It’s set up like a game where you earn points for contributions that let you advance to higher levels and unlock badges.
Your badge appears next to your name when you write reviews or answer questions on Maps. This identifies you as someone knowledgeable about the local area.
Points, Levels & Badges
Points can be earned with the following contributions to Google Maps:
Reviews, photos, and other user-generated content that Local Guides post about a business can significantly improve its visibility and search rankings.
Businesses can spotlight this content by engaging with it, responding to reviews, and interacting with influential Local Guides.
Additionally, getting involved in the Local Guides community can provide valuable consumer insights and help build relationships with key users who can promote the business.
Keeping up with changes to the Local Guides program allows businesses to capitalize on new opportunities.
In Summary
Anyone with a Google account can sign up to be a Google Local Guide.
All you need to do is make enough contributions by adding accurate information, photos, and thoughtful reviews to Google Maps and Business Profiles.
Once you reach level four, Google will add a badge next to your name on your reviews. This shows other people that you are a knowledgeable Local Guide.
The Local Guides program is Google’s way of thanking people who take the time to keep Google Maps up-to-date and useful.
It’s a nice bonus that can boost your online presence and credibility in the eyes of Google users.
So, if you want recognition for helping improve Google Maps, sign up to be a Local Guide today.
Google is introducing an experimental feature in Google Maps that uses AI to help users discover local businesses that meet specific needs.
AI-Powered Discovery
The new feature utilizes large language models to analyze Google Maps’ database of over 250 million places, photos, ratings, reviews, and more.
After entering a conversational search query, Google Maps will suggest personalized recommendations for businesses, events, restaurants, and activities in the area.
For example, you can ask Maps to recommend “places with a vintage vibe in San Francisco,” and it will return suggestions like clothing boutiques, record stores, and flea markets.
The results are categorized with photos and review highlights to explain why they meet your criteria.
You can refine your search by asking follow-up questions like “How about lunch?,” which will return recommendations for eateries with a vintage ambiance. Suggested places can also be saved into lists for future reference.
According to Google, the technology is helpful for managing spontaneous or changing itineraries. You can ask for “activities for a rainy day” and immediately get indoor options tailored to the current weather and location.
The feature also takes group dynamics into account. Families can request “options for kids” to see curated suggestions for child-friendly places like children’s museums, arcades, and indoor playgrounds.
Early Access Experiment With Local Guides
For this early preview, Google is soliciting feedback from a select group of Local Guides. Their input will help shape the AI technology before a wider rollout.
The launch represents Google’s latest effort to integrate generative AI into Maps and transform how users find and explore local businesses. By combining large language models with Maps’ expansive database, Google aims to provide ultra-personalized recommendations to match any need or interest.
Implications For Local Search
The implications for local search and customer discovery could be significant, potentially driving more qualified traffic to niche businesses or lesser-known attractions and events.
As Google continues honing its AI capabilities, businesses may need to optimize online information in new ways to rank for conversational searches and take advantage of the technology.
Featured Image: Screenshot from blog.google/products/maps/google-maps-generative-ai-local-guides/, February 2024.
Join us as we look at how your online reputation and local marketing strategies can drive revenue for your business, while avoiding pitfalls along the way.
With guest Raj Nijjer of Edge, we’ll dive into the revenue impacts that your online reputation can have, and why this reputation building should be crucial in your planning.
Join your host Loren Baker, as he and Raj discuss how to avoid wasteful strategies of local marketing and multi-location businesses, plus a couple tips on how a good reputation can help attract and retain top talent.
[01:14] – Raj’s Background and Journey to Edge. [02:44] – Edge’s Concept of Employee-Driven Growth and Its Connection to Google Reviews. [10:34] – How Reviews Contribute to Local SEO. [11:27] – Customer-Facing End: In-Depth Reviews and Personalization. [13:24] – Standing Out in Cutthroat Competition: Franchises and Service Businesses. [14:37] – Motivating Employees and Transparent Recognition Through Reviews. [20:49] – Reputation Management and Injecting Employee Recognition. [45:06] – Employee Retention During Challenges Like The COVID-19 Pandemic.
