Sunday, August 9Digital Marketing Journals

Tag: Maps

Apple Maps Ads Ban Home Services, Crypto ATMs, Bail Bonds
18Jul By Brooke OsmundsonNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Apple Maps Ads Ban Home Services, Crypto ATMs, Bail Bonds

Apple Maps ads haven’t officially launched yet, but advertisers now have a clearer view of who can participate. The newly published Apple Advertising Services policy prohibits the broad category of home services businesses, including plumbing, electrical, locksmith, HVAC, pest control, roofing, and general contracting. Apple hasn’t disclosed a launch date beyond “this summer” in the U.S. and Canada, but the published documentation and Maps-specific ad policies suggest the rollout is getting close. Here’s what’s changing, why it matters for local advertisers, and what to watch before launch. Apple Adds New Policies For Maps Advertisers Apple’s updated advertising policy took effect on July 14, 2026. It includes a new section covering ads that appear specifically within Apple Maps. The most ...
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Google Ask Maps Updates – How They Impact Your Business Profile
24Jun By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
Generative AI, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Google Ask Maps Updates – How They Impact Your Business Profile

Many businesses see their Google Business Profile as a listing to verify and then leave untouched. Google’s new Ask Maps feature treats it as a conversational dataset for generating helpful answers about a business. The questions Ask Maps answers are what make change meaningful. When someone asks for a 24-hour locksmith who can get into a car right now, they get an immediate answer. That’s one question with multiple conditions taken into account. Showing up as one of the answers depends on having accurate and up-to-date business data. While Google hasn’t said how it chooses businesses to recommend in Ask Maps, it’s clear that the data it pulls from is increasingly important. What Google Says About Ask Maps Google calls Ask Maps a helpful tool for asking detailed, real-world questions and r...
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Google Maps Launches AI Conversational Search With Ask Maps
24Mar By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps Launches AI Conversational Search With Ask Maps

Google Maps is launching Ask Maps, a conversational feature powered by Gemini that lets users ask complex questions about locations and receive AI-generated suggestions on a personalized map. The feature is now rolling out in the U.S. and India on Android and iOS, with a desktop version coming soon. What Ask Maps Does Ask Maps lets you type natural-language questions directly into Google Maps and receive AI-generated answers. Google’s examples include queries like “Is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play at tonight?” and “My phone is dying, where can I charge it without having to wait in a long line for coffee?” See an example provided by Google below: The feature uses Google’s database of over 300 million places and reviews from 500 million contributors to generate...
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Google Maps Lets Users Post Reviews With Nicknames
6Dec By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Google Maps Lets Users Post Reviews With Nicknames

Google Maps now lets users leave business reviews under a custom nickname instead of their real name. The feature is part of a four-feature Maps update and is rolling out globally on Android, iOS, and desktop. Local SEO agency Whitespark was among the first to document the change in detail, describing it as one of the more notable shifts to Google’s review system in years. What Changed Google’s support documentation outlines the new setting. Users can enable a custom display name and picture for posting through their Maps or Google profile. Once enabled, that identity appears on reviews, photos, videos, and Q&A posts across Maps. The feature works retroactively. If you edit your nickname later, past contributions update to show the new name. Whitespark notes that people have long creat...
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Google Maps Gets An Upgrade To Combat Fake Reviews
9Apr By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
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Google Maps Gets An Upgrade To Combat Fake Reviews

Google has updated its AI systems for Maps and Business Profiles, which now use Gemini to identify risky profile edits and fake reviews. Gemini Finds Suspicious Profile Edits Google is employing Gemini to spot fake changes to Business Profiles. It can distinguish between a regular update, like a slight name change, and a sudden, suspicious shift, such as changing a business category from a “cafe” to a “plumber.” In its announcement, Google said: “We trained a new model with the help of Gemini that identifies potentially suspicious profile edits. A business that changes its name from ‘Zoe’s Coffee House’ to ‘Zoe’s Cafe’ isn’t suspicious—but a business that suddenly changes its category from ‘cafe’ to ‘plumber’ is.” Google says this new system has blocked thousands of risky edits this year. ...
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Google Maps Launches Product Search: Steps For Retailers
16Nov By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps Launches Product Search: Steps For Retailers

