Category: Google Maps

Google Maps has updated its photos and videos criteria for the Google Maps user-contributed content policy. Google added selfie photos, excessively dark or blurry images, significantly rotated compositions, and the use of filters that dramatically alte…

Google’s Local Service Ads are supposed to be screened, guaranteed, and reviewed by someone contracted by Google. But supposedly, the reviews in many Local Service Ads are filled with fake reviews.

Google Search’s local pack has for a long time let you filter the local results by hours of operation. But I am not sure when Google added by the day of the week. I am not sure if this is new but I don’t think I’ve seen it before.

Google is testing a new label to notate that the reviews aren’t verified in Google Search and Google Map. The label is above the reviews in the local business listing and it says “reviews aren’t verified.”

Google My Business has added a new feature to automate responses to customer messages through Google Search and Google Maps. It is a frequently asked question section where you enter the FAQs, and Google can respond with answers when the customer’s que…

Google is now testing placing icons next to the Things To Do, How To Get There and Places To Stay search feature. Previously, I don’t think I have ever seen the icons before and as Saad AK said on Twitter, the places to stay feature might be new too.

A recent New York Times piece highlighted blackmail threads taken on small restaurants that threaten and blackmail the owners. These threats say the person will leave a one-star review, hurting the business’s reputation in Google Maps and Google Search…

There are a number of complaints in the Local Search Forums with the Google Business Profile Manager. Supposedly in some cases, listing and other details are being hidden or just disappearing.

Google Search seems to be testing new location and destination cards in Google search. These cards show “get there,” “weather,” “map cards” and more features.

We knew that when Google rebranded Google My Business to Google Business Profile that Google will be doing away with the Google My Business App. And now that day has come – the Google My Business app is no longer available.

In the new way to manage your Google Business Profile, i.e. in Google Search, there is a toggle to “show business address to customers.” So if you are a small business and you use your home address, you can toggle that off to hide your address from sho…

Google sent out email notifications to those who use Google Posts that they now expire after six months. Ben Fisher shared a screenshot of this notification on Twitter that read “did you know that after 6 months your most recent posts won’t be highlig…

Google seems to be testing or slowly rolling out a new local search feature in the main web search results named Find places through reviews. Google will show a review carousel for select local businesses that match your query in this web search featur…

Google Maps is testing a new local listing interface where it shows more images in the top portion of the local listing and there are tabs to show the business overview on the left and the reviews on the right.

Google has added yet another business attribute for Google Business Profiles – LGBTQ+ owned businesses. This is a new label that can be added to your business in Google Maps and Google Search “making it easier for customers to find and support them,” …

Just like when Google was testing an expandable locations section that is in a collapsible menu in the Google Search results, now Google is testing an “in-store nearby” section that is expandable within a collapsible menu.

Google is testing a new local widget for businesses owners to help them maintain their Google Business Profile. The widget is named “profile strength” and it shows up in the Google Search results when you search for a company you manage in Google Busin…

Google is testing hiding the local pack within a locations tab that expands when you tap on it or the arrow down. When it expands, it shows you the full local pack listings.

There is a complaint in the Local Search Forums from a local SEO saying that Google has emailed businesses of the local SEO with a message that they automatically turned on messaging on their business profile in Google Maps and Google Search.

It seems like there is another set of reviews going missing or being removed by Google in the Google Maps and local listings. Joy Hawkins noticed an increase in complaints from businesses over the past week but Mike Blumenthal thinks it is more intenti…