Google Places is no more! Hello Google+ Local

Google is only interested in more control over what you do (and your money). They are no different from Apple (over hyped and over priced).

Both these companies remind me of Scientology (without the humour).

Looks like the approach to SEO for local businesses has changed!...Could this be the reason as some of our Google places Ranks has dropped and few aren't found at all!?

I think it certainly explains some of the disruption over the last 6 months, as they were obviously playing and trying things out.

I remember seeing our own reviews stars keep appearing and disappearing, only to be replaced with google reviews, then briefly our and googles together, so we had two sets of 5 stars!

Then alas they all disappeared and now we have the new bland format

Definitely a smart business move on Googles part (not saying I like it), but they are forcing people onto their social network. It makes fake google reviews harder as you now have to have a G+ profile to post a review. It will also make getting customers to post legit reviews much harder as signing up on G+ is more of a hassle. Google is continually going more and more local and social and there will be lots more to come. If you want to have your maps listing on local search results you have to participate in Googles social network, and big businesses with budgets will definitely be doing this. Social activity on accounts will likely become much more of a factor, with +1's on photos, user uploaded photos, photo comments, etc. Pretty soon the google places and G+ business pages will be merged and old places listings will be controlled from G+ - very much like a facebook place page, with the option for more detailed descriptions and more photos.

If you have any specific questions about the changes or local search on Google, fire away or drop me a note.

Google+ Local is the perfect free way to promote your business and SEO companies would've been tearing their hair out when this came about. Did you know that there are ways in which you can manipulate the rankings of your placement?

Not anymore, "Google + Local" now goes by "Google My Business" The ranking algorithms for local businesses have been changing. Actually the only thing we really know about "Google My Business" is that it is going to continue to change.

Google has a goal, that is to provide QUALITY content. I have personally spoken with numerous Google Employees they all tend to say the same thing. CONTENT.