Google Local Search

There has been a lot going on with Google local search lately. Maybe you’ve heard the uproar all along Main Street USA, but if not, here’s a little background.

Local search is a rather new phenomenon to small business marketing. You may have heard it referred to as local search engine optimization or reputation management. No matter what the insiders call it, the bottom line is, it’s revolutionized small business marketing at the local search level and given a distinct advantage to Main Street.

It all began in November of 2010 when Google recognized that 30% of it’s users were forcing the algorithm to return local search results. Google wisely decided that if 30% of users had figured out how to game the system, then how many more users might want Google local search results rather than broader more global results.

That’s when another Google generated shift occurred that forever changed marketing at the local level. And until recently, that system which we called local search generically and Google Places at the behemoth level, put local small business locations on page one of the search results. This was done not just as a courtesy to you and I, but also so that Google could grow it’s virtual real estate.

Google gave every local business that you might find in every Yellow Pages in the nation and the world, a page on the Google website. (Hence the rapid demise of both Yellow Pages and Super Pages). It was GENIUS! But what was once just user centric embraced feedback and interaction has turned into a multi-billion and perhaps trillion dollar marketing opportunity.

Google Local Search – A Benevolent Dictatorship

Now bring into the mix Google+. Google+ (pronounced and sometimes written as Google Plus or G+) is the Big Gs attempt to take over social media and compete with Facebook. And while there was tremendous buzz and the idea has great merit and may well become another in a long line of huge accomplishments for Google, it’s response and growth has been a bit lackluster with users. People just aren’t adopting the G+ movement the way Google would have liked since it’s launch in June 2011.

So what do the geniuses at Google decide?

Why not combine the highly successful Google Places program that has revolutionized small business marketing with Google local search results and review systems, with the faltering Google+ system? And voila! Instant growth for Google Plus.

Now every business on Google Places has a corporate G+ page instead. What’s the problem with that I hear you ask? (I can’t really hear you, but be kind and play along :))

The problem my friends is that Google screwed up the review process losing tens of thousands of hard won reviews that local business owners worked to get posted on their Google Places listings. For some small business owners, as much as 90% or more of reviews that were indeed legitimate collected from happy customers may have been incorrectly identified as spam or lost in translation and duplicate listings for any given Main Street USA local business.

There is no definitive word from Google on whether the reviews will ever come back. Local business owners are frustrated. But what can they do?

Google local search rules the world and a great deal of the local business market.

Unfortunately, there really is no way to call Google and ask for help. Users must try to get satisfaction through the forums which is never successful on a large scale.

Should small business owners who engage in local Google search marketing continue? Yes. But Caveat emptor or buyer beware. Do not put all your eggs in one basket. Or in this case, all your reviews at one site.

There are many good and important review sites that local business owners should be using in their local search engine optimization strategy. Google local search is only one, not THE only one.