Google seems to be flip-flopping between calling it Google Posts and Google Updates within Google Business Profiles. When a business owner wants to post an announcement of sorts on their Google local listing, they can click “Add update” or now “Posts” with a plus-sign.
Google seems to be testing displaying local ads at the bottom of the Google local map pack in the Google Search results. Normally the sponsored ads are at the top of the local pack, but here they are at the bottom.
Google is testing adding product tags to photos within Google Local carousel’s photos. These tags are overlayed on the “explore through photos” unit.
Over the past week I’ve been hearing that some Google Business Profiles are vanishing or disappearing. I am told that Google is aware of the complaints and are investigating, but that was last week.
For the past several months, we’ve been seeing signs that the Google Maps and local questions and answers feature is being phased out.
Google added a new type of data point to the Google Business Profiles performance reports named Chat Clicks. Chat clicks show you how many people are clicking over from your chat conversations in the local and maps results within Google Search and Maps.
I am seeing some complaints within the local SEO community about a surge or spike in name changes happening to Google Business Profiles. It is unclear how widespread the issue is, or if there is a pattern to the issue or not – at least at this point in time.
For the past few weeks or so, Google has a bug where the right side knowledge panel goes missing for business owners when you try to bring up your business listing in Google Search. This is not impacting everyone and it can be random but Google is supposedly aware of the issue and is fixing it.
Last month we shared the spam efforts the Google Maps team announced – but did you know that in 2024 Google had almost one billion reviews published within Google Maps? That is 999 million reviews, 752 million photos and videos and 94 million place edits published just in 2024.
Google is rolling out a new feature for Google Business Profiles named What’s Happening.