The (relatively) new Google Maps is certainly visually richer than the old Maps UI. However it may be somewhat less functional. As one example, it eliminates one of my favorite and most-used features: \u201csearch nearby.\u201d It\u2019s now also somewhat harder to access multiple results on a category query, ironically.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Google Operating System spotted a change in the number of search results showing in the main info-window below the search box. Google is now showing three results per category query. The following is an example result for \u201cSan Diego Sushi.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Below is the same search result in the old Google Maps UI. Although more visually pedestrian, it\u2019s more useful in several respects.<\/p>\n
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The following is a drill down on a single search result in the new Google Maps. The expanded result opens when users click on any of the links in the window.<\/p>\n
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Below is the old Maps UI. When one clicked on an individual result, an info-window or bubble appeared on the map itself.<\/p>\n
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Comparing the two views of individual listings on the old and new Maps UIs, it\u2019s clear the new UI provides more information \u201cat a glance.\u201d However, as mentioned, users don\u2019t get the \u201csearch nearby\u201d feature, which I used frequently. I often used it, for example, to find a destination (e.g., conference location) and then identify nearby hotels or restaurants within walking or a short driving distance. (Note to Google: feature request.)<\/p>\n
Below is the \u201clist view\u201d from the new Maps UI. It\u2019s available after a click on \u201cGo to Top Results.\u201d Users can also drill down from this screen into individual business listings. These screens are more attractive and less cluttered than the old Maps UI list view. However they\u2019re buried behind a click (or two clicks).<\/p>\n
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What\u2019s very interesting is that Google+ is now harder to get to. Previously, in the old UI, clicking \u201cmore info\u201d on any individual business listing took users to the Google+ Local page for that business. In the new UI, you get to the Google+ page for the business by clicking \u201creviews.\u201d That\u2019s not intuitive and effectively buries Google+. However it\u2019s not clear that the majority of users would be seeking the Google+ listing for a business anyway.<\/p>\n
Google Maps are increasingly a mobile-first product. My understanding, based on comScore data, is that since last year, there have been more mobile than PC users of Google Maps. By the same token, my sense is that the mapping segment may be \u201copening up\u201d a bit. On the iPhone, Apple Maps has eaten into Google\u2019s traffic.<\/p>\n
In addition, the success of Waze (acquired by Google) suggests that it\u2019s once again possible to launch a mapping app with a novel feature or twist and build a following.<\/p>\n
This Blog original posted on Search Engine Land<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The (relatively) new Google Maps is certainly visually richer than the old Maps UI. However it may be somewhat less functional. As one example, it eliminates one of my favorite and most-used features: \u201csearch nearby.\u201d It\u2019s now also somewhat harder to access multiple results on a category query, ironically. Yesterday, Google Operating System spotted a … Continue reading “New Google Maps Adds More Search Results To Info Window”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-google-map"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5523","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5523"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5523\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9023,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5523\/revisions\/9023"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.braintechnosys.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}