The holidays are right around the corner, and there is no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than by gifting. And to help local business owners make more out of their maps presence, the Google Maps team introduced four new features to aid users with their Local Shopping experience.

The new Google Maps features are a way for customers to improve their shopping experience and for Google to generate more sales for businesses. To make things even better, Google also published some statistics for local shopping during the holidays.

This is not the first time Google adds such features, but the new tools will definitely help businesses be more visible to people. 

Why Did Google Maps Add the New Features?

Google knows how busy the holiday season can get and wanted to improve things for its customers. The new local shopping features are set to make people’s shopping experiences much better. They can now use the functions in order to either find or avoid certain companies. They can also plan their shopping trips earlier.

Moreover, with the new additions, Google can help new businesses drive more sales.

The New Google Maps Features

These are the new features that Google Maps added:

Directory Tab for Malls, Airports and Transit Stations

Walking in malls, parking lots, airports, and other public places would be a much better experience if someone could guide customers towards the stores they need to find. The new Directory tab feature added by Google Maps is the guide everyone was looking for.

Available for iOS and Android phones for all train stations, malls, and airports, this feature allows you to see the stores in a building.

The businesses will have their rating, exact location in the building, and their working hours displayed on the app.

Area Busyness

Some places can get very busy at times, and the new Area Busyness feature tells you just how busy you can expect them to be during the day.

This feature uses live busyness trends from individual businesses that are close to each other and shows just how busy an area is. One can use this feature by tapping on an area on Google Maps.

According to data from last year, the busiest stores when it comes to shopping for gifts are Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, and Kay Jewelers.

Local Restaurants Details

People who want to find the best restaurants in the area can now check Google Maps to discover relevant information about them.

The feature uses what other customers said about the business in reviews. Now, customers have the option to offer details about the amenities offered by the restaurant, as well as the price ranges.

The main listing of the restaurant shows the details from the customer reviews.

Grocery Shopping

Ordering groceries is now easier through the new grocery shopping feature on Google Maps. Ordering groceries for pickup is now possible, and to enhance people’s experience, Google Maps is expanding this feature.

Once someone makes an order, the order status will be tracked by Google Maps, and this will give customers the option to share their ETA. This way, the store will be aware of the customer’s arrival. With this new feature, people can wait less than five minutes until their order is ready.

Google Maps can offer people a less-stressful holiday season, and it also helps businesses establish a stronger connection with their customers. It’s a rewarding experience for both companies and clients.

Local SEO Experts

Questions about how to use the new local shopping features for your business? Contact us and we will help you get started. A first consult is FREE. No strings attached.

Image credits
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