(6)
Google announced they are gradually rolling out a new and improved Google Business Places page dashboard. The new dashboard is easier to use, enables you to make edits that go live sooner, and it is also more tightly integrated with other Google products.
But if you do not see the upgraded dashboard, don't worry. It seems to be U.S. only right now and even then, it is rolling out to U.S. businesses very very slowly.
Joel from the Google Business Help team posted in the Google Business Help forums with more details. He said you should only see it if you are a new sign up. That does not mean you should sign up again if you are already signed up. He said wait it out and you will be upgraded in time.
Here is a picture of the new design:
Here is what is new:
- An updated interface that makes editing your information easier.
- Updates that show the status of your business information on Google Maps.
- Improved insights to help you track your business’s performance on Google.
- Edits will go live faster.
This can be confusing because now there are at least three, maybe four, different places to manage your business listing in Google now. They include the classic Google Places area, Google+ Local business listings, Google Bulk Listing manager and now this new place.
Hopefully over time these will begin to consolidate.
Forum discussion, which is mandatory reading, at Google Business Help.
Comments:
Andy Kinsey
04/03/2013 12:28 pm
But... I thought Google Places was moving into Google Local on Google+ ? Maybe this is just the last chance update.
Chris Ainsworth
04/03/2013 12:40 pm
I'll be interested to see if "edits will go live faster" is true. I recently had to wait ~6 weeks for a change of address. I know there are been numerous report of frustrated user having to wait even longer. They need to increase the speed of updates. The new dashboard looks pretty slick but I'll have to wait and see what its like to use!
Jim
04/04/2013 01:32 pm
Google places has become too confusing to manage and its not worth the time spent to worry about. Just leave it as it is. People go direclty to your site anyaway so whats the use of this crap.
Raleigh Web Design
04/04/2013 03:07 pm
I think it is moving to Google+ (kinda). It looks like there is a tab on this new dashboard that includes Google+ page. I really hope that the two finally integrate. Especially since we have been pushing our clients to get on Google+ for these reasons: http://www.theedesign.com/blog/2012/top-3-reasons-to-be-on-google-plus and it's a big headache when we can't convert their Google Places over to their Google+
Andy Kinsey
04/09/2013 11:23 am
if you are a small business that works in a hyper local way it's very useful. My partner is a piano and singing teacher - she's top of rankings which is great but when we track and ask how people get to her site about 60% of the time it's not via just search or social it's via "that maps thing" when you search for piano teacher in location (i am being very careful here). It would be the same for restaurants I guess and maybe small shops like local butchers. I think for service businesses like SEO's or Web Design it's kind of limited as most people aren't so wanting of a "local" seo just a nearby one or relatively close is enough. Hope that makes sense
Link Worx Seo
04/14/2013 12:42 pm
I recently completed a change in Google Places and Google+ Local for a business and the changes were done very quickly.