Google Places Tidbits and Quirks

1. Top Contributor EHG reported in the Google Places forums yesterday that the “Report a Problem” Link has disappeared from the bottom of your Google Places Page. It is still MIA this AM:

2. Some readers reported here and on Twitter that Google was no longer allowing them to verify via phone and could only verify by postcards. When I attempted to do so yesterday, I was allowed to verify by postcard. Several possibilities:
– Google is becoming more stringent on who is allowed to phone verify in an effort to increase trust level
– Google is changing the procedure to post card verification only and certain users are seeing the changes first

Are you experiencing this limitation?

3. Several Twitter commenters (@mktgbill (Bill Allen), @DavidKyle & @KiwiMarketing) noted that they were seeing “a shift to the 7 pack + organic and away from Places/Organic mix?” As Matt McGee has pointed out there has been no discernible rhyme or reason as to which shows when and there is an increasing variety of displays. It has been so volatile that I just haven’t lost any sleep over it. I have not been tracking specific search results either so I can’t verify the observations.

Are you seeing more old style 7-Packs showing?

4. TripAdvisor Reviews are reported as once again missing in action by readers and posters to the forums. For those of you that missed the Google TripAdvisor Kerfuffle in December see this article.