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Tag: Google My Business

  • Google Rolls Out Business Messaging In Google Maps

    Google Rolls Out Business Messaging In Google Maps

    Google has unveiled a significant update to Google Maps, allowing businesses to reply to customers directly within the application.

    Google Maps and Google My Business are important resources for businesses, making it easier for them to manage their online presence and engage with customers. The latest updates provide substantial improvements to those abilities.

    “Starting today, we’re rolling out the ability for verified businesses to message with customers directly from the Google Maps app,” writes Aditya Tendulkar Product Manager. “Once you turn messaging on from your Business Profile, you can start replying to customers on Google Maps from the business messages section in the “Updates” tab. And soon you’ll also be able to see your messages right from Google Search (via the Customers menu on your Business Profile) and message customers directly from your computer.”

    The company has also improved the analytics and insights businesses can gain from Google My Business.

    “Starting this month, we’re rolling out more metrics to give you a deeper understanding of how customers discover your Business Profile,” continues Tendulkar. “Soon you’ll see a more detailed list of the search queries customers used to find your business on Google. At the beginning of next year, you’ll see updates to the performance page that show whether customers saw your business via Google Maps or Search and if they saw it from a computer or mobile device. All your performance data will be available for up to six months. Dig into the numbers to see how your business is performing over time and how your Business Profile resonates with customers.”

    These are major updates that should help businesses engage with their customers and have the insights they need to optimize their marketing.

  • Coronavirus: Google Will Show Businesses That Are Temporarily Closed

    Coronavirus: Google Will Show Businesses That Are Temporarily Closed

    As more restaurants, bars and businesses close in an attempt to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, Google Search and Maps will inform users.

    In a blog post on the company’s site, CEO Sundar Pichai outlined the various steps the company is taking to help fight the spread of the pandemic, including “promoting the ‘Do the Five’ campaign to raise awareness of simple measures people can take to slow the spread of the disease, according to the WHO.”

    Google is also working hard to fight misinformation regarding the pandemic. A big part of that has been removing videos that are dangerous or misleading from YouTube, as well as taking down false information, fake reviews and misleading information on Google Maps.

    The company is also working to help businesses inform customers via Search and Maps when they are temporarily closed as a result of the virus.

    “Based on data from governments and other authoritative sources, Google Search and Maps will now display if a place, like a school or local business, is temporarily closed,” continues Pichai. “In the coming days, we’ll make it possible for businesses to easily mark themselves as ‘temporarily closed’ using Google My Business. We’re also using our artificial intelligence (AI) technology Duplex where possible to contact businesses to confirm their updated business hours, so we can reflect them accurately when people are looking on Search and Maps.”

    These are welcome steps the search giant is taking to help individuals and businesses alike in the face of the pandemic.

  • Google Says More About Local Ranking In Updated Document

    Google Says More About Local Ranking In Updated Document

    Google has updated its documentation that contains advice for improving your local ranking on the search engine.

    This was spotted by local search watcher Mike Blumenthal. Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable has the old version saved here. According to him, the document has been tripled in size.

    There’s a section about “prominence” that has some new language in it, and that seems to be the most significant change. Here’s what the section says now:

    Prominence refers to how well-known a business is. Some places are more prominent in the offline world, and search results try to reflect this in local ranking. For example, famous museums, landmark hotels, or well-known store brands that are familiar to many people are also likely to be prominent in local search results.

    Prominence is also based on information that Google has about a business from across the web (like links, articles, and directories). Google review count and score are factored into local search ranking: more reviews and positive ratings will probably improve a business’s local ranking. Your position in web results is also a factor, so SEO best practices also apply to local search optimization.

    The key part to take note of here is the one about Google using links, articles, and directories from across the web for prominence.

  • Google Extends AdWords Manual Location Extension Sunset

    Google Extends AdWords Manual Location Extension Sunset

    In December, Google launched of the Google My Business API aimed at making it easier for big businesses and third parties to integrate with the Google My Business platform and publish updates to customers on Google Search and Google Maps.

    The API was actually announced a couple months before that when Google also said it would sunset manual location extensions in AdWords. Today, the company announced some adjustments for that sunset.

    In a brief post on the AdWords Developer blog, Timo Bozsolik from the AdWords API team writes, “To give developers more time to migrate their locations from AdWords to Google My Business, we have decided to extend the manual location extensions sunset and voluntary migration deadline beyond March 31.”

    “Existing locations in AdWords will not be auto-migrated until further notice,” he adds.

    Google will announced the revised sunset timeline and more details about auto-migration on the AdWords Developer blog sometime in the future. The company apologized to developers for inconveniences it may have caused.

    You can learn more about the new Google My Business API here.

    Image via Google

  • Google Pilots Local Business Markup for Knowledge Panels

    Google Pilots Local Business Markup for Knowledge Panels

    Last week, Google launched the Google My Business API to let big businesses and third parties integrate with the Google My Business platform and publish updates to customers on Google Search and Google Maps.

