How to add local

[Men4Media]

When you have reviews of local stores, how can you upload them to Google+ Local (former Google Places) so they will show up on stores/compagnies Google+ Local page?

Like this one for example: https://plus.google.com/116525083278574120722/about?hl=nl. It says 'Revies from internet: schilder-adres.nl'. So schilder-adres.nl somehow imported there reviews to Google+ Local.

How can you add your local reviews?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Men4Media,

You've asked a good question. The 'reviews from around the web' section is something that Google creates - not that business owners create. In the US, sites like citysearch, insiderpages and kudzu show up in this section. Though I am not familiar with Local SEO in the Netherlands, it appears that Schilder Adres is a local business directory that Google trusts enough to include in this section of the Google+ Local page. Thus, if you would like to see a similar resource on your own Google+ Local page, the best thing will be for you to work towards earning reviews on that site in hopes that Google will eventually link to them.

It's smart to do some research on this and look at a variety of your competitors to see which sites Google is most frequently citing. This is a good indication of which websites at which it will be most important for you to earn reviews from your customers. Then, if you are doing some kind of prompt via email or some other point of contact to request that your happy customers consider reviewing you, you can include those trusted sites as suggestions for places the customer might like to leave you a review.

[Men4Media]

Hi Miriam,

Thanks for your anwser. I was thinking about the same.

Thing is, this was only an example of one local business, but I have a client who has thousands of those (real!) reviews about local businesses. In the Netherlands it's a big portal with authority. How can we upload/import those reviews to Google so they can show up at those Local profiles and/or Google Shopping as seller reviews?

Kind regards,

Marco

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Marco,

Oh! Perhaps I misunderstood your original question. Do you mean how does a business directory become a trusted Google source so that Google links to their directory from pages like the one in your example? That's quite a different question, but again, this isn't something the directory could force to happen...it's not a matter of uploading things. Google makes up its own mind as to which directories are authoritative enough to show up as 'reviews from around the web' sources.

I have actually seen your question brought up in the past by other directory owners (see: http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!searchin/business/reviews$20from$20around$20the$20web/business/bVaMHAwkWPg/TkIZ3zVCXJ4J) but have never seen Google lay out a method for seeking this type of inclusion. Presumably, the companies that have achieved this are either very dominant, in Google's eyes, or may have some sort of special relationship with Google. Either way, I do not know of any steps you can take to try to seek this type of inclusion. Sorry about that!

[Men4Media]

Hi Miriam,

Thanks! I also think perfect Schema.org mark-up for the reviews with the company name and address will help a lot.

Thanks for your time!

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Marco,

Yes, I'm sure good markup would be a prerequisite for this scenario.