Google has updated Maps to include product-specific search capabilities, just in time for the holiday shopping season. This feature allows consumers to search for specific items and find nearby stores with available inventory. Key Features The update lets you search for products directly within Google Maps and find real-time inventory availability at nearby stores. Shoppers can find a wide range of items and have immediate access to local pickup options. In an announcement, Google states: “Need a last-minute gift? Now, you can search in Google Maps for items like pickleball rackets, board games, ice cream makers and more to find nearby stores that have them in stock so you can pick up what you need, stat. No empty stockings here!” Implementation Guide For Retailers Retailers should focus o...
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Fresh Edits: a Hidden Advantage in Google Maps Spam-Reporting
28Aug By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Fresh Edits: a Hidden Advantage in Google Maps Spam-Reporting

Like my post? Please share! When you’re trying to clean up a competitor’s dirty Google Business Profile page, it’s not enough just to be right: You also need to make your move at the right time. When’s the right time to send in a “suggest an edit”?  It’s (1) as soon as you notice a problem, (2) as soon as you know specifically what change(s) you’ll suggest to Google, and (3) after you’ve had a long pause from reporting other Google Maps spam. The first point is intuitive enough.  Don’t wait until a competitor is outranking you to send in your edit.  Report Google Maps spam that you outrank by a country mile.  Today it ranks #14 in the 3-pack, but tomorrow you may be stuck under its kilt, with nowhere to look but up. The second point might also be intuitive.  If you can tell Google exactly ...
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25 Free Creative World Map Templates for Designers
18Apr By Paul AndrewNo Comments
building website, creating a website, Figma, Free Templates, google web designer, illustration, Illustrator, Illustrator Templates, internet design, Maps, Photoshop, Vector Templates, web design, web design company, web designer, web page design, website builder, website design

25 Free Creative World Map Templates for Designers

If you think world map templates are useless, think again. In the design world, map templates can be a hot commodity, especially if you’re working with clients looking to expand into a global market. Corporate and business clients can make use of the maps to plan their expansion strategy and show it to their investors and shareholders. They can also use them to showcase the location of their offices worldwide in presentations or to add to their About or Contact page. In addition to that, they can use the maps on any of their printed material such as brochures, newsletters, flyers, and more. World maps are also useful for any website or publication that focuses on global statistics. They come in handy for schools and online teaching platforms that deal with geography topics extensively. In...
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Google Search & Maps Get Upgrades For Greener Travel
17Apr By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Search & Maps Get Upgrades For Greener Travel

Google announced updates to its Maps and Search products on Monday aimed at helping users find and choose more sustainable transportation options over gas-powered vehicles. James Byers, Google Search’s Group Product Manager, states: “When it comes to traveling and commuting, we want people to have the right information to make more sustainable choices.” Eco-Friendly Route Suggestions Screenshot from: blog.google/products/search/, April 2024. If travel times are comparable, one of Google Maps’ key new features will be the provision of transit and walking route suggestions alongside driving routes. This update will be rolled out in over 15 major cities worldwide in the coming weeks, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, and Sydney. Train & Bus Route Information Google is expandin...
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Why Does One of Your Business Locations Outrank Another in the Google Maps Results?
29Feb By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Why Does One of Your Business Locations Outrank Another in the Google Maps Results?

Like my post? Please share! There’s a long list of reasons one of your Google Business Profile pages might be riding high on the local map while another is buzzard bait.  My aim in this post is simple: to help you narrow down the list of possible causes, so you can make your weakest location more visible and bountiful.  To do that you’ll probably need to try something you haven’t tried or considered yet, or at least know what to expect. There will always be differences between locations of your business, of course.  Just as discrepancies are natural in the real world, they’re unavoidable in the search results.  One of your establishments will always do better than the other – or better than many others – in one way or in many ways.  It’s always relative, and the ground under your feet is a...
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Google Maps Launches AI-Powered Local Business Search
5Feb By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps Launches AI-Powered Local Business Search

Google is introducing an experimental feature in Google Maps that uses AI to help users discover local businesses that meet specific needs. AI-Powered Discovery The new feature utilizes large language models to analyze Google Maps’ database of over 250 million places, photos, ratings, reviews, and more. After entering a conversational search query, Google Maps will suggest personalized recommendations for businesses, events, restaurants, and activities in the area. For example, you can ask Maps to recommend “places with a vintage vibe in San Francisco,” and it will return suggestions like clothing boutiques, record stores, and flea markets. The results are categorized with photos and review highlights to explain why they meet your criteria. You can refine your search by asking follow-up qu...
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Google Maps “Suggest an Edit” Loophole: 2nd Reports Approved (Sometimes)
30Jan By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Google Maps “Suggest an Edit” Loophole: 2nd Reports Approved (Sometimes)