    Businesses can use the API to set special holiday hours, for example, and update them across all locations. The special hours feature was added to Google My business last month.

    Developers can also use the API to create locations with names, addresses, phone numbers, categories, business hours, etc. They can also mark a business location as permanently closed, manage business photos, list/invite/remove managers on locations and business accounts, read listing state to identify Google update, duplicate and suspended locations, search/filter locations by name/category/label, and set the service area for a business by specifying a point and radius or Place ID.

    To work with the API, you’ll need to have a basic knowledge of RESTful APIs.

    Documentation for the API is here.

    Search Engine Land points to a Google help document in which it talks about a way to provide local business information via structured data markup. When utilized, uses who search for a business may see a Knowledge Panel card with details about the business.

    Google says, “We are currently piloting this feature with a restricted set of initial data providers. We hope to soon open up the feature so any provider who implements spec-compliant markup is eligible to participate.”

    “Use markup on your official website to provide Google with information about local business locations,” it says. “These attributes appear on the card and elsewhere throughout Google Search and Maps. For instance, a restaurant’s menu URL appears prominently on the card, letting users click through to see what kind of food and drink is available.”

    More about adding the markup here.

    Images via Google

  • Google My Business Gets An API

    Google My Business Gets An API

    This week, Google announced the launch of the Google My Business API aimed at making it easier for big businesses and third parties to integrate with the Google My Business platform and publish updates to customers on Google Search and Google Maps.

    One way businesses can use this is to set special holiday season hours (a feature Google added last month), and update them across all locations through an API.

    Developers will be able to use the API to create locations with names, addresses, phone numbers, categories, business hours, etc. They’ be able to manage special hours, mark a business location as permanently closed, manage business photos, list/invite/remove managers on locations and business accounts, read listing state to identify Google update, duplicate and suspended locations, search/filter locations by name/category/label, and set the service area for a business by specifying a point and radius or Place ID.

    You can see a sample java function to create a new location and set special hours here.

    To work with the API, you’ll need to have a basic knowledge of RESTful APIs. Otherwise, you might want to stick with the Google My Business user interface.

    You can get started with the API here.

    Image via Google

  • Google My Business Now Lets You Close, Reopen Business Locations

    Google My Business Now Lets You Close, Reopen Business Locations

    Google announced on its Advertiser Community site that Google My Business will now let you mark a location closed in the list view to keep users up to date. You can also now reopen a location if need be.

    Google’s Elizabeth P. writes (via Search Engine Roundtable), “Multiple locations cannot be closed or reopened via spreadsheet, but you can close multiple locations and reopen multiple locations in Google My Business.”

    To mark one location as closed, click the location in list view, and click “Mark permanently closed” in the box at the top right of the page. Click “Mark permanently closed” again in the dialog box that appears. The location will then appear as closed in your account and to users on Google.

    You’ll need to verify that the location is closed when Google shows you this:

    Just click yes to confirm or no if the location is still open.

    To reopen a business, click Reopen from the red bar in the box at the top right of the page when you’re in list view. From there, the process is basically the same.

    Images via Google

  • Google Lists Google My Business Listing Visibility Factors

    Google Lists Google My Business Listing Visibility Factors

    Update: Google has changed language to remove “clicks”. Very interesting.

    Your business listings on Google aren’t going to do much for you if people don’t see them. Just having one isn’t enough. You need to make sure it’s optimized.

    Google employee Rahul J posted on the company’s Advertiser Community site about how to optimize your listing. He gets into fundamentals like selecting the right category, sharing your location and page with customers, asking customers to share their experiences, sharing updates, and including photos.

    Before that, however, he lists four factors that the visibility of your listing depends on. These are: relevance, prominence, distance, and search history.

    For relevance, he says, you should ask yow relevant your category and listing are to the search phrase used by the user. For prominence, he means traffic to your business listing and how established the business is online.

    Distance, of course, refers to the actual physical location in relation to that of the user.

    Search history refers to how many times the listing has been clicked on by users searching with the keyword.

    Regarding that factor, Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable notes, “I believe this is common knowledge in the local SEO world but I don’t think I’ve seen Google come out and say it.”

    Rahul J writes that the four factors are “governed by a dynamic system that decides the search results” and that “no one at Google has any influence over it.”

    Good to know.

  • Google My Business Gets Special Hours Feature

    Google My Business Gets Special Hours Feature

    Google My Business is getting a new feature that lets you pre-schedule specific hours for holidays or special events. Now that we’re into November, the feature couldn’t have come any sooner.

    When a business provides special hours to Google My Business for a known holiday in their region, Google will tell customers they’re seeing holiday-specific opening hours. If you don’t provide special hours for a known holiday in your region (even if you update your regular hours), Google will add a disclaimer to let customers know that “hours might differ” for the holiday.