We encourage businesses to amplify positive reviews and learn from the negative reviews. – Raj Nijjer, 5:34
Now not only does the brand win and the business win, but employees can feel great or a person can feel great about the job that they’ve done. – Raj Nijjer, 9:21
Positive reviews are so important. There’s one stat I read on your site…53% of customers won’t go to a business rated under four stars. – Loren Baker, 15:21
I think the injection of motivating and recognizing your employees while they’re doing this service is something that we’re very proud of, because we can see which employees are doing really well. And then you can duplicate that. – Raj Nijjer, 21:44
Our goal is to marry the marketing with operational excellence. You want to hold people accountable, especially if you’re rewarding them. – Raj Nijjer, 30:53
I think one thing COVID taught every business owner is employee retention and how hard it’s been to find people and when a displacement happens, it really jeopardizes your business if you don’t plan it well. So you want to keep your superstars, don’t ever lose your superstars. – Raj Nijjer – 41:10
Resources Mentioned:
Connect With Raj Nijjer:
Raj is Head of Marketing for Edge, an employee-driven growth platform for service brands. Previously, he was the CMO of Refersion (acquired), and held executive marketing roles at Yotpo and Yext (IPO in 2017). Raj also spent over nine years at Godaddy (IPO in 2015) in leadership roles launching innovative product lines with over ten patents issued and leading to a PE buyout and an IPO.
Raj is also fractional CMO to early and mid-stage technology startups. Raj received his Bachelors of Science degree in International Management and his MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
One of the best local SEO strategies that any eligible local business can use to rank higher on Google and get local clients is to claim and optimize their Google Business Profile.
However, claiming your Google Business Profile (GBP) is just the first step – you must optimize, frequently check, and update your GBP with new information for potential customers.
Also, many businesses don’t realize that Google (and almost any user) can make changes to their GBP – like changing your address, updating your business hours, uploading photos, leaving reviews, and more.
Ultimately, a Google Business Profile is really a community profile – it’s not just yours (the merchant’s).
I recommend that you check the guidelines at least once every three to four months to make sure there were no changes to the guidelines that may impact your Business Profile.
Ignorance is not an excuse; it’s up to you to know Google’s rules.
If you violate those rules, your GBP will likely get suspended, and you will have to appeal that suspension. (And that’s a very serious thing.)
So it’s better to be informed of the rules than be unfamiliar with them.
How To Manage Your Google Business Profile
Multi-Location Businesses: Use The Google Business Profile Manager
If your business has multiple locations or you are an agency that manages multiple client locations, the best way to manage your profiles is to log in to the GBP Manager dashboard.
Screenshot from Google Business Profile Manager, November 2023
The GBP Manager gives you the most flexibility to manage multiple profiles in one dashboard.
(Note: You can also manage multiple locations from the Google Maps App on your smartphone.)
Single Location Business: Manage Your Google Business Profile Directly From Search Or The Google Maps App
If you are a local business with only one location, the easiest way to manage your GBP is from the place you probably have open on your computer all day long – Google Search!
You can also manage directly from the Google Maps App on your smartphone. So, how do you manage your profile from Search or Maps?
When you’re logged in with the Gmail email address you use to manage your GBP, you can type in your business name in the search bar, and your Knowledge Panel/Business Profile and a GBP merchant panel will appear:
Screenshot from search for [early bird digital marketing], Google, November 2021
Or from Google search, you can also simply enter the words my business and your merchant panel will also show up.
If you are busy and on the go, you can also manage your GBP listing on the Google Maps App. Make sure you’re logged into the email address you use to manage your Business Profile, click on your picture/image and then click Your Business Profiles.
Screenshot from Maps App, November 2023
You’ll then see your GBP merchant panel – which will look almost identical to the desktop version. Click on the More or Less arrow to expand or shrink the options available to you.
Note that the options you see in your merchant panel are category-specific, so you may see other features – or not as many features – available.
Screenshot from Maps App, November 2023
If you manage more than one GBP listing, you can see those profiles by clicking at the top area that tells you how many GBPs you manage.
Screenshot from Maps App, November 2023
That will open a list of all the GBPs you manage so you can select which Business Profile you want to open and manage.
Screenshot from Maps App, November 2023
How To Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Let’s talk about just a few of the things you can do to optimize your Google Business Profile.
First, you can edit your main company information by clicking on Edit Profile.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
You can add or change information about your business, like your category, business description, opening date, hours, and more.
It’s important that this section follows Google’s guidelines – especially the company’s name and address guidelines.
If you have a storefront location that customers come to, you are allowed to show your address.
If you go out to your customers and service your customers at their location, you must toggle off your address so it’s hidden and not displayed on your GBP listing.
