{"id":8941,"date":"2011-01-22T13:23:17","date_gmt":"2011-01-22T17:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/?p=8941"},"modified":"2011-01-23T13:06:32","modified_gmt":"2011-01-23T17:06:32","slug":"tripadvisor-reviews-google-places-the-saga-continues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2011\/01\/22\/tripadvisor-reviews-google-places-the-saga-continues\/","title":{"rendered":"TripAdvisor Reviews and Google Places – the Saga Continues"},"content":{"rendered":"

Su from the Inn at Tanglewood Hall, a bed and breakfast in York Harbor<\/a>, Me alerted<\/a> me on the 20th to the fact that TripAdvisor reviews were once again missing from Google Places. Today she sent me this missive<\/a> from the CEO of TripAdvisor, Steve Kaufer inviting questions via Twitter about the TripAdvisor-Google battle over review content in Google Places<\/a>. I am reprinting his message in full:<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

#AskSteve on Twitter: TripAdvisor Talks Google Places and Invites\u00a0Questions<\/h2>\n
\n

\"\"With more than 70% of all searches in the U.S. alone, Google is the world\u2019s\u00a0 dominant search engine with considerable power over displaying what users see on the web. With Google Places, it is abusing this power.<\/p>\n

The success of any website relies on two crucial elements: how useful it is to the consumer and therefore how highly it ranks in search engines.\u00a0 With both of these elements, Google is manipulating its systems and position to promote Google Places over other competing sites.\u00a0 Links to Google Places appear at the top of the \u2018natural\u2019 search despite being an inferior product to sites that are dedicated to review collection and therefore more useful to the consumer.\u00a0 Google is also forcingTripAdvisor<\/a> to allow its reviews to be on Google Places, and as the world\u2019s largest travel site with more than 40 million reviews and opinions, become the key content provider in Google Places for hotel and other accommodation reviews.<\/p>\n

While we expect competition in the travel planning sector, we expect the success of the competition to be decided by the consumer.\u00a0 The EU Commission is currently investigating claims of how Google is adopting unfair practice; Google Places is another example of how they are abusing their dominant position in search.<\/p>\n

As the situation continues to unfold, we know that many of you may have questions about Google Places and how we at\u00a0TripAdvisor<\/a> are approaching it, and I want to get those questions answered.\u00a0 Over the next couple of days, we\u2019ll be asking you to share these questions on Twitter, and I\u2019ll be answering them right here on the\u00a0TripAdvisor blog<\/a>.\u00a0 Follow us at\u00a0@TripAdvisor<\/a> for additional details on how to submit questions and join in on the conversation.<\/p>\n

Steve Kaufer, CEO, TripAdvisor<\/p>\n

Guidelines for submitting questions:<\/em>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n