Like my post? Please share! When you use “suggest an edit” to report a business that’s spamming Google Maps, your standard operating procedure might go something like this: you send in only one report per Google Business Profile per violation, and you wait until Google approves or rejects it before you do anything else.  That’s not bad SOP, and often it’s good enough. But impatience can be a virtue – at least if you measure success by how many of your Google Maps anti-spam reports get approved, or by how quickly they’re approved.  Some forms of repetition Google ignores.  Other kinds of repetition seem to make Google’s ears perk up. Maps spam has been a problem forever, and it’s probably a problem in your market, to one degree or another. That’s why you occasionally or routinely send a “su...
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What Makes Some Google Maps Spam Stick?
28Dec By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

What Makes Some Google Maps Spam Stick?

Like my post? Please share! Some businesses flout Google’s suggestions rules, moon their competitors, and are punished with great local rankings and plenty of business.  How do they get away with it so often? The reasons vary from case to case, but they’re always more specific than “duh” explanations like that “Google doesn’t care” (it doesn’t) or that some people play dirty pool (they do).  I don’t claim to know exactly what goes into Google’s internal decision-making.  But I have observed when a dubious Google Business Profile page is likely to be removed or fixed, and when it’s likely to linger and stink up the joint. Why does that matter?  You need to know what’s most likely to stick if you’re trying to scrape it off of your local map, and likewise if you’re trying to harden up your Go...
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Google Announces New AI Features Coming To Google Maps
2Dec By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Announces New AI Features Coming To Google Maps

Google has announced several new AI-powered updates coming soon to Google Maps that aim to help users plan trips, navigate unfamiliar areas, find electric vehicle charging stations, and discover new places and activities. Immersive View The most visually advanced new feature is Immersive View for routes, providing users with a detailed preview of their journey from start to finish. Using advanced AI to fuse billions of Street View and aerial images, Google claims Immersive View will allow users to experience simulated journeys as if they were there. The Immersive View preview is an interactive experience, allowing users to explore routes from different vantage points, zoom, pan, and even change the time of day or weather conditions. This gives users a sense of what the journey will be like...
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Google Maps Introduces New Ways To Plan Travel & Navigate
26Nov By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps Introduces New Ways To Plan Travel & Navigate

Google Maps gets holiday travel boost with smarter transit, group planning, and community engagement features. Google Maps is updating transit directions to recommend smarter routes. New tools will allow for easier group trip planning on Maps. Users can now react to Maps content with emojis.
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Local SEO Keyword Research Doggie Door: How and Why to Search Google Maps Reviews by Keyword
23Nov By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Local SEO Keyword Research Doggie Door: How and Why to Search Google Maps Reviews by Keyword

Like my post? Please share! Here’s the doggie door, which I’ll explain more in a minute: 1. Go to the Google Maps tab OR open up the Google Maps app and pull up any business. You must go either to maps.google.com or open the app, because this won’t work anywhere else, like in the Google Business Profile “dashboard,” in the Chrome app, etc. 2. Click on the “reviews” tab, as though you’re a customer who wants to browse them.  (Of course, I’m assuming that the business has reviews.) 3. Click on the magnifying glass icon, type any word or brief phrase into the search bar that pops up, and check out the list of all reviews containing that word or phrase.  The word or phrase will show up in bold lettering. Here’s where the keyword-search feature is in the Google Maps app: Handy, isn’t it? No...
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Why Are Google Maps Results More Volatile Than Organic Search Results?
30Jun By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Why Are Google Maps Results More Volatile Than Organic Search Results?

Like my post? Please share! In my experience and probably in yours, the Google Maps / 3-pack results jump up and down constantly, and more often and less predictably than the organic results do.  The 3-pack changes when you go from one end of town to another, and they change when you wait for 8:00AM to become 8:00PM.  Competitors new and old start and stop ranking for no apparent reason.  The organic results jump around, too, of course.  But one bucks like a rodeo horse, and the other bucks like a rodeo horse that’s becoming a gelding. The Google Maps results are hard to measure, harder to understand, and nigh impossible to predict.  Doesn’t mean you can’t do effective local SEO anyway, but you’ll have an easier time of it and might lower your blood pressure a little if you have a better h...
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Google Maps Brings A New Level Of Interactivity To Your Journey
8Feb By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps Brings A New Level Of Interactivity To Your Journey

