Google+ Plus Integration with Google Places Improved and Works Now
If you have been holding off on trying to integrate your Google+ profile with your Google Places listing, due to the previous glitch, your wait is over! A couple weeks ago I blogged that Google is testing integration of Google+ in the Google Places local search results again. However at that time if you were lucky enough to get your Google+ profile pic to show up in search, it was at the expense of your Google Places review stars and link to your Google Places page.
BUT it appears that problem is fixed. Now you can have your G+ image, your Places link AND those gold review stars. You can have it all! (See below) HOWEVER I discovered a new catch. If you want to get your PLUS image to show up on your Google local listing you need to rank high! In the top 2 – 4 listings. (Depending on keyword) Read on… and see examples below.
Here’s an example of the missing review stars & missing Places link I posted 2/13. Here’s that blog post showing the initial Google+ integration. Here is Mike’s post with more examples showing the missing stars/missing link problem.
Google fixed the problem last Friday and a Dentist I’ve been helping in the Google Places forum let me know. He got his review stars and Places link back and now has it all! Look how much he stands out from the other Dentists in his market! Search link = Dentist 29607
However, like I said there is a catch. Isn’t there always with Places???
Now this is going to be a little harder to illustrate given today’s blended local search display. But some of you may have noticed in the past that only the top 2 – 4 local blended listings typically show the meta from the web site. Then the listings further down only show the Place page title NOT the site title tag. It USED to be a lot easier to notice because those top 3 or 4 listings also showed the meta description, so were bigger than the lower listings. Now that Google has REMOVED meta descriptions it’s a little harder to tell the difference.
However I discovered that in order to have your Google+ profile pic show, you need to be in those top 2 – 4 listings that show the site title tag OR the Google + integration won’t show up. So to get your Google+ to integrate and your image to show up, you need to know how to do it AND rank high enough for it to work. So here’s proof and an example. Dr. Thomas (above) ranks C for Dentist 29607. You can see that it’s his site title tag that shows up on his listing.
SEE IMAGE BELOW Dr. Thomas only ranks E for Greenville Cosmetic Dentistry so his profile pic does not show up. See how for that particular search only the top 2 listings show site title tags? Search link = Greenville Cosmetic Dentistry
BELOW is another example to prove my point. This attorney has a + profile even though he ranks D. But that’s only because for that search term Google is showing site title tags on the A – D listings. Search link = DUI Lawyer Phoenix.
Credit: This attorney example was previously used in Mike’s blog showing the missing star/link problem.
So there you have it. Sync up your Google+ and if you rank high enough your Google local listing will REALLY stand out!
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I couldn't believe my results! Went from #44 to #1 (Chiropractor Washington)
#1 Julian Thomas wrote on February 27, 2012 :
Great tip here! Thanks for helping us make this work for our business.
Julian Thomas recently posted..Tax Tip: Deduct Dental and Medical Expenses
#2 Linda Buquet wrote on February 27, 2012 :
Hey Julian, glad you saw the post and thanks for posting in the forum so I could show people the new improved G+ integration using your example.
#3 Laura Behney wrote on February 28, 2012 :
Linda – How do we “sync up” our Google Places with our Google +? We have a Google + account in the same Google Account that our Places is in. Does it automatically linked up or do we need to do something?
#4 Linda Buquet wrote on February 28, 2012 :
Hi Laura, the answer lies in my 2/13 post linked to at the top of this one. That is to say, I have not tried it yet and am not sure anyone knows definitely. But I analyzed the listings that have synced to see what they have in common. And I believe it’s just a link on your home page to your + profile. But double check that post and my analysis and go from there. Then do share when it works and let us know if that did the trick.
You’ll have double stars AND a pic and really stand out then!
#5 Danny Fortes wrote on February 28, 2012 :
Thanks for the great post! This is definitely a way that local businesses can stand out from the rest like you mentioned in your post. I’m glad know to be able to see and understand the difference.
Danny Fortes recently posted..Comment on QR Codes by A Quick Simple Recipe for Mobile Marketing | Local Mobile Marketing Phoenix
#6 Rich Snippet Reviews AND Author Now Showing In Local Results | Understanding Google Places & Local Search wrote on February 29, 2012 :
[...] Linda Buquet had reported all of the rich snippets AND her Google reviews are now showing in the blended local results and [...]
