I’m in Google Maps every day as a part of my job promoting the hell out of Local Search and I came across an interesting change in Google Maps. When you click on “more info” from Google Maps, but not yet from the Google 10-pack, you get a different, more expanded version of the Local Listing. That’s a screenshot of my own listing there on the right.
Highlights include:
- Visible Business categories
- Distance to the nearest major intersection
- Nearby bus stops! (They obviously don’t know Tampa! Who uses the bus?)
- Full business description and a sample review
- Google Map of the location and a picture of the business from the street
- Expanded versions of tabs that you used to have to expand in the old style of listing including Details, Photos & Videos, Reviews, Web Pages, and User Content
I really like the new layout, let’s see if they roll it out to all the local listings, or if it stays strictly on Google Maps.
Update: So I just found an article, and posted a link, identifying these as Google Place Pages. The official blog states that one exists for every spot on the map!