New features announced today at a live event in Paris demonstrate how Google is utilizing AI to bring its vision of a more immersive, intuitive map to life. With these updates, Google Maps is making it easier to explore, navigate, and make sustainable choices, whether driving an EV or exploring a new city on foot. Immersive View Immersive view, which allows you to explore a place virtually, is rolling out now in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo. Google Maps’ immersive view uses advances in AI and computer vision to fuse billions of Street View and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world. Further, immersive view layers helpful information on top likethe weather, traffic, and how busy a place is. In a blog post, Google explains that it uses neural ra...
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Offer Posts Get Prominent New “Deal” Tab on Mobile, Callouts in Maps App
2May By Sydney MarchukNo Comments
googe optimize, Google My Business, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Offer Posts Get Prominent New “Deal” Tab on Mobile, Callouts in Maps App

Offer Posts Get Prominent New “Deal” Tab on Mobile, Callouts in Maps App - Whitespark If you manage a Google Business Profile, be it your own or a client’s, you know the benefit of updating your profile with regular Offer Posts. This type of Post is prominently fea...
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How to Remove a Permanently Closed Google Business Profile Page from Google Maps for Good
31Mar By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

How to Remove a Permanently Closed Google Business Profile Page from Google Maps for Good

Like my post? Please share! A longstanding gripe of business owners, local SEOs, and others is that Google Business Profile (AKA GMB) pages linger around on the map even after they’re marked as “permanently closed.”  Most often it’ll be a page you once created or claimed, or it may be a competitor’s spam page or a page that’s causing some other problem.  In any event, you want the page completely gone from Google Maps, rather than in “permanently closed” purgatory. Google’s stated policy on removing GBP/GMB pages has been that a business owner need to relinquish control of a page, mark it as permanently closed, and then Google may or may not choose to remove it.  Google may keep it around long-term if it sees some benefit to keeping the listing accessible on Maps.  Google’s MO is to hoard ...
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Google Maps Spam-Reporting System: the Toilet That Flushes 60% of the Time (on a Good Day)
2Mar By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Google Maps Spam-Reporting System: the Toilet That Flushes 60% of the Time (on a Good Day)

Like my post? Please share! In the past couple of years, I’ve heard many local SEOs and a few hands-on business owners make a comment to the effect of, “Google Maps doesn’t approve anti-spam edits anymore.”  There’s more than grain of truth to that. Google never has been good about policing the local map enough to show businesses that playing it straight is worth the restraint.  In recent years Google doesn’t seem to have gotten any better and may even have gotten worse, especially given its more-relaxed policies toward non-in-person businesses since 2020. You may already have an objection to the effect of, “I’m a ‘live and let live’ type” or “I don’t want to rat anyone out.”  My philosophy here is simple: if competitors are to outrank you, at least make them work for it.  If you want to l...
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How Google Maps Reviews Are Moderated
2Feb By Roger MonttiNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

How Google Maps Reviews Are Moderated

Google published an explainer that offers insights into how Google handles reviews left for local businesses on Google Maps. The article outlines the multiple steps and actions Google takes that enables it to review and publish user generated reviews in a matter of seconds. Google shared five steps it takes to ensure that Google Maps reviews are useful and authentic. Step 1: Strict Content Policies The backbone of Google’s approach to moderating reviews left on Google Maps is a well defined content policy. Every website that accepts user generated content must have a well-defined policy describing what is acceptable. This helps users understand the limits and also informs the moderators on when to step in. According to Google: “We’ve created strict content policies to make sure reviews ar...
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New Google Local & Google Maps Features For Marketing
5Jan By Loren BakerNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEJ Show, SEO

New Google Local & Google Maps Features For Marketing

The 2022 key to local business success: Be the first to use Google’s newest marketing features in your area.Get more traffic in your door, get your business noticed faster, and outrank your competition.Amanda Jordan, Director of Digital Strategy for RicketyRoo Inc., will join me on the Search Engine Journal Show Friday, January 7, at 3 pm ET to discuss the new Google Local and Google Maps features and how to incorporate them into your local SEO strategy.Amanda Jordan, Director of Digital Strategy for RicketyRoo Inc. On The SEJ ShowAmanda has extensive experience designing campaigns, including web development and SEO, and is very talented and creative.AdvertisementContinue Reading BelowHaving started her SEO career in 2011, Amanda specializes in local SEO for legal and enterprise companies ...
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Google Maps Adds 4 New Features For Local Shopping
18Nov By Matt SouthernNo Comments
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Google Maps Adds 4 New Features For Local Shopping

