Google+ Local and Business Pages merge for law firms

Just a few months ago Google announced a new way to market businesses, including law firms, by replacing Google Place pages with Google+ Local pages.

This improves the overall search experience and enhances social interaction between businesses and their customers, unlike pre-existing Google Place pages.

To the surprise of many business owners, Google’s social network didn’t allow the new Google+ Local pages to be merged with the Business pages—until now.

This merge gives law firms and other businesses an all in one social experience to engage with customers as well as market their brand. They can manage information, posts, reviews, among other things in one unified place.

Googler, Jane W., makes an announcement regarding the merge in the Google+ group, “Google and Your Business“:

Hey guys,

For those of you that have created local Google+ pages (with social features) — good news! Today, you can become the verified business owner for that local Google+ page. In essence, this will combine the page you created in Google+ with the page in Google+ Local (formerly Places listing).

Your business’ presence across Google Search, Google Maps, and Google+ will be unified. You’ll be able to manage this page from Google+ Pages admin.

Check out the Meatball Shop for an example of a combined page, with both social features and reviews.

If you’re ready, just click on Verify now on the right side of the page. You’ll need to verify that you’re representing your business by having a postcard sent, even if you’re a verified business owner on Google Places for Business. Also note that verification will only work for pages created in the “Local Business or Place” category in Google+.

The new upgraded pages aren’t yet available for those that just have local Google+ pages with reviews. We’re working on getting the upgraded experience to all business owners. If you’re curious, go ahead and create a Google+ page in the local category.

Got questions? Reply here — I’ll update this post with answers.

Thanks,
Jane

Noted writer and social strategist, Lisa Barone (@lisabarone), highlights some key issues regarding the merge, in her post “How To Merge Your Google+ Local and Business Pages”:

• Even if you’re a verified business owner on Google Places for Business, you’ll still have to go through the postcard verification process again when you merge your two pages.
• If you are currently set up as a brand page, you can’t merge the two pages. Your Google+ Business page has to be listed in the local business/place category.
• You must have both a Local page and a Google+ Business page you won’t be able to take advantage of these new features. You will need to create a Business page first to experience the upgrade.

Not a seamless process as yet, but for law practices which historically advertised in the yellow pages and for lawyers wanting to take full advantage of Google+, it’s a process you may wish to wade through.

You can expect that in time Google will work out these kinks, making it a much easier and smoother experience for law firms and other businesses.