Google Promoting Zagat in the Spotlight

Google recently bought Zagat, the highly popular restaurant review service. Since that purchase Google has wasted no time in premiering Zagat rated restaurants in Google Offer's. With Google's muscle behind Zagat, if you don't already have the restaurant you're promoting in this review system then you need to make a big push on it right away. Unfortunately, it's not a quick and easy process.

Zagat.com has 3 rating systems for restaurants:

• Yellow Pages - This just means you're in the restaurant directory.
• Member Added - This means you've been reviewed by at least one member of Zagat.com
• Zagat Rated - This means that you've actually been Zagat rated in one of their surveys.

By being included in any of these you are allowed to add an online reservation and online delivery option by using opentable.com and seamlessweb.com.

However, becoming a Zagat rated member is what you want to strive for. It has the benefits of setting up photos, 360 degree virtual tours, submitting menus and offering discounts to members of Zagat.com through Savored.com.

To be considered for a Zagat survey you need to submit a press kit to Zagat at presskits@zagat.com. The press kits contain basic information about you and your restaurant. Zagat then files away the submissions on a weekly basis and holds onto them for up to two years. We're not sure how long it takes on average but we get the impression that it's a long time.

Zagat is a very well known and trusted source of restaurant reviews. So, even if it takes a long time to get a rating from them, it's still an avenue worth pursuing. To get started in the process you can go here.