For your business hours, if you’re a storefront, your hours should be the hours when your employees are staffed at the location to meet with customers – not the hours you answer your phone.
You can also choose to:
Open with main hours.
Open with no main hours.
Temporarily Closed (Show that your business will open again in the future).
Permanently Closed (Show your business no longer exists).
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
You even have the option to add special hours for when you will be closed or have varied hours for holidays. It’s important that you set these hours at least three days before the holiday to give Google time to “approve” the holiday hours.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Also, be sure to click the More section to see attributes that may describe specific attributes about your business. These may show up as justifications in search results that can help you stand out to people who are searching.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Read Reviews
Choose Read Reviews to see new reviews or reviews that have been left on your GBP listing.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Getting reviews is important to rankings and building confidence with new and potential customers. When you get new reviews – good or bad – it’s important to reply to those reviews as soon as you can.
You’ll receive an email from Google letting you know that you’ve received a new review. You will also know you have a new review because you will see a red dot in the merchant panel and an alert in the “cards.”
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
To reply to the review, simply click reply, and you’ll be able to respond to the reviewer.
They’ll receive a notification of your response and anyone that sees the review will also see your reply as well – so make sure you’re always courteous and polite.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Messages
In an age when people want a quick response, turning on the messages/chat feature may be a good idea for you. You’ll be able to quickly communicate with potential customers interested in speaking with you.
To turn chat on, click on the Messages option and click the Turn On button.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
You’ll then see the messages dashboard. Here, you can change the settings to Available or Away, as well as read and reply to messages you receive.
Click on the three-dot menu to see the more advanced message settings.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
In the advanced settings, you can turn chat on and off as well as turn on and off the read receipts. You should also create a welcome message people will see when they send you a message.
You can also set up custom or automatic FAQs.
These are commonly asked questions that people can see and choose from. Automatic FAQs are automatically created by Google based on your GBP and pertain to the following:
Business hours.
Appointments.
Contact info.
Delivery info.
Location or address.
Accepted forms of payment.
Your website URL.
So make sure the information in your GBP listing is accurate.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Custom FAQs are specific questions and answers that you write.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Anyone who’s a manager or owner on your GBP listing will be notified when someone has left a message/chat for you. So, you may want to set up guidelines for how or who is going to respond to messages.
Also, be sure to respond to messages within 24 hours. Google can take away your message privileges if you take longer than 24 hours to respond.
Tip: If you receive a spam message, you can flag it as a spam message, and that user will be blocked.
Add Photos
Local searchers love to see pictures. Photos are also a great way to get engagement from people who see your GBP – and Google likes engagement.
When you upload real pictures of your company – like your building, signage, products, services, team members, activities that your company does (like volunteer work), etc. – you are humanizing your brand.
These types of pictures help connect searchers with your company. And you can upload photos directly to your Google Business Profile!
Click on Add Photo, and you can choose whether you want to upload a photo, your company logo, or a cover photo:
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
When you choose Photo, you can upload a photo or 30-second video by either dragging it from your computer to the section designated or clicking the blue ‘Select photos or videos’ option to choose the file from your computer:
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Adding a logo or a cover image works virtually the same. One thing to keep in mind about the cover image is that you can select a cover image, but ultimately, Google decides what cover image it will display on your GBP.
Tip: Do not upload stock photos or marketing material images to your photos. Those are not the type of pictures Google wants uploaded to the photos section on your GBP listing.
Edit Products
If you sell physical products at your store or business, adding products to your Google Business Profile is a great way to show off what you are selling! (Remember, online-only businesses are NOT allowed to claim GBPs.)
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
It’s easy to list products! Fill in the simple questions:
Product Name.
Category – If you don’t have a category already set up, you can create one.
Price.
Product Description.
Product landing page URL. (Optional)
Photo.
Once you’ve entered all the information, just click Publish to make the product live on your Google Business Profile Knowledge Panel.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Note: What you enter in Products must actually be products for sale, not services that you offer.
Edit Services
Edit Services works remarkably like Edit Products – but it’s catered to Service Area Businesses (SABs) (like landscapers, plumbers, handymen, roofers, locksmiths, etc.) or companies that offer services to customers or clients (like lawyers, accountants, personal trainers, etc.)
Adding services is super easy. Click on Edit Services, and you’ll see your primary category.
