Google Tests New Local Pack User Interface Buttons
Google is testing more changes around the local pack in the search results. On desktop, Google is testing using round buttons as opposed to square buttons. On mobile, Google is testing bubble designs for the tabs, instead of simple text with underlines…
Google Maps Local Listings Adds Web Search Results
Google is now showing web search results when you are viewing a local listing in Google Maps. For some reason I thought Google was doing this years and years ago but I cannot find a story I wrote about this (if you find it, let me know in the comments)…
Google My Business Call History Report Shows Answered & Missed Calls
In October we saw Google testing a feature called Preview Call History that shows you recent calls made to your business through Google Search and Google Maps. Now folks are seeing this report live in Google My Business under business.google.com/calls/…
Google Maps Landmark Icons & Pins
It looks like Google is widely showing the landmark icons or pins in the Google Maps desktop and mobile interface now. It is not exactly new, according to Justin OBeirne, Google started to slowly roll this out in nine cities in October 3, 2019 and it …
Google Guaranteed Testing New Badge Design
It looks like Google is testing a new design for the Google Guaranteed badge or icon. The previous design was a green circle with a white check mark inside of it. The new design is more in Google colors, it is a shield with a checkmark in it, using Goo…
Google My Business Phone Support Returns
It looks like Google has now re-enabled the ability for businesses to request phone support from the Google My Business team. This feature went away during when COVID hit but now it seems to be back, as Ben Fisher noted on Twitter the other day.
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Google Local Reviews Tests “New” Label
It looks like Google is testing a new label in the local business reviews for recently added reviews on businesses. The label says “new” and it is an outlined box. Here is a screen shot that Darcy shared with me on Twitter.
Google My Business Suggest Edit Gets More Robust
We’ve been covering a couple of the changes to the suggest edit feature in Google Maps, Google Local, Google My Business, Google Places or whatever you want to call it. Amy Toman spotted many of these but now she is seeing more including more explanat…
Google Maps Improves Messaging & Performance Insights Reports
As we have been expecting, Google has rolled out more ways for businesses to message and communicate with customers. Plus, Google is also rolling out more performance insights reports to see how customers are finding your business in Google Maps and Se…
New Google Maps Community Feed Within The Explore Tab
Google Maps has added a new social feature in the map software named the “community feed.” It can be found in the explorer tab within the Google Maps app on Android and iOS. It is a way for you to find out what the community is sharing about a specifi…
Google Local Panel Adjusts How To Suggest An Edit To Store Hours
Google has made a small tweak to the “suggest an edit” feature in the local panel results. Yes, you can still suggest an edit but now if you click on the arrow to expand the hours of that business or store, Google will let you suggest an edit specific…
Google Maps Tests Address Numbers On The Map
Google seems to be testing displaying address numbers in the Google Maps user interface. I personally cannot replicate this but Joy Hawkins was able to see it and shared a screen shot.
Google Local Suggest An Edit Placement Moved On Mobile
Google has moved the feature to “suggest an edit” from in the main mobile list view of a local listing to in the three vertical dots bar. So it is a bit harder to find now but it now takes up less space in the local panel.
Google Local Adds Messaging Button To Google Posts
Looks like Google is adding a message button on the Google Posts for local business profiles. Previously we saw a message button on the “updates” section, but now we are seeing then on the larger Google Posts section.
Google Maps Displaying Hotel Review Rating Averages & Other Attributes On Map Pins
Lluc Berrio Penycate posted on Twitter some screen shots of Google testing in Google Maps overlaying hotel attributes over the map pins for hotel listings. These can show average review ratings of hotels, category, pricing, and other attributes.
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Google Guaranteed Badge Displays On Google Local & Maps Results
Last week Google began testing showing the Google Guaranteed badge in the Google Local pack and Google Maps listings for some businesses. Joy Hawkins first reported this on November 18th and others do seem to have seen it after.
Google Local Packs May Roll Out X Years In Business Label
Over the past couple of days, I have been getting a lot of notifications from folks that they are now seeing Google show the number of years a business has been in operation directly in the local pack. We’ve covered this a month or so ago, but it might…
Large Spike Google My Business Suspensions
There has been a large number of recent complaints that Google is suspending tons of Google My Business listings. It seems these are account wide suspensions, where if you have multiple business listings in your account, all those listings would be su…
Google My Business Dashboard Tests New Location Manager Interface
Looks like Google is testing a new dashboard for the location list view in Google My Business. Claire Carlile shared a screen shot of the new design, which basically adds a pencil icon, photo icon and comment icon, with a new verified icon and a see yo…
Google My Business Review Owner Replies Not Displaying For Some
I am seeing a number of complaints around Google My Business review replies, the replies owners leave on reviews, not all showing up. I am not sure if the issue is resolved, but based on my tests over the past 12-hours or so, it seems when I leave rep…