Google Places has proved to be a challenge for not only business owners but also SEO's (Search Engine Optimizers). We find ourselves constantly revising our recommendations based on whatever new algorithm Google produces.
Many of our customers and others had placed query tags on their Google Local listings. The query tag would be placed on the end of the site's URL within Places- so if the Places listing were clicked, Google Analytics would report Places as a referral. This is an example of what a query tag looks like:
http://www.mywebsite.com/?tracker=googlelocal
If you have a query tracker in your Places listing, you will want to go in and remove it, as we have now found that Google seems to want the URL to be identical to the site to which the Places listing is referring. Any extraneous information, such as a query tracker will interfere with this and should be removed.
Steps:
1- log into Google and go to your Places lsiting
2- In the right hand column of your Places listing, click Edit to edit your information. If you have more than one listing, choose edit from under the listing.
3- In the URL field, remove any characters after the .com
4- go to the bottom of the listing and click SUBMIT
That's All Folks!
Annie Buck
Project Manager
Acorn Internet Services