You may also see a list of categories that Google has pre-selected for you to choose from. If any of those pre-selected categories are applicable, just click the + sign and save.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
You can also create custom service categories by clicking on the + Add custom service link.
Q&A
Q&A is a great way for potential customers to ask questions about your business, products, or services. Be sure to answer questions as soon as you can.
It’s also important to note that anybody can answer questions that are posted on your GBP – so make sure that you are the one who answers them!
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
You can also pre-populate your Q&As by creating questions and answering the questions yourself!
Add Update/Posts
You can let people know about what’s going on at your business through updates (also known as posts). There are three types of posts: Update, offer, or event.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Just select what type of update you want, and a dialog will open.
On the Update post, you can add up to 10 photos to your post as well as a description. Always be sure to add a call to action!
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Offer posts are great if you’re having a sale or some type of special offer at your business. You can even add a link to your website where people can buy or redeem the offer when you click on Add more details!
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
An Event post is perfect for realtors with open houses or for businesses that host events at their business.
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Ask for Reviews
Reviews play an important role in rankings but also in building trust with potential clients and customers.
Google makes it super easy to get reviews by giving you a shortened direct link that you can provide your customers so they can easily leave you a review on your GBP.
When they click on the link, they’ll be taken directly to your GBP listing to leave a review. What could be easier?
Screenshot from Google Search, November 2023
Google Is Always Making Changes To GBP
If you pay attention, you’ll notice that Google is always making changes to Google Business Profile.
Often, these are subtle changes – and sometimes, they’re bigger changes (like adding new attributes or features).
That’s why it’s so important to frequently check your GBP listing for new features or updates to your profile that may not be correct, and to keep your profile engaging for people who view your Business Profile/Knowledge Panel.
Keep your Google Business Profile optimized and up-to-date starting today!
Two primary means of engaging with local customers are via events or establishing communications during relevant occasions.
Both offer the opportunity to create informational, educational, or promotional content where local businesses are able to demonstrate their experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness – or E-E-A-T – which Google strongly factors into its Search Quality Rater Guidelines and, subsequently, its search rankings.
Local event participation and seasonal communication also serves to address distance and prominence factors, which are strongly believed to the ranking signals for local businesses.
Further and related to the above, Google’s rankings are refined by both locality and personalization as the primary goal is to deliver the right content to the right people on the right device for each and every search.
Better visibility of engaging content in search rankings can, in turn, lead to more targeted traffic and potential customers.
Why Seasons Matter
Seasons naturally have a strong impact on consumer behavior.
They influence how people shop, the products they need, and the services they seek.
For instance, a small ice cream shop will likely experience a surge in sales during the summer months; a landscaping company will begin to see inquiries spike at the first sign of spring or as the summer is winding down; a tax preparation and accounting service will see a rush of clients as tax season approaches.
Limited time offers during specific periods create a sense of urgency and exclusivity.
Where To Start
A logical place to begin developing a local event or seasonal strategy is identifying the types of events and occasions that are most relevant to your business and customer base.
Consider what events or initiatives would resonate with your local audience; look for ways to authentically connect with them.
These can be events hosted by your business, a local business partner, or those you support/sponsor through a local organization.
Types of events to consider might include:
New product launches or special promotions.
Educational in-person seminars or online webinars, depending on where and how you deliver your services.
Business milestones, e.g., anniversaries or new locations.
Client appreciation events.
Holiday and seasonal events or promotions e.g., Black Friday, Christmas.
Local charity events.
Local sports or other club events.
There are no doubt other types of events specific to your business or local community, so use your imagination to come up with something differentiating.
Once you’ve determined the types of events you want to host or otherwise be involved in, create an event plan outlining the details of each event, including:
Event goals, e.g., number of attendees, number of new leads.
Event organizer(s).
Date, time, and event schedule.
Location/venue.
Speaker list, if applicable.
Budget.
Event promotions, i.e., where, when, and how.
Event content requirements.
Creating Event-Based Content
As noted, holding or participating in events provides ample opportunity to generate content.
Once you’ve identified the local events and occasions that matter most to your business and customers, it’s time to tailor your content to showcase your local E-E-A-T, enhance your event’s visibility along with that of your brand, and maximize attendance.
Event Web Page Content
If you plan to hold regularly scheduled events or simply want to highlight your community participation on your website and provide quick access to event details, it will make sense to create a dedicated Events page or add an Events section to your About Us page.
