Have You Influenced Google's "Reviews From Around the Web"?

[fastrack]

This seems like a frustration for many who do SEO for local business. The Google Plus aggregation of reviews is vaguely created and out of our control. Or is it?

The most I can find about it is at: https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474120?hl=en&ref_topic=6109351

I have clients in the accommodation industry who are reviewed thoroughly on similar sites to one another. Some of these clients have 100+ "Reviews From Around the Web" where as others are stuck at one or two reviews. My thoughts are that the business name, address, and phone details would allow Google to link the review with the local listing. I'm not sure and doubt this is just the case because the low-review listings have consistent NAP details.

Have you been able to get reviews aggregating for a local business in their Google Plus?

[TomRayner]

Hi there

On the Google My Business page, reviews are counted from the page itself (obviously) and, from what I know, three other places:

Yelp (which also powers Apple Maps)

TripAdvisor

Booking.com

If you get reviews in these places, they should also aggregate into reviews on your Google My Business page.

However, how Google picks and chooses these reviews I'm afraid is a bit luck of the draw.

[fastrack]

This post is deleted!

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Fastrack,

Odd coincidence that you should ask. You'll want to read this:

http://localu.org/blog/google-more-reviews-links-removed-from-knowledge-panel/

This feature has just disappeared from the knowledge panel. Something's up. Don't miss the comments on the post.

[fastrack]

Thanks for sharing Miriam.

No point solving this issue then. "In order to make sure we are showing the most accurate and current content about your business on Google, third party reviews will soon no longer be visible in Google My Business." My interpretation of that was "we're missing a lot of reviews for businesses like yours and have incorrectly associated another businesses' reviews with yours so we'll throw away this feature and focus on the Google monopoly."

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Fastrack!

Yeah, it's an interesting decision. For now, they're gone. But, there's always the possibility that this feature could reappear at some later date in a new form, with new chosen sources. We'll see.