    “The holiday season is fast approaching and with it customers looking for last minute gifts,” says Google’s Marissa Nordahl in the Google and Your Business Help Forum (via Rise Insight).”They are wondering when they can visit your business and counting on your business information being correct on Google.”

    “Special Hours are not just for the holidays,” she says. “With Special Hours in Google My Business, merchants can pre-schedule exceptional hours up to 365 days in advance. This feature is particularly useful for special events where normal business hours do not apply. Simply use Google My Business to tell us the date with special hours, and we’ll display those instead of the regular business hours for that date. No need to return and reupload your hours, we’ll display your regular hours automatically after the date you specified for your special event.”

    There’s a Google Help Center article about setting up special hours here. You can only use the feature if you’ve provided regular hours of course.

    Images via Google

  • Google My Business Gets A Refresh

    Google My Business Gets A Refresh

    Google announced the launch of a new redesign for Google May Business. This includes updated navigation, which the company says is aimed at making it easier to access the product’s primary features and providing better access to multiple locations for those using Google My Business Locations.

    Google’s Marissa Nordahl made the announcement in a Google product forum (via Search Engine Land), saying:

    You’ll see tabs for editing, photos, insights, and reviews. These tabs provide quick access to the most common user actions.

    Merchants with multiple locations or Google+ brand pages will see an updated management experience with two tabs: one for “Locations” and another for Google+ “Brand Pages” where you can view your listings or pages in either a card and a list format. “Contact support” options are also now more prominent so you can find the answers to your questions faster.

    Google gives you a walkthrough on the new navigation here, but if you really want a tour, check out this five-minute video from local search expert Mike Blumenthal.

    Image via Google

  • Google May Kill Your Business Listing If You Don’t Show Them You’re Active

    Google May Kill Your Business Listing If You Don’t Show Them You’re Active

    If you haven’t logged into your Google My Business account lately, you might want to stop by and verify your business listing(s). If you don’t, you run the risk of Google killing your business listing, which will be a much bigger headache than just taking a minute to check in.

    A couple months ago, Google started warning businesses to log in and verify or face having your account unverified.

    In a new post on Google+ (via Search Engine Roundtable), Google is telling businesses if they haven’t logged into their account in over a year, they’ll get an email asking them to do so. If you don’t do so, you may be de-verified or even removed from Google Maps.

    The company says:

    Staying on top of your online presence can mean the difference between business as usual and new customers at your door. In fact, a recent study showed that consumers are nearly twice as likely to find a business reputable if it has more information on Google, such as opening hours and photos. But when companies don’t keep their online information up to date, it can create an unpleasant experience for people searching the web for information — like if a customer arrives at a local business only to find that the address or operating hours have changed.

    We’re always trying to make it easier for customers to connect with businesses on Google. That’s why if you’re a business owner and you haven’t logged into your Google My Business account in over a year, you may receive an email from us soon asking you to sign in and confirm your business information. Just follow the steps in the email by simply logging into your Google My Business dashboard, then checking to make sure your information is up to date and submitting any changes if necessary. If your account remains inactive after receiving a notice from us, then it could run the risk of being de-verified, or in rare cases, removed from Google Maps.

    Google recommends logging into your Google My Business account at least once every six months to check on your business info to make sure they have the right info. Again, this could save you from a much bigger headache.

    Image via Google

  • Google My Business, AdWords Express Apps Get Updates

    Google announced some updates to the Google My Business and AdWords Express apps aimed at making it easier for businesses to find the right customers.

    With Google My Business for Android, business owners can see reviews from across the web. This is coming to the iOS app soon.

    “Business users have told us how much customers appreciate a response, so we are also making it possible to respond to Google reviews in the app, along with real-time alerts if you want to keep a pulse on your reputation online,” Google says.

    “Wondering how customers are using their smartphones to get in touch with your business? When people find you on Google, you can see when they call or from where they get driving directions, so you can be prepared for that next manic Monday rush,” the company adds.

    The AdWords Express app is being expanded to 20 new countries on Android. This will also occur with iOS soon.

    The changes for both apps are rolling out over the coming days.

    Image via Google

  • Google Launches ‘Google My Business’ Dashboard, App

    Google just launched Google My Business, which it describes as a way for you to “find and connect with your people, wherever you are.” More importantly it helps people find your business.

    The offering simply brings together various ways Google already has of helping your business gain visibility (other than, you know, search ranking). It updates your business info on Search, Maps, and Google+ from one place, lets you add photos, share news, events, and updates from your Google+ page, and helps you monitor and respond to Google reviews. It also points you to custom insights and integration with AdWords Express.

    You can manage this all with a Google My Business mobile app. It’s on Android now, and will soon launch on iOS.

    Google is also upgrading current users of Places for Business and the Google+ Dashboard to the new experience.

    Image via Google