Google has replaced Google Places with Google+ Local, integrating local search information with Google+ for a more robust local search and business listing experience. The new Google+ Local allows multiple access points for local information, integration of Zagat ratings, and most importantly, the ability for businesses to directly message customers, making it a key platform for local business engagement and marketing.

2. Move Over Facebook
and Twitter, Google’s
New Google+ Local
Enhances Opportunities
for Business-Customer
Engagement

3. Google has made the long-awaited
move to replace Google Places with
a more evolved offering. This
comes in the form of Google+
Local, making available all the
information that was before with
Google Places, only now there is
greater functionality in the feature.

4. Users can get to the information
through several different entry
points. This move looks to be a big
one for Google, Google+, and the
local directory part of Google’s
offerings as the review process of
establishments has been changed
as well converging with Zagat to get
reviews and ratings.

5. Above all else, though, as Google is
the dominant search engine and
thus dominant place for local
searching, this development will
have a large impact on local search
going forward.

6. Preliminarily, it looks like the
integration of Places with + was a
smart move given the end result in
the quality of content and the value
provided to users in the multi-
faceted and redesigned feature.

7. Taking a closer look, the New
Google Local can be accessed
through a standard Google
search, Google+, Google Maps, and
through Mobile apps that have the
functionality as well.

8. This allows multiple ways for the
user to get the information based
on the way they search for local
information, if they are doing it on
their desk or laptop, a mobile
device, and whether or not they
are signed up for Google+.

9. The standard Google and Google
Maps searches will yield results
that do look different than the
previous, older searches. Results
will display listings in a sleeker look
with the Zagat ratings integrated as
well.

10. This is how many people will
experience the new Local
feature, namely all those not
currently on Google+.

11. Local Via Mobile
This is important for mobile
searching as many search for local
information on their mobile
devices, particularly their
smartphones.

12. The new Local feature will be
quickly available in the Google
Maps for Mobile and in the
Google+ app for Android-run
smartphones.

13. For iPhone users, Google has
reportedly sent in updates for the
Google Map app for their iOS, but
even when accepted, it probably
won’t be available for too long
given Apple’s expected rollout of
their own Map functionality.

14. So, iPhone users will get the Local
experience using the Places
(probably soon to be renamed) and
Google+ apps, all according to
coverage from Search Engine Land.
This way, the resulting presence
from the local search engine
optimization that companies
engage in can be seen on the
smartphone as well.

15. Accessing Local through Google
+, Where the Interaction Is
The Google+ access point is
represented in the Google+ Local
icon on the left side of the page
when signed into Google+.

16. Searches for businesses related to a
specific keyword and location result
on the left side of the Google+
SERP with a Google Maps image of
the region with all the pins
dropped on the various locations of
the listed businesses on the right.

17. Once clicked, the user is taken to
the individual pages of the
businesses. These pages are clean
and attractive, they integrate
photos well and potentially best of
all is that the Zagat rating
information is displayed (also in the
+ SERP as well).

18. Google abandoned their own 5-star
rating system to instead utilize the
30 point Zagat rating scale that
allows for category specific ratings
for food, décor, service, and
others, as opposed to fitting all of
this into a unified 5-star rating.

19. This offers great value for the web
searching user as the entire archive
of all Zagat ratings from their range
of categories are available – free of
charge.

20. An additional point is that the
results in Google+ can be filtered
through different categories with
“From top reviewers,” “People like
you,” “Just for you,” and “Your
circle.”

21. All these deliver specialized orders
for the listings giving you improved
results to get what is believed to be
the most relevant results – for you.

22. All this information is nicely
presented and very helpful for
users, but what makes the offering
essential and potentially the most
noteworthy to date in terms of
local search is the fact that
businesses can message their
followers akin to activity on
Facebook and Twitter.

23. The ability to interact with
customers in this way coupled with
the likelihood that searchers will be
utilizing the Google+ Local access
point to get the most information
for their local searches makes
Google+ Local the platform for local
companies to engage with their
current and potential future
customers.

24. As a result, businesses should be
looking no further than Google+
Local for their local optimization
and online marketing
needs, posting information to
engage with their customers.