Legal Internet Marketing Blog
Just when you were starting to get comfortable with managing your Google+ Business Page and Google Places Page, Google decided to change everything. At least, that’s what it may feel like.
The creation of Google+ Local Pages, which is the combination of a Google+ Business Page and a Google Places Page, has made many heads spin so far. Although this process may seem daunting at first, here are some tips for making the process as smooth as possible.
How to Verify – Since the official verification process is now in effect, you can initiate this by logging into your Google+ Business Page, clicking Verify now next to your business name, and requesting a postcard be sent with a pin to your location. The only way to overcome any frustrations from needing postcard verification is acceptance and patience – sorry we can’t help you more on that one!
Why Verification May Have to Wait – Because the merge is only possible at this time for businesses that have pages established in the ‘Local Business or Place’ category of Google+, anyone that falls outside of this will have to sit tight and wait out the transition. At this point in time, Google has not discussed when or if these pages will even be allowed to merge with their corresponding Google Places listings.
Google+ Local Pages are not giving support to service area businesses or businesses with more than one location. This is another reason why you may have to wait on verifying.
Do Your Research – Check out forums to see what other people’s experiences have been so far. If you’ve encountered a problem, others may be dealing with the same issue and you could get some troubleshooting ideas or at least some sort of explanation.
Convenience is Worth the Wait – Remember that once your business profiles are verified and combined, then all of your business information can be updated under the Google+ Profile Admin page.
Patience is a Virtue…that Google is an Expert at Testing
Ultimately, if there have been multiple issues with shifting to Google+ Local, especially if your business has many addresses, then it may be best to pause your efforts and wait until more information is available and certain bugs have been fixed.
Best of luck and we’ll keep our readers in the loop with updates as they’re announced!