Both Google Maps and Google Places aim to help consumers find the right business for their needs, using public reviews as a tool. While users can submit reviews directly through Google, the majority of the feedback is imported from other prominent review sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, PriceLine, Hotels.com, and more. Recently, however, TripAdvisor—one of the major contributors of hotel reviews for Google Places and Maps—has blocked Google from accessing its review stream.
Initially reported by a travel industry news outlet, the absence of TripAdvisor reviews was confirmed to be an intentional decision rather than a “technical issue” as first suggested.
“We have currently limited TripAdvisor content available on [Google] pages,” said an official TripAdvisor representative. The block was in response to changes in the Google Places page layout, which now emphasizes images and reviews while reducing the map’s size and its previously prominent position. A TripAdvisor representative mentioned the company had been monitoring these changes and felt they were not beneficial for users seeking the best hotel.
Google has a history of resolving such conflicts, but TripAdvisor has not commented on whether it will reconsider its position. They have, however, indicated they are keeping an eye on future updates to Google Places. Although TripAdvisor cited the Google Places layout as the issue, the root of the problem is more complex.
This isn’t the first time a review company has blocked Google from importing its data. Yelp previously had a dispute with Google that caused significant tension before being resolved. For review companies, Google represents both a substantial marketing opportunity and a significant competitor, especially as Google Places functionality expands in ways that may threaten their businesses.
