Category: Google Maps

Google has added options for some local businesses to highlight the types of services they are offering during the COVID-19 outbreak. This is within the Google Local Services Ads and you can select, depending on your business type, what levels and typ…

Google My Business had the ability for owners to reply to reviews within the console directly. Heck, it even tested automating some of those replies. But at some point, that feature went away. It is now back and working.

Google has added the ability to add a “telehealth info link” to a Google My Business listing, if the listing is a medical/doctor related office. Erica Paige shared a screen shot of this on Twitter.

Yesterday I saw a push notification on my iPhone that read “What’s for dinner? Check out places to eat & drink nearby.” I tweeted about it, figured it was an oversight and then Danny Sullivan from Google said the Google Maps team has taken care of it.

This may have come last week when I covered the new attributes for restaurants on Google My Business. But now in Google Maps it is showing as part of the restaurants name if the business offers takeout and delivery. Here is a screen shot from around…

If you login to Google My Business, click on Posts, you have a new option to write a post specific with COVID-19 information about your business. Google said on Twitter “COVID-19 update posts will appear at the top of your business profile in local se…

Google posted a microsite with tools and resources to help small businesses during these uncertain times. Google wrote “We know this is a difficult time for people everywhere, including small business owners. We want to help. We’ve gathered some usefu…

Google has posted an update on Twitter that now when you mark you business as temporarily closed, it will not impact your search rankings. Google said “keep customers updated on your status without affecting search rankings.”

Google has said it has reenabled the ability to use Google Posts after it was temporarily disabled. Google wrote on Twitter “business posts were temporarily disabled and have now resumed.”

Google is testing displaying new attributes for local results that show if there is dine in, delivery or takeout services. Brian Freiesleben and Mike Blumenthal shared screen shots with me over the past few days. Here they are:

Google My Business created a new help document giving guidance to how healthcare providers like clinics and medical offices should keep its patients informed during COVID-19.

There are many many complaints about Google My Business working properly now. We know the support hours have been limited due to the outbreak. We know features and functions have been removed or stalled. But it seems that there are tons of issues wit…

If you login to your Google My Business account and click on edit your information, you will be given a new option to “mark as temporarily closed.” Previously you were unable to do this from Google My Business.

Google has suspended accepting and posting reviews and Q&A on local businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Google posted in its help document “New reviews, review replies, and new Q&A will be unavailable during this time.”

Google is making a rule exception to what you can use in your business name for some restaurants. You can write in your business name that your restaurant has “delivery available” or “takeout available.” This is just for the time being, and is normal…

Andy Simpson shared a screen shot (that I cannot replicate) of Google Local showing a summary of how many people mentioned a phrase in the comments. In the example below it says “4 people mention atmosphere” and “3 people mention kids.”

Google said it is using Duplex, Google’s AI based phone calling service, to call businesses to check if business hours have changed or if the business has closed. Google wrote “using our artificial intelligence (AI) technology Duplex where possible to…

Google is sending out email notifications to business owners through Google My Business asking businesses to update their details if the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affecting your business. The email asks “Is the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affe…

Google posted in the Google My Business help area that it wants businesses affected by COVID-19, the coronavirus, to update your profile to provide the most accurate information. This might mean updating your business hours or more, Google said.
…

Google can show you a list of business profiles you manage in Google My Business directly in the web search results. It depends on your query and the number of listings you manage, but you might be able to trigger it. I should note, I don’t think this…