Google’s recent addition to its local search product lineup is called Google Places with Hotpot.
From Google:
Hotpot is a new local recommendation engine for Google Places, powered by you and your friends.
You tell us the places you like — restaurants, cafes, book shops — and we’ll recommend new places to you the next time you search. Start rating and reviewing now @ www.google.com/hotpot
- Google Places with Hotpot
According to Google Product manager Mat Balez, over 20% of Google search queries have local intent.
As such, Google plans to integrate ratings and reviews from Hotpot users into its database of 50 million places.
With enough user participation, Google foresees creating a more informed local search experience – one that turns all of its users contributions into a recommendation engine for all searchers looking for that special local place in Google.