This page should naturally contain all pertinent event details and link to any relevant service pages or complementary content (see below).
If you are partnering with another business or organization, this content will also provide a place to include relevant links to additional details regarding the event or your business partner.
If you are linking to a partner business or organization website, you should, of course, be seeking a link in return. Links like these are important signals for the search engines to contextually establish your connection to your local community, i.e., proof of your “localness.”
This webpage should also include an FAQ section to answer any common pertinent questions your customers may have regarding the events or the organizations involved.
Informative Blog Posts And Articles
Depending on the event theme or topic, a detailed blog post or article with relevant images, audio, or video can be created, published, and distributed to provide prospective attendees with helpful background or educational information.
This content would naturally link back to a relevant event page along with related product or service pages as a means to build their authority.
For example, the landscaping company referenced above that is hosting a Welcome Back Spring event may publish and post a blog or blog series on prepping your gardens and lawns for the Spring.
The tax accountant may approach a local personal investment advisor to co-publish and share an article on How To Minimize Your Tax Exposure just before tax time arrives and run a joint in-person seminar or online webinar.
Google has clearly signaled relevant, useful, high quality content is a key ranking factor. Events and seasons provide natural vehicles around which this type of content can be created to benefit your target audience.
Video Content
It’s no secret that video has become popular, and depending on the audience, the preferred method of web communication is via social channels like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Anyone with a mobile device can now quickly create and distribute effective, authentic videos.
Sharing educational or promotional video content on these platforms in the form of how-to guides or product/service promotions aligned with an upcoming event or a seasonal shift can help a local business stand out from its competition.
YouTube videos, in particular and in light of the fact Google owns this platform, can and should be optimized to appear in YouTube and Google search results.
These types of videos should, in turn, be embedded into the aforementioned event web pages and/or blog posts and articles created to support them.
Social Media Content
Assuming a local business has already started to build a social media following, on whichever channel is most relevant to the business’s target audience, any web, blog/article, or video content should be shared via these channels.
For most local businesses, social media simply represents an extension of their offline community.
Further, social posting aims to have the engaging content created be viewed, read, liked, shared, and/or clicked on. All social posts should include clear calls to action (CTAs) and links to event details.
When thinking about creating event or season-specific social media posts, be sure to incorporate unique, relevant hashtags, e.g., #welcomebackspring #springgardenprep #location. Hashtags, in addition to being social search tools, have become key branding tools that tie the posted content to the business, event, and location.
During an event, encourage participants and attendees to share their comments and/or experiences via social media with the appropriate hashtag.
This can even be tied to an opportunity for those with the best or most posts to be recognized or rewarded, thereby increasing engagement.
These posts can be re-shared on your social channels and represent an opportunity to highlight your local expertise and trustworthiness.
Back To Partnering
Partnering with local influencers, like-minded businesses, or organizations to co-host events or run joint promotions lightens your workload by sharing event/content responsibilities, expands your reach, and introduces your brand to new audiences.
Identify and reach out to those organizations or individuals with a similar target audience and propose mutually beneficial collaborations with shared goals and expected outcomes.
Measure And Analyze Everything
The success of any digital marketing strategy is informed by analytics.
By tracking key metrics like organic search visibility, paid ad results, social engagement, and website visits, you can assess which aspects of events worked and which did not in order to make necessary adjustments to current or future campaigns.
Another way to measure an event’s success is to simply ask participants for their feedback.
Consider sending post-event surveys to attendees to see what they liked or didn’t like, letting them know their opinion matters and will help to create more value-added events and content from which they will ultimately benefit.
Get Eventing
By adopting a holistic approach to integrating local events and seasonal campaigns into their marketing mix, local businesses can forge stronger connections with their communities, thereby enhancing their prominence and establishing the E-A-T-T Google is looking for through tailored content to drive sustainable growth.
Google’s desire to deliver personalized, relevant, local results within a defined area will reward the most engaged and active businesses.
Keeping in mind, consistency and data-backed adaptability are key to long-term success.
Recent findings by SEO professionals suggest that Google has recalibrated its local search algorithm, placing more emphasis on a business’s listed hours of operation as a key ranking signal.
According to Joy Hawkins of Sterling Sky, the trend became noticeable after the November 2023 core update, leading to businesses that appear as closed being significantly less visible in local search results.
