Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
in Reviews
Google Rolling Out Review Distribution Charts for G+ Page
Update 6:45 pm: Google has confirmed the review distribution is going live and will be visible across all browsers and desktop machines shortly. It also appears that only listings that show Stars are seeing the distribution graph. For the most part that results when a listing has at least five reviews. Although in rare cases a few listings with 4 reviews garner the stars and get the review distribution graph.
Mary-Kelly Gaebel of ADP Digital Marketing Solutions Group pointed out a new feature that Google seems to be testing (or perhaps rolling out): A review star distribution chart. I had noticed this feature the other day but before I could do a screen capture, it had disappeared.
It seems odd to me that they would be adding new features to the Plus review page while simultaneously making it more difficult to get to the review page…. but hey this is Google. Its all part of some grand plan, right? I actually like the presentation and it provides users with  meaningful data but if it isn’t brought to the main search page it is unlikely to be seen by many.
Although I am now seeing this in Safari for Mac but NOT Chrome or Firefox. Are you seeing it?
I would love to see the distributions of this data, in aggregate, by industry.
In related news, Google has announced that they have added Canada and Spain to the new dashboard rollout. Wonder when they will finish rolling it out in the US?
© Copyright 2024 - MIKE BLUMENTHAL, ALL RIGHT RESERVED.
Comments
17 Comments
Another day, another “Yelp like” Google + feature…
Thanks Mike, I’m seeing in FF and IE but not in Chrome.
I agree with you. Given the recent changes, this seems odd and there must be something else on the way that will tie all these smaller display updates together.
@Dan
Yes, very Yelp like.
@Linda
Wouldn’t want to be the programmer on this one. Just put in who knows how many hours of work and no one but you, me and Dan will see it. What a shame. 🙂
Mike and Linda – I am now seeing it in Chrome. Of course I had to do some clicking around to actually get into the Plus review page.
@Morry
They don’t make it easy…. Mac or PC?
Same as Linda here: I’m seeing it in FF but not in Chrome on my PC.
For once, I think Google’s latest “improvement” is actually an improvement. It reminds me of those green-and-red “sentiment” bars that Places used to have. And yes, although it’s another data-point that says Google is aping Yelp on reviews, Yelp doesn’t include the ratings distribution on business pages, but rather only on reviewers’ pages.
It would be nice if eventually Google would integrate the ratings breakdown with the “at a glance” snippets, in such a way that business owners and customers could see – for example – the common sentiment behind all 1-star reviews.
I’m on a PC and it worked. I tried the same page on a Mac and it was a no go.
Its not just yelp like. Other review sites present the same type information and breakdown.
Its helpful. If I’m glancing through restaurants, each with 100’s of reviews this is a way to further break down and help with decisions.
I might be looking for at least 3 star, or 3.5 star, or 4 star ratings. Additionally knowing how it got there could help me make choices.
How many 5 stars make that 3.7 star rating. How many 1 stars, etc.
Not bad refinement at all in my opinion.
I’m on a PC and I’m seeing it in Chrome and Mozilla.
From a user perspective I find it very useful. We’re familiar with this thing thanks to services like TripAdvisor or Yelp.
Hi Mike,
it seems, that this new feature is being internationally rolled out:
As seen on Google.de on various browsers:
http://blog.kennstdueinen.de/2013/08/neues-chart-google-local-eintrage-zeigen-nun-bewertungsverteilung/
Best Regards!
Sebastian
Thanks Sebastian!
We are noticing the new dashboard in Canada. It seems like there may be a couple of taxonomy adjustments. Have you noticed any changes between the US and up Nort?
A Dominos Pizza branch posted in the Forum yesterday about not appearing on a map in a search result. Top in organic and three links below to web directory entries.
Looking round he had a 3.5 star ranking just below all the ones with a red pin.
So is your star ranking now a major ranking factor to appear on the map?
Hi Mike,
I came across a G+ Local page today that only has 3 reviews and still has the gold stars and distribution chart.
Seems to keep getting lower and lower. I wonder if eventually everyone with at least one review will have the goldstars and then it’s a matter of who has the best rating?
@Colan
I too had run across one with only three (that I originally mentioned in the article) but then when I went back more were showing.
I think that it is a bug in Google’s counting system or perhaps a timing issue where they have the 5th review but haven’t displayed it yet. I don’t think (but could very well be wrong) that the threshold has dropped.
New Dashboard In Canada (finally) – I called regarding several issues and was really pleased with the expertise of support I received – thanks Roxy 🙂
Comments for this post are closed.