Google Maps launches four new features to improve the local shopping experience for customers, which in turn can lead to more sales for businesses.In addition, Google has published statistics related to local shopping during the holiday season. This includes the most popular times to visit certain categories of businesses, and more.These are the new features that are now available in Google Maps worldwide.4 New Google Maps Features1. Area BusynessCustomers can now see how busy a particular area is before they get there, which will help those who prefer to avoid large crowds.The new feature, called Area Busyness, combines live busyness trends from individual businesses that are in close proximity to each other.AdvertisementContinue Reading BelowTo access Area Busyness data, open Google Maps...
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Will Google Remove a Google Maps Review After the Owner of the GMB Page Replied to It?
16Aug By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Will Google Remove a Google Maps Review After the Owner of the GMB Page Replied to It?

Like my post? Please share! Yes, Google may remove Google Maps reviews that the owner/admin of a Google My Business page wrote a public reply to.   Responding to a review doesn’t seem to validate it in Google’s view, as in, “Well, if business owner replied to it, it must be legit.”  Your response to a review doesn’t fossilize that review for eternity. Every now and then a client gets a bad review from a non-customer, a real customer with a bogus or irrelevant complaint, a slimy competitor, or another  questionable source, and the question I get is: “Should I report the review to Google or should I reply to it?”  If you’re wondering the same thing, I’d say you should do both.  Report the review and reply to it in a circumspect way (if you think you’re better off with a response up for all t...
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Google Starts Cheering Anti-Spam Edits in Google Maps
15Jul By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Google Starts Cheering Anti-Spam Edits in Google Maps

Like my post? Please share!Just about every day I send in edits on Google My Business pages that have committed one party foul or another, but this is the first I’ve seen Google go out of its way to encourage those edits: It was a partial edit of a business’s name, in which I removed a single stuffed-in keyword.  I find two things interesting, at least in this case.  The first is that I made that edit back in 2018.  The second is that that edit has stuck for almost 3 years, even though it would have been easy for the business to add back in the keyword.  Often when you make a Google Maps edit on the name of GMB page and Google agrees with your edit and makes the change, the business just changes the name back to whatever it was, and Google doesn’t do anything about it.  Often it becomes a...
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Apple Maps Ratings: What’s New and What’s Next?
30Apr By Stephanie NewtonNo Comments
Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Apple Maps Ratings: What’s New and What’s Next?

UPDATE: The Apple Maps Ratings update was launched in the USA as part of iOS 14.5 on April 26th, 2021 (some territories had access to it earlier). The update functions exactly as described below, back in October 2020. Sometimes it’s nice when there are no surprises, huh? Originally Published October, 2020 At the end of August 2020, Apple revealed it would be launching its very own ratings solutions within Apple Maps. Talk of “Apple reviews” flew around the Twitterverse and, as usual, there was a lot of conjecture about what this new feature might mean. Apple Maps ratings (yep, that’s right — ratings not reviews, though they may be on the way) has been in beta testing in iOS 14 and will soon roll out globally. The update was first spotted by Twitter user, Beau Giles. Source: 9to5mac Curren...
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Best Practices for Getting and Using Your Google Maps API Key
28Apr By Lauren AbramsonNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Best Practices for Getting and Using Your Google Maps API Key

With the rise and prominence of local search marketing, brands have begun to build robust location pages with advanced mapping features to meet the growing needs of searchers.The page types typically include a map to show users where the location is, what are the cross streets, and any major landmarks. This enables the user to easily find the location and increases a brand’s opportunities for conversions.With numerous mapping options available, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with them and understand how to implement them — especially the top contender: Google Maps.And for that, you’re going to need a Google Maps API Key.In this column, you’ll learn from my colleague/co-author Marshall Nyman and I what a Google Maps API Key is and how to get started.What Is a Google Maps API Key?Googl...
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Google Maps Lets Users Add Photos Without Leaving a Review
12Mar By Matt SouthernNo Comments
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Google Maps Lets Users Add Photos Without Leaving a Review

Google Maps Photo UpdatesDraw Roads on Google MapsGoogle Maps Community ChallengeGoogle Maps is introducing three new ways for users to add helpful content for others, including the ability to share photos without leaving a review.The Google Maps features announced today aim to make sharing and finding local recommendations easier, and a new community challenge may add some fun to the process.Google Maps Photo UpdatesA new content type will soon be rolled out to Google Maps called photo updates.Photo updates allow users to share experiences and highlights with recent photos without being required to leave a review.A photo update consists of a recent picture of a place with a short text description.To add a photo update, start by selecting a place in Google Maps and going to the “Updates” t...
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Google Maps Search Trends For January 2021
28Jan By Matt SouthernNo Comments
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Google Maps Search Trends For January 2021