😱Well the news is out, the new ranking factor we are seeing that has a massive impact on ranking is HOURS. We’re seeing that businesses literally vanish in the local pack when they are not open. We started seeing this with the November 2023 core update. This is also making… pic.twitter.com/kDzfrbNmB5
Business Hours Confirmed As ‘Stronger’ Signal In Local Ranking Systems
In response to the discussion, Google’s Search Liaison acknowledged the observations, confirming that “openness” has recently become a stronger signal for local search.
The team tells me we’ve long used “openness” as part of our local ranking systems, and it recently became a stronger signal for non-navigational queries. This might change in various ways, as we continue to evaluate the usefulness of it, however.
However, it should only apply to non-navigational queries.
If you were searching for a name of a business, that would generally be that you wanted to navigate / find that particular business. If you were searching for a general topic, that’s non-navigational.
Concerns About Business Response To ‘Openness’ Factor
During the discussion on X, Sherry Bonelli expressed concerns about an update that could prompt some businesses to falsely list 24/7 operating hours for the purpose of improving their local search visibility.
This could lead to a poor user experience for searchers, as they may arrive at the business during non-operating hours.
Google quickly addressed these concerns, advising against manipulating business hours because the ranking signal for openness is subject to ongoing adjustments.
Plus, you could end up with a newly designed suspension email from Google.
Best Practice: Keep Operational Hours Up-To-Date In Google Business Profiles
Local businesses should maintain current business hours on Google Business Profiles – especially throughout the holiday – as it could influence local search visibility.
For customers, maintaining accurate operational hours ensures minimal frustration during the final shopping days of the season.
For businesses, it could increase visibility in the local pack rankings and attract more customers with near me searches, particularly if your competitors are closed.
In a move to increase user privacy, Google Maps launched updates to give users more control over location data storage and recent activity.
With these updates, users will be able to manage their Location History with greater precision. The changes could, however, affect analytics data marketers utilize for location targeting.
Timeline Storage On Local Device
First, the Timeline feature in Google Maps, a tool that assists users in recalling places they have been, is receiving a significant privacy-oriented update.
Screenshot from Google, December 2023
Users with Location History turned on will soon find that their Timeline will be stored directly on their devices rather than on cloud servers.
This storage decision gives users extra autonomy over their location data and the assurance that it remains private.
For those switching phones or worried about device loss, there is the option to back up their Timeline to the cloud.
Impact On Marketers
On-device storage and deletion tools could limit the amount of user location data available for ad targeting, potentially impacting campaigns that rely heavily on location-based targeting.
Updated Location History Controls
When Google Maps users activate the auto-delete function for Location History, it will have a default three-month lifecycle. Previously, this default setting was set to 18 months.
Screenshot from Google, December 2023
Users can customize this option to keep location data longer or turn off location tracking.
Impact On Marketers
Users may be more cautious about sharing location data, leading to changes in search behavior and potentially impacting the effectiveness of location-based keywords and ad copy.
Ads emphasizing user privacy and control might resonate better with users, like highlighting opt-in features for location sharing or transparent data usage policies.
Delete Recent Activity In Location History
In the upcoming weeks, support for managing location information related to specific places directly in the Maps app will be introduced.
Screenshot from Google, December 2023
Adding to the convenience, the blue dot in Google Maps, which symbolizes the user’s current location, will now act as a quick access point to location settings.
A simple tap will display whether Location History or Timeline is engaged and if Maps can access device location data.
This feature could be valuable for shopping for the holidays or planning a surprise by allowing users to cover their digital tracks.
Impact On Marketers
If the changes to Google Maps result in less location data, contextual targeting based on user interests and online behavior might become more important.
Conclusion
These updates, which will gradually roll out over the next year on Android and iOS, demonstrate Google’s commitment to user privacy.
OpenAI, the company that launched ChatGPT a little over a year ago, has recently taken to social media to address concerns regarding the “lazy” performance of GPT-4 on social media and Google Reviews.
Screenshot from X, December 2023
This move comes after growing user feedback online, which even includes a one-star Google Review on the company’s Google Business Profile.
OpenAI Gives Insight Into Training Chat Models, Performance Evaluations, And A/B Testing
OpenAI, through its @ChatGPTapp Twitter account, detailed the complexities involved in training chat models.
Screenshot from X, December 2023
The organization highlighted that the process is not a “clean industrial process” and that variations in training runs can lead to noticeable differences in the AI’s personality, creative style, and political bias.
