{"id":10598,"date":"2011-07-22T10:38:40","date_gmt":"2011-07-22T14:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/?p=10598"},"modified":"2011-07-22T13:52:53","modified_gmt":"2011-07-22T17:52:53","slug":"google-places-gains-new-ally-in-review-battle-with-yelp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2011\/07\/22\/google-places-gains-new-ally-in-review-battle-with-yelp\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Places Gains New Ally in Review Battle with Yelp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google has been in a pitched tussle with Yelp for quite some time. Google introduced reviews to local in 2007 and the fun began. Yelp reviews in<\/a> Google, Yelp reviews out of Google,\u00a0Yelp’s anger<\/a> at Google’s use of their content, Google contrition, a large offer <\/a>by Google and a failed<\/a> buyout, Yelp reviews out of Google and in<\/a> once again, more<\/a> Yelp complaints… Google couldn’t seem to win but in typical Google fashion they kept plugging away. They weren’t giving up in the review arena.<\/p>\n

\"\"Finally with the release<\/a> of Hotpot last year and Google’s subsequent \u00a0success<\/a> in garnering ratings and reviews things started to change on the review front. Research was indicating that Google was making strides and soon Google stepped out and into<\/a> the “we have lots of reviews game”. Yelp of course rose to the bait and insisted on engaging in the my review corpus is bigger than yours<\/a> type posturing.<\/p>\n

The changes<\/a> yesterday in 3rd party review handling<\/a> will change this review competition once again and tilt the playing field a little further towards Google in their battle with Yelp. While I don’t think<\/a> the change should affect SMBs’ review management plans, it will<\/a> do just that. Companies that saw<\/a> their display count drop from 250 to 5 on the front page of Google will shift their efforts to regain an advantage. They will shift their review solicitation plans to refocus their client’s attention on Google.<\/p>\n

Google has just gained an unwitting ally in their multi year battle with Yelp on the review front.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Google has been in a pitched tussle with Yelp for quite some time. Google introduced reviews to local in 2007 and the fun began. Yelp reviews in Google, Yelp reviews out of Google,\u00a0Yelp’s anger at Google’s use of their content, Google contrition, a large offer by Google and a failed buyout, Yelp reviews out of …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-google-maps-google-local","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t