The New Google Maps – What Local Businesses Should Consider

These days, the new Google Maps is being rolled out globally for desktop users. The new version was first introduced last May and then tested by users. Now, the new features and layout become standard. While this update aims to be more user-friendly, it has some implications for local businesses. Learn what you need to consider in our overview.

Rankings in Google Maps

In the new Google Maps, the order of entries is less obvious than in the old version.

Initially, only the first three entries are displayed (businesses shown here have a significant advantage).

Only after clicking on "all entries" do more listings become visible. However, these do not match the Maps results from search engine results.

If the search query resembles a proper noun, sometimes it is shown as the sole entry.

Frequently searched locations are suggested during the search.

The larger the map section selected, the fewer individual entries are shown. Entries are aggregated; sometimes, markers are displayed, but the corresponding names are not. What determines who is displayed? It's not solely the quantity or quality of reviews, as a sample has shown. Instead, it depends on several factors such as mentions, links, and ratings.

Keywords

The related search queries displayed are insightful. It can be useful for businesses to add relevant terms from here to their Google+ Local description.

Particularly interesting are the keywords Google automatically adds to entries.

A larger number of terms is also found in the Google+ profile.

Google extracts these keywords from reviews. To influence these terms, it’s sensible to promote certain services or products to encourage reviews that contain these keywords.

Summary and Further Remarks

• Reviews have long been one of the most important factors for local search engine optimization. With the new version of Google Maps, their importance increases further.

• Google+ is essential for local businesses and has been since Google Places became Google+ Local. It’s not enough to just create a profile; including keywords, actively maintaining the profile, and obtaining reviews are crucial.

• In the new Google Maps, the social aspect is also significant. Google encourages users to sign in and create individual Maps with favorite places. Maps for logged-in users are influenced by their marked locations and those recommended by contacts in their circles. This last feature can be manually activated by selecting the option "Places from...my circles." Reviews play a crucial role here as well. According to Google, user data and the search history of the logged-in user also influence Maps results.

• Since the new Google Maps is explicitly designed for mobile use, the topic of responsive design becomes increasingly important for local businesses.

• Finally, advertising is also an interesting topic: The prominent ad placement directly below search results is likely an attractive ad space for local businesses.

If you want to be found locally and use the new Google Maps to your advantage, it’s time to optimize your Google+ and Google+ Local profiles and encourage reviews of your business. We are happy to assist you!