Thorough AI model testing includes offline evaluation metrics and online A/B tests. The final decision to release a new model is based on a data-driven approach to improve the “real” user experience.
OpenAI’s Google Review Score Affected By GPT-4 Performance, Billing Issues
This explanation comes after weeks of user feedback about GPT-4 becoming worse on social media networks like X.
Idk if anyone else has noticed this, but GPT-4 Turbo performance is significantly worse than GPT-4 standard.
I know it’s in preview right now but it’s significantly worse.
There has been discussion if GPT-4 has become “lazy” recently. My anecdotal testing suggests it may be true.
I repeated a sequence of old analyses I did with Code Interpreter. GPT-4 still knows what to do, but keeps telling me to do the work. One step is now many & some are odd. pic.twitter.com/OhGAMtd3Zq
Complaints also appeared in OpenAI’s community forums.
Screenshot from OpenAI, December 2023
The experience led one user to leave a one-star rating for OpenAI via Google Reviews.
In addition to GPT-4 performance “degeneration” and lack of intelligence, some Google Reviews pointed out billing and customer support issues.
Screenshot from Google Reviews, December 2023
Interestingly, the Google review with the most likes from five years ago aligns with recent rumors about a volatile workplace, alleging that OpenAI is a “Cutthroat environment. Not friendly. Toxic workers.”
Screenshot from Google Reviews, December 2023
Reviews voted the most helpful on Glassdoor about OpenAI suggested that employee frustration and product development issues stem from the company’s shift in focus on profits.
Screenshot from Glassdoor, December 2023
Screenshot from Glassdoor, December 2023
This incident provides a unique outlook on how customer and employee experiences can impact any business through various reviews and ratings platforms.
Screenshot from Google, December 2023
Google SGE Highlights Positive Google Reviews
In addition to occasional complaints, Google reviewers acknowledged the revolutionary impact of OpenAI’s technology on various fields.
The most positive review mentions about the company appear in Google SGE (Search Generative Experience).
Screenshot from Google SGE, December 2023
Conclusion
OpenAI’s recent insights into training chat models and response to public feedback about GPT-4 performance illustrate AI technology’s dynamic and evolving nature and its impact on those who depend on the AI platform.
As AI advances, professionals in these fields must remain agile, informed, and responsive to technological developments and the public’s reception of these advancements.
With the holiday season fast approaching, Google has released data to help people navigate traffic and crowds more efficiently.
Analyzing trends from last year’s holidays, Google published a blog post highlighting the optimal times to travel, shop, and run errands.
“Whether you’re hitting the road early or heading out on Thanksgiving day, we looked at traffic patterns to help plan your trip,” writes Google’s Madison Gouveia in the blog post.
Thanksgiving Travel Tips
Google recommends departing on Monday or Tuesday around 8 p.m. local time for those driving before Thanksgiving. Avoid the peak traffic period on Tuesday and Wednesday from 4-5 p.m.
On Thanksgiving Day, the best strategy is to leave before noon or after 4 p.m. to miss the peak congestion between 1-4 p.m.
“Heading out on Thanksgiving day? Hit the road before noon or after 4 p.m. and it’s all gravy,” Gouveia said. “Avoiding the roads between 1-4 p.m. will be the tur-key to a stress-free drive.”
For Black Friday shopping, beat the heaviest crowds by avoiding peak traffic between 3-4 p.m. The lightest traffic is typically before noon and after 7 p.m.
Holiday Shopping & Errands
Google’s data revealed the best and worst times to run essential errands and shop during the holidays.
For airports, aim to arrive on Fridays around 7 p.m. or Mondays around 3 p.m. to avoid the Saturday morning rush at 11 a.m.
Visiting bakeries on Mondays at 9 a.m. will likely have the shortest lines. Grocery stores are least crowded on Mondays at 8 p.m.
Target Fridays around 2 p.m. to mail packages when post office lines are shorter. For shopping centers and malls, Thursday nights around 8 p.m. are ideal, but avoid Saturday afternoons between 1-2 p.m.
“No matter how you’re celebrating this holiday season, Google Maps is here to help,” Gouveia said.
By avoiding peak congestion times on roads and at businesses, you can save time, reduce stress, and have a happier holiday season.
Screenshot from maps.google.com/localguides/, February 2024
Screenshot from maps.google.com/localguides, February 2024
Screenshot from maps.google.com/localguides, February 2024
Screenshot from: maps.google.com/localguides/, February 2024
