Google Maps

Why Google Shutting Down Map Maker Should Scare SMBs

For a while, Google’s Map Maker had received quite a bit of bad press due to the amount of spam that came about from those who used the product.  In May of 2015, Map Maker had been shut down to help prevent disasters like this.  There was an announcement by Google that they’re shutting down Map Maker entirely in …

Why Google Shutting Down Map Maker Should Scare SMBs Read More »

Retailers Testing Google Maps Mobile Promoted Places Ads Include MAC Cosmetics, Starbucks, Walgreens

Google has been testing its new promoted pin ads, which is now being called Promoted Plaes (officially), in Google Maps with a small group of retailers.  The pilot is currently running in the Google Maps app on Android devices. Promoted Places ads, which was announced publicly in March, can appear in the Google Maps app when users are …

Retailers Testing Google Maps Mobile Promoted Places Ads Include MAC Cosmetics, Starbucks, Walgreens Read More »

Google Maps Updates Map Design, Highlights Areas Of Interest And Adds Business Photo Carousel

The design of the Google Maps interface has been updated to make it easier for their maps users to navigate and discover places.  The update spans all versions, including desktop, Android and iOS, which specifically impacts the maps interface. Google’s idea behind the new update was to declutter the interface by removing elements that “aren’t absolutely required,” …

Google Maps Updates Map Design, Highlights Areas Of Interest And Adds Business Photo Carousel Read More »

Google Maps APIs and Coffee with Product Manager Ken Hoetmer

In this episode of Google Developers‘ Coffee with a Googler, we meet with Ken Hoetmer, one of the first ever users of Google’s Maps API, and now a product manager for the Google Maps Services. We talk about how Maps development has matured, and how intelligence in geo data is key. We discuss APIs such as …

Google Maps APIs and Coffee with Product Manager Ken Hoetmer Read More »

Google Maps Gets Faster, Smoother Scrolling In Street View

Are you tired of that weird “navigation arrow” found in Street View?  Well, Google is replacing that with a smoother “blue link” that will allow users to swipe and scroll through images more quickly. Here’s an example of what we would normally see (on mobile): Although I wasn’t able to get the new look myself, …

Google Maps Gets Faster, Smoother Scrolling In Street View Read More »

Streetmap Loses Anti-Competitive Lawsuit Against Google In UK

Last November, UK-based Streetmap sued Google in court under an “abuse of competition” theory.  Even after the work Streetmap went into trying to win against Google, the High Court of Justice in the UK as ruled against the company. It was argued by Streetmap that their traffic and revenue was effectively destroyed by Google in 2008 due …

Streetmap Loses Anti-Competitive Lawsuit Against Google In UK Read More »

What Are The 5 Major Differences Between Google Map Maker & Google My Business Guidelines?

It seems that there is quite a number of professionals in the Local SEO community that have little to no knowledge of how Google Map Maker works, let alone how it impacts the small businesses they work with.  There are a lot of people who hate Map Maker, and will just ignore it completely. But for …

What Are The 5 Major Differences Between Google Map Maker & Google My Business Guidelines? Read More »