Google Maps is an extremely useful tool, for both consumers and businesses. While the tool is equipped with several features, Google recently updated Maps to include four new features for businesses and searchers. These features will improve user experience as well as the experience of businesses that use the platform to reach customers.
- Messaging From Maps and Search
The first of the four features is messaging from Maps and Search, which will facilitate easier communication between businesses and customers. The feature allows businesses with a verified profile to send messages to customers directly through the Google maps app. The business can access customer messages in the business messages section of the updates tab.
The feature can be turned off or on from the settings panel on Google maps or Google My Business. Once you turn it on, customers can message you can at any time by clicking on the message button on your Business profile.
Businesses will be able to see and respond to customer messages on desktop by adding them directly in Search and customers can utilise business messaging from search results with an update to Google Posts.
A digital marketing agency like Ontomatrix will encourage the use of this feature to reach customers as it enables a few other features, for instance, a customised automated welcome message and photo sharing through messages.
- Updated Platform Insights
Social media marketing and content marketing rely heavily on insights, which is why this feature being introduced to Google Maps is important and will be made use of by internet marketing services. Metrics being added to the new performance insights rollouts include customer engagement initiated from Maps and Search, total number of searches that triggered the business profile, search terms used to find the profile, the number of times a search term triggered the business profile, and performance indicators.
- Community Feed
The third feature a digital marketing agency in Sri Lanka will look out of is the community feed, which will enhance the Explore tab of Google Maps. The tool will allow users to find the latest reviews, images and posts added to Maps.
This feature will, without doubt, encourage businesses, especially those in the food and beverage industry, to regularly update their listing so that it shows up on user community feeds.
- Street View User Contribution
A new feature being introduced to Google Maps that will improve digital marketing services is user contribution of imagery to Street View using only their phone. The feature enables users to record a series of connected images as they move down a street and publish the footage to Street View. The footage will be automatically rotated, positioned and sequenced by Google.