Anyone notice significant drops in impressions on Feb 20th?

[draftzero]

I'm seeing significant drops across the board for all clients or any listings I have access to on February 20th. Anyone else noticing this?

Also found these users experienced this as well: http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/business/NqZfGsY817A

[edited by: bill at 4:15 am (utc) on Mar 8, 2013]
[edit reason] unlinked URL due to redirection error [/edit]

[Catalyst]

Thanks for posting to ask draftzero.

You helped me realize I never circled back around in that Google forum thread to let folks know the status. (Or at least what I believe it to be.)

I had said in that thread that even though Google Places analytics are buggy - OFTEN when things get buggier than usual in Places - it's a signal there is an update in the works.

As most of you know by now, there was a pretty big update on March 6th, the day we were discussing this at the G forum. The display update.

Ever since the update, the on-going stream of complaints at my forum and the Google forum, about stats not working - stopped. So I assume that as we suspected, the update was the issue.

But my personal stats weren't affected so I can't tell for sure. I'm curious to hear if your stats are now working again?

Linda Buquet

[travelin cat]

I'm glad someone else brought this up. Our stats are stuck on 2/19/13 as well.

[anallawalla]

Not seeing this in mostly Australian GA accounts.

[Catalyst]

Thanks travelin cat and anallawalla.

The problem is not affecting everyone. I have consultants who have 50 listings all flat-lined and then others who are fine.

There are several other bugs right now and I know Google is working on a bunch of stuff on the back end, so maybe there is another big update coming. But then again GP stats just have never seemed to be a high priority and often are buggy.

Linda

[travelin cat]

Just went to check again and now my listing is showing as pending/being reviewed. Lovely.

[Catalyst]

Jade from Google just asked people at my forum who are having the stats problem for examples. I had numerous people reporting the problem, so I think we'll have quite a few examples to give her.

She has Google engineers looking into it. I'm helping folks in several different places, but will try to remember to circle back here once I have an update from Google or ETA for a fix.

Sorry your listing is pending review now TC. :-(

Linda

[travelin cat]

Well, now we are back where we were a few days ago. Listing has returned, but no stats past the 19th of February. Guess they are turning the dials over there at the Googleplex.

[Catalyst]

Well it's good the pending is gone TC. I was going to come over to tell you some have been reporting a POKE clears the pending.

Last night TOOOOOONNNNNS of listings went into pending review, so that's another new bug. I reported it to Google last night so maybe that's why your pending cleared. Maybe the engineers jumped right on it.

FYI another current bug running rampant is 500 error on MERGED G+L pages. Have been getting a boatload of complaints from folks who are locked out of their pages and can't make changes.

Google thinks they tracked it down to the new display update and are working on a fix.

[travelin cat]

Update: still not showing any new data past 2/19/13. The listing is live and receiving traffic, but no updates in the dashboard.

[earlpearl]

The stats inside the Places Page have ALWAYS stunk, IMHO. A.L.W.A.Y.S. At best they are a tease by google to suck you into more Google elements and ultimately paid google tools, such as adwords.

There are immeasurably better stats through virtually any kind of analytics tools.

Actually I'm a big believer and buyer of adwords. I also get excellent roi. Adwords ultimately gives you impressions (ah...total demand) and your volume of clicks. Really great local data.

But the dashboard stats....Its been pure BS from the day they introduced it. Truly one of the worst sources for any kinds of stats you would want.