Google is sharing insights about trending searches in Google Maps, a rare set of search data which may assist local marketers.Local search data for the month of January traditionally offers a look into peoples’ New Year’s resolution plans, with searches for gyms, healthy restaurants, winter vacations, and various forms of self improvement spiking during this month.Unique to January 2021, this set of Google Maps search data offers a look into what people are doing when they leave the home during a time when travel is discouraged.The data reveals people are doing a lot of the same things they do every January, with a different approach to it this year.Instead of searching for international travel destinations, people are searching for local travel. Instead of searching for the nearest gym, p...
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Google Maps local listing now showing web search results
21Dec By Barry SchwartzNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps local listing now showing web search results

Google Maps local listing now showing web search results Your privacy means the world to us. We share your personal information only when you give us explicit permission to do so, and confirm we have your permission each time. Learn more by viewing our privacy policy.Ok
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Google Local Services Reviews Not Showing in Google Maps? Why That Happens and What to Do
20Dec By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Google Local Services Reviews Not Showing in Google Maps? Why That Happens and What to Do

Like my post? Please share! Many businesses use Google’s Local Services Ads (AKA “Google Guaranteed”) program to show up at the very top of the local results – above all the other ads, and above the local map (AKA the 3-pack). Local Services Ads (LSAs) are still not an option for every business, and they’re not a good option for everyone, but they often earn their keep for the businesses that do use them – if my clients’ experiences are good indicators.  By which I mean people see the ads, click on them, and in some cases become customers.  (If you’d like to know more, Tom Waddington did a great overview of LSAs.) Google even makes it extra easy to ask customers for reviews: Google gives you a special “write a review” link (different from the Google My Business one) and encourages you to ...
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When Can Google Maps / GMB Content Cause Google Ads Disapprovals?
20Dec By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

When Can Google Maps / GMB Content Cause Google Ads Disapprovals?

Like my post? Please share! Any restricted terms that find their way into your website’s source code can cause Google to disapprove your Google Ads (AdWords) ad – even if you didn’t personally add that content to your site.  That’s the short answer. “Banned” terms that show up on your Google My Business page (like in your description) or on Google Maps (in the form of Google reviews) won’t prompt Google to pull your ads, as long as that content stays on your GMB page(s) or in your reviews.  You run into trouble only if a person or piece of software puts even one of those restricted terms onto your site.   By the way, I find it tiresome to call them “restricted terms” or “disallowed content” or whatever constitutes Google’s huge no-fly list of search terms in AdWords.  So from now on I’ll j...
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Google Maps Rolls Out 4 New Features
20Dec By Matt SouthernNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Maps Rolls Out 4 New Features

Google Maps has four new features to improve the experience for users as well as businesses who use the platform to reach customers.Here’s a look at everything new in Google Maps and how it can be useful to you.Messaging From Maps & SearchTo facilitate easier communication between businesses and customers, Google is bringing messaging capabilities to Maps and Search.Businesses with a verified profile can now message with customers directly from the Google Maps app. Messages from customers will appear in the business messages section in the updates tab.Messaging can be turned on or off from the settings panel of the Google Maps and Google My Business apps.Google will soon be adding the ability for businesses to see and respond to customers on desktop by adding messages directly in Searc...
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Next-Level Google Maps Spam-Squashing Moves
20Dec By PhilNo Comments
googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Next-Level Google Maps Spam-Squashing Moves

Like my post? Please share! This is an unofficial sequel to my February 2019 post called “Google Maps Spam Patrol: Why You Need to Do It, and 10 Tips to Make It Doable.”  In that post I explain why you should keep your competitors’ Google Maps / 3-pack spam (or honest mistakes) from spinning out of control.  As I often tell my clients, if your competitors want to outrank you in the local search results, you might as well make them work for it and do it fair and square. If you’re not too familiar with the idea and practical SOPs of spam patrol – or spam-fighting, spam-hunting, or whatever  you’d like to call it – you’ll probably want to take a few minutes to read that post (and maybe this one and this one). Now, if you’re clear on why and how to do Google Maps spam patrol, and maybe...
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