Category: Google+ Local

From time to time in the GMB Forums the question arises of where Google Map’s gas prices come from and how to fix them when wrong. If your listing has your pricing wrong at Google you can file a report via “Report a Problem” at Google although it makes more sense to get in touch … Continue reading How Do Daily Gas Prices Stay Accurate in Google Maps & Elsewhere? →

Google is expanding Advanced Verification and the Home Service Ad test to plumbers and locksmiths in Los Angeles this month. In July of 2015, Google rolled out a test in the Bay Area of their Home Service Ad that used “extreme vetting” of local plumbers & locksmiths. In October & November of 2016 they started testing … Continue reading Google Expanding Advanced Verification & HSA to Los Angeles →

Apparently, Google is now partially supporting temporary business closures with a process and an appropriate messaging on the business Knowledge Panel. Currently there is no public facing interface for this and the only way to get this done is to create a post in the Google My Business Forum with full business details and then get … Continue reading Google Starting to Support Temporary Business Closings →

Thibault Adda, the Internet Marketing Coordinator at Roar! Internet Marketing shared an interesting search result with me. Google is apparently testing a new, direct to the Knowledge Panel call to action from local business owners. It is similar to, but different than the Google Posts (aka Podium, aka the product that shall not be named) … Continue reading Google Testing New Local Knowledge Panel Call to Action →

Yesterday, David Mihm highlighted an article in his Tidings Newsletter about a dentist that had legally changed his last name from Draper to Better so that he could change his practice name to Better Dental and rank better. Matt Marko pointed out the “shortsightedness in his leaving the obvious opening for Dr. Best”. That elicited … Continue reading Developing a Near Me Strategy for Local; Not? →

Both David Mihm and I think that voice search will play a large role in Local Search and a component of that will be home based assistant searches. With Google’s release of Home and Amazon’s early success with Alexa, there is little talk of the role that Apple will play in the home search arena. … Continue reading Apple Gets Into Position for the Voice Search Revolution →

At GetFiveStars I just penned a post:   Can 5-Star Reviews Backfire?       And based on research published in the Harvard Business review I think it very likely that having a review profile that is “too perfect” can be bad for business. Let me know what you think.

Two weeks ago I saw that Google had eliminated a public Help file URL from which a user could contact Google My Business support. This evening I saw this Tweet from Miriam Ellis: Hey @GoogleMyBiz, been on hold on your phone support for half an hour. Anyone manning Twitter right now? — Miriam Ellis (@Miriam_Ellis_) … Continue reading Is Google My Business Cutting Back on Live Support? →

This week’s Deep Dive at LocalU, with Mary Bowling and myself, looks at the data behind a discussion between by myself and David Mihm for StreetFight magazine about Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and local. We dig into the details of a case study for a single location and ask the questions: What are the critical KPI’s for a location-based business? How can … Continue reading Local U Deep Dive: Bricks & Mortar Key Performance Indicators Case Study →

Google has significantly upgraded the interface and functionality of the photos section within the My Business Dashboard. The new interface replaces the arbitrary categories with tags and allows for a simpler interface for the cover photo, the profile photo and a business’s logo.  Although there is no ability to add custom tags, it is a … Continue reading Google My Business Photos 3.0 Launches →

Every Monday, Mary Bowling and I will discuss last weeks news in local. We cover everything from the strategic developments to the very tactical updates that occur. Join us at Local U for Last Week in Local: If you are interested in sponsoring this wee…

I have no idea when this was added but when you are searching via Safari, it is now showing a direct Yelp or TripAdvisor answer with a click to call option immediately available. It is not clear who is providing the click to call services. My money is on Yelp and TripAdvisor. Does anyone know? It … Continue reading Safari iOS Adds Click to Call to Direct Search Answer →

This morning I spotted a new Google Local Shopping ad that places local inventory in a pack like display with a Map. This new ad unit is obviously a display test of their shopping campaing local inventory ad unit as it is not visible by many. For the history see Jennifer Slegg’s write up here. It … Continue reading Google Local Shopping Ads Showing in Pack Style Layout →

Confederate Memorial Day is celebrated as a public holiday in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. Although in Texas it seems to be referred to as Confederate Heroes Day and is celebrated on January 19th. Apparently there though it is considered an optional state holiday  “meaning some state employees will come to work while others do not”. … Continue reading Google & Confederate Memorial Day Hours →

Village Dental Care, a general, cosmetic dentistry, and orthodontic dentist in Bowral,Australia, had access to the beta trial of Google new SMB website builder pop up in their Google My Business Dashboard and their dental marketing company, Smile Marketing kindly shared access to the account for me to take a look at the product. It … Continue reading Google GMB Website Builder Beta First Look →

It seems that the day has finally come when Google is going after the many small businesses in both the developing and developed world that don’t yet have a website or at least a good mobile one. No intermidiary, no third party, this product is a a Google native web builder that looks simple and … Continue reading Google Testing Website Builder Within Google My Business →

Yesterday Google announced that they were starting to finally roll out their interstitial penalty. Meant to improve mobile user experience when accessing a site the penalty targets sites that: Show a popup that covers the main content, either immediately after the user navigates to a page from the search results, or while they are looking … Continue reading Yelp Dramatically Improves Mobile Search Experience* →

Google has update the Google GMB API to v. 3.2 this afternoon and included in the update is full access to 18 months of Insights data. Essentially the same data currently visible in the GMB Insights is available via the API and you can now subscribe to real-time notifications for new Google Updates. This release … Continue reading Google Releases GMB API 3.2 with Insights →

It appears that Google is either broadly testing or perhaps rolling out (or maybe they did this last week and I missed it) a more visual 3 pack with fewer direct contact CTAs for bricks and mortar locations. It appears, at least for now that professionals like lawyers, doctors, insurance agents and service businesses like … Continue reading Bricks & Mortar Stores Getting New Local 3 Pack Treatment at Google? →

Google has recently rolled out a number of upgrades to their mobile restaurant search results: Speedier Menu Data in an AMP like form More visual card like Local Finder results Addition of Happy Hours Speedier Menu Data in an AMP like form With the rollout of the updated Google search app, Google is starting to … Continue reading Google Upgrades Mobile Restaurant Display with New Features →