This week, Google announced the launch of their newest feature, Hotpot, which now incorporates user ratings to personalize search results – increasing opportunities to improve search engine optimization.
Prior to Hotpot’s launch, Google Maps provided user reviews which it cultivated from across the web.  Now Google has taken that feature a step further by obtaining reviews and recommendations from venues you and people in your Hotpot Network have rated highly on the web personalizing your search results even more.

Earlier this week, Google announced the launch of their newest feature, Hotpot, which now incorporates user ratings to personalize search results.
Prior to Hotpot’s launch, Google Maps provided user reviews which it cultivated from across the web.  Now Google has taken that feature a step further by obtaining reviews and recommendations from venues you and people in your Hotpot Network have rated highly on the web personalizing your search results even more.

How to Utilize Hotpot for Cities

1)      Create a Google Places nickname.

• Ratings of places are public on the web – even to those who aren’t in your network.

2)      Choose a photo.

• Your photo should be consistent with your city/organization’s logo.

3)      Click “Start rating.”

4)      Google will ask you to enter a category and establish your location to start rating places.

• Example: City

5)      Once you have entered Hotpot, you can begin rating local places related to the keyword you typed in such as libraries, city museums, even the mayor’s office.

• Ratings range from “Hated It” to “Best Ever”

6)      Places to rate can be filtered by:

• Places you’ve previously visited on the web.

• Places you have saved while logged into Google Places on your mobile phone.

• Places you have previously rated on Google Places.

• Places your Hotpot network has rated.

7)      After you rate the individual venues, Hotpot will ask you to explain why you chose that rating.

• Google will also provide you with specifics about the venue to be rated with either a happy or sad face.

8)      Once you have rated at least 3 places in the category you are searching in, Google’s Hotpot will provide you with recommendations based on what you’ve liked and disliked in your reviews.

Once users have established a solid network of “friends” on Hotpot, Google will use their reviews to recommend places to you in the event that you are out of town and are looking for a particular type of establishment.   This is an excellent resource for visitors not wishing to write a review but to find out what people like themselves enjoy.

Hotpot’s one downfall is that it is not as infused with social networks as many of its competitors such as Bing and Yelp – Hotpot is its own social network.  Hotpot is solely an extension of Google applications such as Google Places and Google Maps but its mobile integration may make up for the lack of social integration and the fact that nearly everyone with access to the web uses Google.  Google Hotpot can be accessed through Google Maps and Places both on a PC and mobile devices, and the Hotpot mobile application can be used with any Android (1.6 and above) and the iPhone.

To ensure your city, government or any establishment with a physical address appears in Hotpot’s search results, you must register with Google Places.  Be sure to include as much keyword-rich information about your business as possible, and include pictures.

To try Google Hotpot for yourself and review your city/government establishment, visit http://www.google.com/hotpot.