many directions Google can take with offers, none of which they seem to be interested in taking at this time. It’s kind of baffling.