Less is…more Maps
Less is more, that’s what Google wrote on their LatLong blog. They decided to clean the Google Maps interface a bit, which was by now cluttered with all kinds of information which made some of the users dazzle.
Again, Let’s do something for the user-experience. let’s make it more easy! Bigger Map viewing area for example. Away with the clutter, new tabs (user content)! They now use just one search box! make it easier for you to find stuff, not just pizza!
This UI also affected the European Google Engines.
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There is no such thing as mobile internet - Mobile 2.0 Europe
There is no such thing as mobile internet, it is the same internet!
This was one of the (quite obvious, but often misunderstood) messages of Mobile 2.0 Europe, which I was attending on behalf of my employer Onetomarket.It was a very interesting event, especially the panel rounds. Most fun part was the discussion between the community/businesses and the mobile operators, which in the end almost turned into a row. Fact is that mobile operators need to change their attitude. You can read my recap on the Onetomarket blog in Dutch or Spanish.(Use Google Translate for English version, but beware 
)
Finally, Stuff I did’t mention was the Top 11 of Mobile Trends which were given by Daniel Applequist (correct me if i’m wrong! )
- Smart browsing (and browsers)
- Web standards
- Mobile Ajax
- Mobile Search
- Advertising
- Mashups
- Awareness software and devices
- RFID and QR-codes
- Location, geotagging
- Mobile social networks
- Mobile user-generated content & media
Pain and hassles new Google Local Business Center
Google is changing their Local Business Center interface. For many of you, you will start thinking, YES! finally!
Actually I like the new interface and it definitely encourages people to add more data to their business listings. In the old tabbed model you were able to just finish after entering your business details and forget about all the tabs that were actually there. With the new system you get to see all the opportunities at a glance and business owners are more likely to be triggered to enter more of their business information.
I tried and tested the Local Business Center and so far I have come to the following :
- How do I correct my incorrect marker position after I’ve added the listing?
- Where is the bulk upload feature of images like requested here
- The maps overlay in the LBc doesn’t seem to be working in Safari (for windows, or is my system just buggin? )
- Why is this still not available in Europe ??? (including the free category selection!)
- While using this interface I wasn’t asked to re-enter my PIN for my listings, maybe this is because I use bulk-upload instead of manual verification?
Also while trying to delete a listing I was presented with the following screen, which I’m a bit puzzled about, because will Google Maps remove your listings and those from trusted sources if you want them to? What about
“To geographically organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
Or is this the useful part?
Here’s the screenshot btw (click to enlarge) :
Also, I must note that I really like the ‘verified local submitter’ idea in a comment from AmhedF back at Mike’s blog. Especially for agencies or people monitoring large accounts, it’s unbearable and a real pain having to re-verify and re-enter those PIN’s for all of your listings. There should be a better and more efficient way to fight map spam.
Update: Seems like they are having some problems using bulk-uploads in the new interface. In the meanwhile, people in desperate need of getting their business listings online use the bulk upload feature can use the work around I mentioned at Mike’s post about this at his blog:
“change the &gl parameter and/or domain to a european one, you can keep the hl in your prefered language“
Updates on Google Local Business Center - What would you like to see?
I have been using the Google Local Business Center (LBC) for quite some time now.
Setting up your account and adding business locations is really easy, that is, if it’s only a few.
What happens when adding multiple listings using the bulk-upload method? For me this is the preferred method. It’s lightning fast, it tells you which errors to correct (if any) and you see your business listings appearing in a jiffy. Waiting for approval (takes up 2-6 weeks or even more).
So what’s the problem? Well, we want to flavour it up a bit. Add some pictures & videos. But where is the bulk upload feature for this thing? I want to have a branded icon or my company logo added to all the 200 listings I just uploaded using the bulk-upload feature. Not possible! So the next few hours you are busy doing hard labour work, manually adding images and videos per business location using an almost antique photo upload system. Where is the usability on this one Google? It might be good to pay some attention to the local business center.
Suggestion: just add some fields to the upload form with img src destinations to be used.
Instead of adding new features, try to improve the ones that already exist. Speaking of which, when is that category updating coming in Europe?
So hereby, I’m compiling a list of features I would like to see or updated in the Local Business Center.
the list of updates:
- category update (in Europe!)
- Interface redesign / usability upgrade
- Photo upload form
- Bulk-upload photos / videos
- statistics (define impressions / views ) , integrate with Google Analytics!
- insight in (trusted) sources used to gather my information (so I can contact them if something is wrong/missing or incomplete! )
- history on status of business listing (pending, awaiting approval, flagged, awaiting next update, marked as inappropriate, etc )
Feel free to leave a comment if you think something is missing!
Google Maps spam appearing in Europe - not only a problem in US
Map spam is starting to become a problem in Europe as well. Most of us might know (almost infamous) Mike Blumenthal for his ongoing vendetta against map spam and battering Google in the process.
According to this article it says that Maps Guide Jen made the statement that businesses were only allowed to have only one listing per business location.
Well, while doing research I encountered the following business listings in Barcelona, while searching for hair treatments and narrowed it down to the results you see in the example (click image for full size) shown.
Although it is ‘only’ 7 business listings for the same address, the only thing they seem to have changed is the title and the description. This company seems to get away with offering multiple different listings for each and every service they might provide, ranking well in multiple keyword searches in the specific business. Let’s see how Google will solve this problem, and from what I can tell from Matt Cutt’s comments in this blogpost, they’d better watch out.
