Google+, New and Old
In our last blog post, we showed the differences between Google’s new beta Google+ listings and the “Classic” Google+ format. The most concerning difference was the absence of reviews or the option to leave reviews for businesses on Google+. This difference deeply concerned many companies that had worked hard to get great reviews on Google. Recently, a statement was made by a Google representative that stated:
“Reviews will no longer be shown on Google+ Pages in the new Google+ design. Reviews are still accessible on Google Search and Maps which have always been the primary way that users find business reviews.”
This appears to be good news. From this statement we are to understand that Google isn’t abandoning the review world but is rather changing the place where consumers see and leave reviews. From our experience, most consumers were evaluating reviews in the map section or local listing area anyway. Reviews are a powerful tool used by consumers to evaluate the quality and satisfaction of a business’s previous clients. Google understands this power and is reassuring us that they won’t go away but they will be shifted to areas where Google feels like customers will see and use them more often.
Google has in some cases though, made it so that a direct link to your Google review box (where clients can leave a review) won’t work. If you are already a WebPunch client, we have you covered. If not, here is a link to a tool that will create a direct link to your business’s review box in Google. You can use this generated link to give to clients when you solicit a review so that they go to the appropriate area directly.
