Comments on: Google Places Too Important To Overlook http://techspokes.com/google-places-too-important-to-overlook/ Sun, 30 Jan 2011 20:54:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: Melanie Aaron http://techspokes.com/google-places-too-important-to-overlook/comment-page-1/#comment-292 Melanie Aaron Sun, 30 Jan 2011 20:54:24 +0000 http://techspokes.com/?p=1787#comment-292 With so many people attempting to manipulate rankings and public perception with posting either false or favorable reports, the public really doesn't have much to rely on except word of mouth from those they know personally. Regards, Melanie With so many people attempting to manipulate rankings and public perception with posting either false or favorable reports, the public really doesn’t have much to rely on except word of mouth from those they know personally.

Regards,
Melanie

]]> By: Jeff http://techspokes.com/google-places-too-important-to-overlook/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Jeff Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:21:03 +0000 http://techspokes.com/?p=1787#comment-48 Hi John, Thanks for the comment and good points, with which I concur. At this point Google Places is primarily content aggregation, and there's a lot of content to choose from. That doesn't of course speak to the credibility of the content and review corruption. I will be writing another post on <a href="http://beatofhawaii.com" rel="nofollow">Beat of Hawaii</a> this week that discusses those issues further. Jeff Hi John,

Thanks for the comment and good points, with which I concur. At this point Google Places is primarily content aggregation, and there’s a lot of content to choose from. That doesn’t of course speak to the credibility of the content and review corruption. I will be writing another post on Beat of Hawaii this week that discusses those issues further.

Jeff

]]> By: John Hogle http://techspokes.com/google-places-too-important-to-overlook/comment-page-1/#comment-47 John Hogle Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:55:28 +0000 http://techspokes.com/?p=1787#comment-47 As a librarian, one of the drums I beat repeatedly is don't trust any one or small group of reviews of any product, service, or place. Unfortunately, like Yelp, ePinions, and other aggregations of "consumer" reviews, Google Places is going to be compromised by several factors: 1. Lack of comparative expertise of many reviewers. 2. Sham reviews by owners, friends and family, or renting agency. 3. Lack of objectivity or relevance of perceptions by many reviewers. 4. Few reviewers with confirmable expertise (though even Rick Steves and Lonely Planet and Moon Publications reviewers have biases). The only thing anyone can do is look at as many reviews as one can, assess the reviewer's language and expertise, read between the lines, and make one's own best judgment. The problem, though, is that many think this is too much work. As a librarian, one of the drums I beat repeatedly is don’t trust any one or small group of reviews of any product, service, or place. Unfortunately, like Yelp, ePinions, and other aggregations of “consumer” reviews, Google Places is going to be compromised by several factors:

1. Lack of comparative expertise of many reviewers.
2. Sham reviews by owners, friends and family, or renting agency.
3. Lack of objectivity or relevance of perceptions by many reviewers.
4. Few reviewers with confirmable expertise (though even Rick Steves and Lonely Planet and Moon Publications reviewers have biases).

The only thing anyone can do is look at as many reviews as one can, assess the reviewer’s language and expertise, read between the lines, and make one’s own best judgment. The problem, though, is that many think this is too much work.

]]> By: BEAT OF HAWAII AND BEYOND » Google Places For One-Stop Reviews http://techspokes.com/google-places-too-important-to-overlook/comment-page-1/#comment-46 BEAT OF HAWAII AND BEYOND » Google Places For One-Stop Reviews Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:08:38 +0000 http://techspokes.com/?p=1787#comment-46 [...] There’s a huge shift afoot in travel reviews; one you won’t want to miss. Today’s post covers what it means to the travel consumer. If you’d like to see my analysis of what it means for your business, I invite you to read more about it on my other site, TechSpokes. [...] [...] There’s a huge shift afoot in travel reviews; one you won’t want to miss. Today’s post covers what it means to the travel consumer. If you’d like to see my analysis of what it means for your business, I invite you to read more about it on my other site, TechSpokes. [...]

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