Google may not be literally trying to take over the world, but they have all the resources and the suite of products necessary to take over the world of digital interaction, at least. Google Maps, for example, has become seamlessly integrated as the map application of choice for millions of users.
Recently, Google completed a total redesign of Google Maps with a handful of new features. For most people, it was a minor tweak to improve the look and feel of the app, but savvy digital marketers will notice something more. Google is changing the way that people experience the world around them, especially in the context of their
What Changed, Exactly?
Before I get ahead of myself with how local businesses need to change their optimization strategy in order to accommodate these changes, let’s cover the changes themselves. Some are small, and some are almost imperceptible, but others might have a substantial impact on your local business strategy.
Superficial Design Changes
The first thing you’ll notice about the new Google Maps is its new adherence to Material Design, which is a style spreading like wildfire all over Google’s biggest apps. Google Play, Google Newsstand, and even the entire Android operating system have all been subject to redesigns based in this style already. Now, Google Maps is sporting the look.
The navigation system is essentially the same, but the look is more colorful, more vivid, and perhaps a little easier to use, especially for someone who isn’t used to the older version.
OpenTable Reservations
OpenTable has steadily gained ground as an independent application, making it easy for users to make reservations with restaurants online. Now, Google has opened the door to the service, allowing users to access OpenTable’s reservation functionality without leaving the Google Maps app. When a user finds a restaurant that’s listed at OpenTable, Google Maps will present a “Find a Table” option in the restaurant’s information section. The interface allows you to easily schedule a time, date, and party size for your restaurant reservation, and you never have to leave Google Maps.
Uber Estimates
Uber, the popular ridesharing service in major cities all over the country, is also seeing a piece of the action. When you chart a course to a destination in Google Maps, users who have the Uber app installed will now see a handy “Uber” entry, which projects the travel time to the destination as well as a dollar amount for the ride’s estimated cost. For users confused by Uber’s pricing structure, and those who rely heavily on rideshare, the feature is extremely convenient.
Why the Changes?
First and foremost, Google is like any other tech company—people like their apps and technology to be new, shiny, and “the latest version,” so Google responds by regularly updating the look and feel of their apps accordingly. But the motivation for this particular update goes a little bit deeper.
Google is still indisputably the king of search. Bing and Yahoo! have been slowly creeping up in terms of search volume, but Google is still the search engine champion by a wide margin. However, new proprietary systems have been encroaching on Google’s territory, providing information on companies, organizations, and locations within a given niche. For example, Yelp provides detailed information and reviews on local businesses, TripAdvisor provides information on hotels and other travel-based establishments, and Reserve provides information on restaurants.
These seemingly small enterprises are extremely valuable to customers because they give detailed information on local businesses. While Google may still be home to a vast number of search queries, eventually users could learn to use the more specific, detailed systems. That would draw search traffic, authority, and therefore power away from Google over time.
Google has historically ignored these types of businesses, keeping them relatively low in the search results, but their informally named “Pigeon update” earlier this year gave them a ranking boost. Now, some Yelp review pages actually rank higher than the official websites of the businesses they cover. Some search analysts have suspected that this algorithm was rolled out specifically to answer complaints of officials at Yelp, who had previously been vocal about not receiving enough search authority, but this has not been officially confirmed.
Now that Google is starting to integrate some of these services in the body of its own application, the motivation for the update becomes a little clearer. If Google can allow users to take full advantage of these services, while keeping them fully in the realm of their own application, they’ll get the best of both worlds; they’ll give the user the experience he/she wants, but keeps him/her squarely within the confines of an official Google experience.
It’s a win-win for consumers and for Google—users get the convenient functionality they want, and Google gets to keep a handle on its dominion for at least a little bit longer. If you’re a local business, you can take advantage of this situation and improve your chances of getting found on the new setup.
How to Adjust Your Strategy
For now, the biggest changes Google has to offer are OpenTable reservations and Uber estimates, making it easier for people to use both services. For local businesses, that means you can expect more Uber riders showing up at your establishment (and for bars, that’s probably a good thing). For restaurants that take reservations, that means you should get yourself listed with OpenTable immediately if you haven’t already.
But these changes are only the beginning, and it’s the impending changes businesses should be preparing for. Google has clearly set a course for the development of Google Maps—and probably other—applications. Rather than attempting to outright compete against all the strong vertical, niche apps and services out there, Google is forming partnerships with them, integrating them into the mothership of its own interface.
For local businesses, that means the more services you have yourself listed on, the more love you’re going to get from Google. Think of it as a form of badge collecting—eventually users will see dozens of similar local business on the map, unranked, and they’ll likely choose the ones that appear to be the most decorated, with the most appearances on other accredited services.
If you want to take action now, and I suggest you do, the best course of action is to check your business information on every service that could possibly apply to you. Make sure your name, address, and phone number are all accurate, and claim your account (if possible). Encourage positive local reviews, and make sure your customers know where to find you on every peripheral application you use.
These are already best practices for local optimization, but they’re only going to become more important as Google continues to improve its apps and integrate these third-party directory and review sites.