#7 Justin wrote on March 5, 2012 :
Linda,
Wow! Yet another outstanding post. I love reading your blog posts. So much useful information on a consistent basis. We originally tried G+ integration, but botched the execution. Your analysis of the html in the head and body sections was hugely insightful. We ended up using Google’s rich snippet test tool to make sure everything was up to snuff.
My question is: Google has now spidered our site subsequent to the revisions. Assuming the coding was done properly, how long should it take before we start seeing the G+ profile pic on SERPs?
Best,
Justin
#8 Linda Buquet wrote on March 5, 2012 :
Hi Justin and thanks for the thanks!
I have not personally done a G+ profile pic for a client yet. Most of my clients don’t have G+ pages. Just trying to get a couple to get on the ball now so I can do some testing.
I’ve gotten double stars from rich snippets to show up in a day after using the rich snippet testing tool, although the last time I used it, it took a week. HOWEVER my gut tells me this is a different animal and think the 2 are very different.
Oh I KNOW! Rather than waiting for my slow clients to add a + page, then waiting for their slow developers to follow my instructions. I’ll do it on my own listing since I know what I “think” are some tricks to get G to pick it up and index it. BURIED with paying client issues right now, so my listing is always the last to get my time and attention. When I get around to it I’ll track and may not share all my tips in this post, but may give some hints.
#9 Attorney Anderson SC wrote on March 8, 2012 :
Very good informative information!! This will be a great additional advantage for those who have taken time to link google plus to their google places page!
Attorney Anderson SC recently posted..Customer’s ‘voluntary payment’ bars class action
#10 Scott wrote on March 18, 2012 :
Linda, great post – Guess I hadn’t made the mental connection that it was only for the top three! I can imagine a few silly reasons Google might not be showing the image for the lower ranked results, whether to slow the rollout and not shake things up too fast, or just to to keep things from negatively impacting the slow adopters, but I do hope it’s just temporary.
I really wish they’d implement it for company + pages though – What we (and most businesses, I assume) would prefer is for the company logo to show up with the site associated to the Google+ company page.
Law firms with multiple partners, medical clinics with multiple doctors etc. all fall in this category, since having a head shot in these cases doesn’t make sense.
I’m confident it’s coming and wish Google would hurry and roll this out already… In one case we actually had to REMOVE the code for a husband / wife dental team, because they couldn’t decide which of them should be pictured!
Scott recently posted..Google’s Local Policy is Stupid
#11 Linda Buquet wrote on March 18, 2012 :
You don’t think it works for business pages? Hmmm, I wondered about that. Just helped a client set it up with business page, and wondered if I should have told them to set up a personal page instead. Guess I’ll wait and see if it maybe shows up.
#12 Glennette wrote on March 19, 2012 :
Great post Linda! Just discovered you in the Local Search LinkedIn group so looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Glennette Goodbread, Owner
Premium Web Design and Hosting
#13 Steven John Dalgleish wrote on March 19, 2012 :
I have three different websites covering two different business`s and the Google places and organic listings issues over the last few months have been wreaking havoc – Its great to have such a top resource as this blog series to refer to when trying to get a handle on what google is up to – keep up the good work
Steve Dalgleish
#14 Linda Buquet wrote on March 19, 2012 :
Thanks Steve, glad you find the info helpful!
#15 Dr Gil wrote on March 20, 2012 :
Linda,
Another great article. We just got our G+ page up, and don’t have any real content added to it yet. But I didn’t have a clue about the “linking” of the G+ and G Place to get the photo to show up. As you point out, the listing with the photo really jumps out at you. Thanks for the super information.
PS – By the time everyone has their photo showing, G will have devised some new mechanism that everyone has to figure out in order to keep their search position. However, your loyal readers will get a head start when that happens.
Dr Gil recently posted..Bellevue Dentists Advise Resolving Tooth and Gum Issues
#16 Linda Buquet wrote on March 20, 2012 :
Thanks Gil. Happy profiling.
#17 Frank wrote on April 20, 2012 :
Linda:
If you set up a G+ account for a client, do they need to take ownership for the thumbnail to appear?
Frank
#18 Linda Buquet wrote on April 20, 2012 :
Sorry Frank have not set up accounts for clients but if I ever did they would own it, so not sure what you mean? I don’t really work with G+ so maybe am missing something?