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February 8, 2010
Google Maps Makes Nearby Places Recommendations
Suggestions run the gamut from competitors to simply next-door establishments.
If you're browsing Google Maps and click through to Place Pages, you might notice a new feature. "Nearby places you may like" is a recommendation feature designed to help users explore cities and neighborhoods.
Some suggestions seem to be related to proximity of the business whose Place Page you're browsing. Other suggestions seem to be competitors of said business.
Google says that the recommendations are not based on any single criteria. Rather, they use a set of broad signals, which they continue to refine.
Below is a screenshot for "Nearby places you may like" for a local yarn shop where I've been taking knitting classes recently.
There are suggestions for other yarn hooks, a movie theater, kids museum, toy shop, local indie paper, etc. It's quite eclectic.
Now, check out the "Nearby places you may like" for a independent coffee shop (that incidentally, is, in fact, near the aforementioned yarn shop though not listed in that place's recommendations).
Those are almost all coffee shop competitors. They're also great suggestions. Though there are a few I could add in place of Starbucks and Caribou - chains most people know about.
What are your first impressions of "Nearby places you may like?" Let us know whether or not you like the new feature by leaving a comment below.
Posted by Nathania Johnson on February 8, 2010 2:43 AM
Comments
Andrew February 10, 2010 1:10 PM
I've been conducting quite a bit of research over the last few weeks on how to get placed on Google Maps. I also noticed that there are courses out there as well that specifically discuss different tactics to getting listed. I'm not sure if these different tactics work, but I'm going to try and get my site Duke Store listed by following Google Maps instructions. I do like the referring - recommendation feature.
Dave August 20, 2010 1:45 PM
Nathania
Nice review I've noticed GLBC have implemented the nearby places here in the UK although only on certain business types say bars / cafes / etc and not yet on local trades such as plumbers or electricians. Maybe it's early days but it will be interesting to see if Google target these businesses as well.
Cheers...