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Google Hotpot Recommendation Engine - Implications for Small Business SEO
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Google Places, formerly known as Google Local and also known as Google Maps, has a new partner: Google Hotpot. Who comes up with these names at Google? No worries, Google hot pot is an important, though flawed attempt, by Google to make its local search more user friendly. What it is, and what are its SEO / Google Places implications for small business.
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By Jason McDonald
Senior SEO Instructor - JM Internet Group.
Posted: November 29, 2010
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Contents:
Hotpot: Google Hotpot, Who Comes Up with These Names?
On my list of strange and annoying things is the naming system at Google. First it was Google Local (which sort of makes sense), but it was also always embedded in Google Maps, which makes a little sense if you are a Geek, but no sense if you are a hungry businessperson looking for a good Chinese restaurant in Dallas. Then they changed it to Google Places, but in some instances keep it as Google Local.
Enter the new kid on the block: Google Hotpot. A hot pot is, according to Wikipedia, "Hot pot , less commonly Chinese fondue or steamboat, refers to several East Asian varieties of stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. ...". What is the connection to Google Places?
Apparently, the connection is Google wants you - dear user - to steam up a constant flow of review and comments on local businesses. Fair enough. To get there, however, you have to 'know' to log on to http://www.google.com/hotpot
Here is Google being Microsoft: thinking of itself, and not really of its users nor of the businesses who benefit (and could promote) Google Places. Google wants local information, especially its own reviews - as right now much of Google Places depends on review from other sites, namely Yelp. So Google is trying to figure out how to encourage reviews.
But rather than think about the user experience and replicate the best user interface for local search - Yelp - Google has gone off on some bizarre tangent with the doomed-to-fail Google Hotpot. I doubt many users will even realize it exists, not to mention use it. Shout out to Google: for reviews to work they must be EASY for the reviewers to implement, a.k.a. Amazon's click here to review system.
But for small business, Hotpot does work its way towards our goal: encouraging review of our business in a savvy fashion...
Implications of Google Hotpot for Small Business
What are the implications of Google hotpot? First, it shows Google has a clear corporate direction of encouraging local search. Witness the major change in how local search results are now presented: on many searches, Google Places results all but crowd out the natural / organic results. Implication: worry a great deal about your Google Places visibility, if your SEO searches have a local character! Second, this is an early attempt by Google to encourage reviews. I think one that is doomed to failure because it is too hidden from the users, and too difficult to use... But, the implication for a business is encourage reviews on the Google Places system, and Google will (probably) reward you.
Technically, you are not supposed to solicit reviews. But I draw a distinction between spammy solicited reviews and having a policy of encouraging reviews. To encourage reviews, simply publicize to your happy customers that your business is on Google Places. I recommend printing or emailing bit.ly URL's that go directly to your company's Google Place page.
- Make it easy for your customers to review you!
Hotpot might ultimately evolve into a 'click here' to review system, similar to the successes of Yelp and Amazon, so keep your eye on it. But for now, you as a small business owner have to be pro-active and make it easy for your customers to use Google's very difficult Google Places system to review.
Google Places: Getting Listed
Oddly, Google Hotpot is not how a business gets listed. To find your listing, simply go to http://www.google.com/places and on the bottom, far right, click on the business owner link. They have moved this, and made Hotpot the more prominent link.
Alternatively, do a Google Maps search for your business - find it, and then click on the top right to claim the listing. One you have claimed it, you can input your business name, keyword-heavy description, and even pictures. Then you can begin encouraging reviews.
Despite the silly name and terrible interface, Google Places remains a huge opportunity for any business that depends on Google and has a local angle!
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