It looks like Google’s Place Pages are moving into the limelight today, as they have begun appearing in a prominent position at the top of Google search results.
Mike Blumenthal first reported the pages appearing in Google’s “OneBox” results, noting Google’s move to using the phrase “Place Pages” instead of “more information.”
Google first launched Place Pages as a part of its Local Business Center offering last September before combining the center with several other services in April and launching Google Places. The service offers businesses a way to control their presence on the search engine and take advantage of a number of features, from analytics to business information and online coupons.
In addition to a change in language, Blumenthal noted that the map has increased in size, and reviews of the business are no longer shown unless they meet certain criteria. The link offered next to the OneBox result also brings you to the Place Page instead of the company’s website, which is offered (in our brief tests) as the first result before the OneBox result.
In a separate post, Blumenthal also noted the “resurrection” of Google Coupons from the dead. Alongside our reporting earlier this month on Google’s mobile payment solution, all of this news seems to point toward Google’s continued efforts to take a piece of the commercial pie.
Why simply point users to services like Yelp and PayPal when you can provide these functions yourself?
