Category: Google Maps

Amy Toman spotted yet another local panel user interface change in the Google search results. This one shows a custom/dynamic tab or menu in the local panel. So in this example, Google is showing a tab for “boarding.”

Colan Nielsen reported that Google is now testing showing service “justifications,” which according to him Google defines as the additional labels in the local pack result. Before we saw web site mentions here, as well as other items, but now Google i…

Back in 2018, Google added the ability to allow Google Maps users to follow businesses – hence Google My Business followers. But is there any value to it? Google said back then that the value is that you can “post offers to your followers to keep them…

Justin Sanger posted on Twitter that he is now noticing for those customers of his who are in the Google Guaranteed beta, that Google is offering discounts. The example he showed revealed a $101 discount for paying for the year, so instead of $600, the…

Google launched a free and easy to use video maker tool within Google My Business. The videos come out okay but it wouldn’t be something I share on my home page of my web site. But that being said, it is something maybe some small businesses would sh…

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 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)…

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/…

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 …

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…

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.
…

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.

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…

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…

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 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 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 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.

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.

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.
…