Is this New? Google Places Local Business Directories? Google Places Local Phone Numbers
Yes Google local search results have turned into yellow page or directory type listings, but I haven’t seen an announcement about Google officially getting into the local directory business. Look out Yelp and City Search! Either I just made a discovery and this is something fairly new Google has not promoted yet, or this is just a test (probably) or I missed the announcement somehow.
UPDATE: 6/15 1PM PST Google just made the official announcement about these pages I discovered 2 days ago.
Discover new local gems with our new city pages – Official Places Blog
“We’ve got big plans for these pages, so stay tuned in the coming months to see what’s new.”
(Continued from original 6/13 post) So far I found a Google Austin City Directory and one for Portland. There are likely more, but I don’t have time to any more research now. NOTE: they list LOCAL phone numbers to make an in-person appointment with a Google Places business specialist. See commentary below.
Quick observations: Very nice looking! Seems very Hotpot oriented since it focuses on restaurants on the home page. Could promote more reviews and ratings with local consumers if Google decides to promote this and it catches on. Search around and see what you can find.
If you click the link for business owners there are some interesting things to check out. See comments below the next screenshot.
Couple noteworthy items. Each city’s biz owner page lists a DIRECT LOCAL phone number for an ON-SITE visit with a Google Places business specialist!!! So maybe as I’ve speculated Google IS moving toward more hands-on support for Google Places. (Although I realize visiting an SMB to get them signed up, is a far cry from offering full on tech support.)
The other thing I noticed is that Google is already promoting TalkBin as one of their business offerings. Google just acquired TalkBin in April of this year.
Oh and here is the Portland Business Directory.
I’m out of research/blogging time for today. Let me know if you poke around and find anything else noteworthy! Inquiring minds want to know!
UPDATE: I guess this IS NEW and IS NEWS! Here are the 1st few tweets that just came out as soon as I hit publish.
@davidmihm get ready for the new #1 local search result: http://bit.ly/jeXkOT -> unlike Place Pages these are NOT no-indexed. hat tip @lindabuquet
@davidmihm either G engineers made same mistake they initially made w Place Pages or HUGE NEWS
@martijnbeijk to @davidmihm holy whatthe!
@davidmihm here’s the page for madison: http://bit.ly/iN0idE
@davidmihm and san diego: http://bit.ly/m5c0MM
@Nyagoslav Google Places Local Business Directories! For now discovered Austin, Portland, Madison, San Diego via @CatalystLocal
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#1 Google Launches Indexed Local Directory Portals | Mihmorandum wrote on June 13, 2011 :
[...] tip to Linda Buquet of Catalyst Local Marketing for being the first to spot the Austin and Portland versions below, and thus the first to publicize the overall [...]
#2 Nyagoslav wrote on June 13, 2011 :
Hey Linda, that’s huge! I remember some time ago Mike Blumenthal mentioned about google.com/portland and then I was wondering if Google were going to be creating something like that as they seemed to be gathering everything related to their “community push” in Portland at the same place.
I tried searching for another ones other than Portland and Austin, but all I found were the same as David Mihm on Twitter:
http://www.google.com/madison
http://www.google.com/sandiego
The fact that there is a phone number for some kind of customer service is already amazing. A great move by Google. I really hope they will roll this at least in a few more major cities in the US in the near months (I was surprised they still don’t have it for Las Vegas, where they were pushing Google Places, and New York, where they are pushing Google Offers).
#3 Linda Buquet wrote on June 13, 2011 :
Yes Nyagoslav, I was surprised too. They must just be starting to roll this out and testing a couple markets.
#4 Google Places Directory, Facebook IPO, Google Buys Admeld | Murphs Blawg wrote on June 14, 2011 :
[...] Mihm (who is an expert at all things Google Places-related), originating from a Search Catalyst blog post, that finds a new Google Local directory that seems to be rolled out in certain markets (Austin, [...]
#5 Jim Rudnick wrote on June 14, 2011 :
Wow…..nice catch here, Linda! Have poured over same and yup, gone and looked for other areas too…San Diego was full of restaurants I noticed too….
Wonder how long till this gets to Canuck land…I suspect wont’ be this year tho…but will try to advise now that I know how to test for same, eh!
Jim
#6 Kathy Long wrote on June 14, 2011 :
Wow, eagle eyes. You did it again. Very cool and just in time to share with my Local Search class tonight. I bet they’re going to tie this into their Google Offers. In fact, I’ll bet my pink cadillac on it.
#7 Linda Buquet wrote on June 14, 2011 :
@Kat “eagle eyes” Hey I like that! Glad the timing worked for your search class.
@Jim yes will be interesting to see how fast it rolls out and gets up to all you Canucks.
#8 Kathy Long wrote on June 14, 2011 :
I just checked out Yahoo’s Local beta again. http://beta.local.yahoo.com/ca/san-jose/deals Apparently Google doesn’t want to be undone. Perhaps the one who builds the best mobile app wins?
#9 Linda Buquet wrote on June 14, 2011 :
Nice catch Kat! Hmmm…
FYI all I’m off today so sorry in advance if comments don’t get approved today.
My kids & grandkids are kidnapping me and forcing me to play hookie, so I’m off to the San Diego County Fair. WHOO HOO!
#10 Google Moves To Cement Its Place In Local Search wrote on June 14, 2011 :
[...] businesses: There has not been much of an announcement about these pages, which were spotted by Linda Buquet, with some more sightings and info posted by David Mihm. They look pretty well fleshed out, and I [...]
#11 Linda Buquet wrote on June 15, 2011 :
UPDATE: 6/15 1PM PST Google just made the official announcement about these pages I discovered 2 days ago.
Discover new local gems with our new city pages – Official Places Blog
“We’ve got big plans for these pages, so stay tuned in the coming months to see what’s new.”
#12 Kristen Emery wrote on June 19, 2011 :
Congratulations on this news worthy find. thanks!