Google continues to improve its Google My business service, and is accelerating at all levels. The end of 2023 was a fine example of this. I’ve summarized here a number of new features available in the USA and currently being rolled out worldwide.

  1. Impact of opening and closing times on local rankings: Sterling Sky has observed that opening and closing times now have a significant influence on local rankings (especially in local PACK3). This phenomenon, previously speculative, now seems to be a confirmed ranking factor. I wouldn’t advise lying about this, however, as it could have a significant knock-on effect (negative feedback, updating of the listing by a third party, etc.).
  2. New identity attributes: Google Business Profile introduces two new attributes to identify businesses owned by disabled or “indigenous” people (the U.S. ad refers to Indigenous-owned businesses). This feature aims to help users find businesses that match their values, and to help them buy local products and services, which is a good thing.
  3. Small business attribute: A new attribute has been created to highlight small businesses. However, clarification is needed to understand how Google assigns or allows businesses to choose this attribute. And above all, to measure its impact on rankings.
  4. Attributes for gyms: Detailed attributes have been added for gyms, such as the presence of a swimming pool or basketball court, enabling more precise selection by customers.
  5. Attribute warning: Selecting certain attributes, such as “on-site services”, can lead to incorrect information in search results and display problems, potentially affecting a company’s reputation. This is an ongoing bug on this new feature, which we hope will be resolved soon.
  6. Changes to Local Services Advertising (LSA): The number of LSA ads displayed on computers has been reduced, and their frequency of rotation has increased, affecting the visibility of established businesses and offering new opportunities for small businesses.
  7. Desktop live chat: Desktop business profiles now offer a live chat option, increasing accessibility for customers who prefer not to communicate by phone. I keep telling people that Google my business is a live social network, not a directory, and everything is geared towards that.
  8. FAQ on Google My Business messaging: I recently talked about it here, and the discussion automation and FAQs are heating up!
  9. Food preferences in Google Maps: Google is testing a feature enabling users to define specific food preferences, thus influencing search results for restaurants. This is important because if a restaurant doesn’t specify vegan dishes, for example, then its listing will come up poorly or not at all for a vegan customer.
  10. Activities for accommodation establishments: An “Activities” tab has been added for hotels and other accommodation establishments (gites, maison d’hotes etc.), allowing you to highlight local activities or services offered (swimming pool, tennis etc.). You will no longer need to use the service section but the activity section (or duplicate both…;-).
  11. “Place Topics” with 3 mentions: Place topics or objects appear in Google reviews after being mentioned three times in reviews, providing insights into notable aspects of a business. As I said in the method, you need to intelligently direct the review that a customer is going to submit. For example, by asking them what they consumed, what service they appreciated most, etc.
  12. Justifications, image tags, and CTAs for vegetarian options: New functionalities allow us to better highlight vegetarian and vegan options in restaurants, including through specific image tags. We strongly advise you to take a look at these elements as soon as possible and implement them.
  13. List justifications: Mentions in external lists or articles can now influence the justifications displayed in company profiles on Google. Google’s display will change with Google SGE (artificial intelligence in search results) and therefore it is strongly advised to also do digital press relations to ensure a good reputation other than google stars. I’ll be offering a dedicated service on this site in 2023.

These developments show the growing importance of Google My Business in local marketing strategy, and underline the need for businesses to stay informed and adapt quickly to new features to optimize their online visibility.