Google is always looking for new ways to increase the user experience, and this year, they’ve added a few new features to Google Maps for local shoppers.

4 new local shopping features in Google Maps

#1. See how busy specific neighborhoods are

When you search for a business on Google Maps, for a long time now, it has displayed information about how busy it is at the moment, as well as general busyness during certain times of the day and certain days of the week.

With Google’s new feature, called Area Busyness, you can see how busy popular neighborhoods or areas of town are in the same way.

This feature helps shoppers who want to avoid crowds, which is especially important during a pandemic, as well as identify the hottest areas to shop or grab a bite.

#2. Discover more with the expanded Directory tab

Imagine this:

You’ve got a two-and-a-half-hour layover in O’Hare during your trip home for the holidays. You don’t want to just sit at the gate. You want to pass the time by finding a great place to get a drink and something to eat, or to find a place where you can do some last-minute holiday shopping.

Google’s new expanded Directory tab for airports, malls and transit stations allows you to learn about all of the stores and restaurants — as well as amenities, like parking lots and airport lounges — available in a single location on Google Maps.

With the expanded Directory feature, you can plan out your trip and find the perfect stores or restaurants without having to wander aimlessly around the airport or settling for the first place you happen to see when you leave your gate.

#3. Order groceries for pickup

Going to the grocery store is not my favorite thing to do. I always go when it’s slow, and I even plan out my grocery list by aisle to ensure maximum efficiency and minimum time in the store. Google’s new feature (first released earlier this year) allows people to skip the crowded aisles and lines, and place grocery orders right from Google Maps.

You can also share your ETA with the store in order to give them time to prepare your order for pickup. According to Google, people using this feature will have to wait fewer than five minutes to pick up their orders.

This feature has been expanded to more than 2,000 stores across more than 30 states, including Fry’s, Kroger, Marianos and Ralphs.

#4. Learn more about local restaurants

Looking for a tasty local restaurant to take your out-of-town visitors this holiday season? Google Maps now displays a lot more information about restaurants in your area to help you make the right choice for you and your guests.

Customers leaving reviews for restaurants can now share more information to help their fellow consumers, like price ranges, as well as the amenities they offer, like curbside pickup, delivery, outdoor seating and more.

This helps you make better, more informed decisions about where to eat.

Maximize your local presence by optimizing your Google Business Profile

Most of the time, when someone is looking for a local business, their search starts on Google. Local and “near me” searches continue to be on the rise, and even if the new features mentioned above won’t impact your business, it pays to have an optimized, fully complete Google Business Profile for your business.

Here are a few tips for optimizing your Google Business Profile and ranking higher in Google Maps:

• Fully complete your Profile – Don’t leave any sections of your Google Business Profile blank. Fill it out completely.
• Add a description of your business – Create a professional, keyword-rich business description for your Profile, telling prospective customers who you are and what you do.
• Be meticulous about your contact information – Make sure that the contact information on your Google Business Profile matches the contact information on your website exactly.
• Include photos of your business – Hire a professional photographer if possible to take photos of your business, products and/or team.
• Select your business category – Choose the main category for your business, as well as any secondary categories that apply to your business.
• Answer questions – When people ask questions about your business, always make it a point to answer them!
• Get reviews – Google ranks businesses higher that have higher average star ratings and more reviews. Make it a point to ask for reviews from your customers, and respond to any reviews that you have.
• Post regularly – Keep your Google Business Profile up to date by posting regularly.

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