Google Will Soon Show Type of Business (Category) Right in Map View

[Linda Buquet]

Andy Simpson just broke this news in our G+ Local Search Pros Community:
Google Maps to show business descriptions in map view soon.

He shared a link to the story at Androidheadlines.com:

<a href="http://www.androidheadlines.com/2016/06/google-maps-show-business-descriptions-map-view-soon.html">Google Maps to Show Business Descriptions in Map View Soon</a>

As Google explains in their Asia Pacific Blog, Japanese Google Maps users are getting a simplified view of exactly what business does what. Now, users in Japan will be able to survey the map nearby a dropped pin or where they might be there and then and see descriptions of what a business actually is right from the map. Previously, a user would have to click on a listing for ?Lawson? to see that this is a longstanding chain of convenience stores in Japan. Now however, Google will be listing over a thousand different business types under their names right on the map view, which should not only speed things up for users, but make it easier to explore the area around them.

Tom Dawson, the author keeps saying description but I think it's just the category of the business, not a regular description like we are used to. But maybe I'm wrong and a description does pop up? Anyone know for sure?

OK just found the Google blog. It is just category, not description.

<a href="https://asia.googleblog.com/2016/06/now-you-can-find-butcher-baker-and.html">Now you can find the butcher, the baker and the yukata maker with Google Maps</a> (Google Asia Blog)

From today it?s easier to see what kind of store you?re looking at in Google Maps. Now you?ll be able to see if you?re looking at a bookstore, laundromat, pizza restaurant or toy store in Google Maps. This way you?ll know that you can pick up a late night snack at Lawsons or some cosmetics at Matsumoto Kiyoshi.

But still sounds good to me!
What do you think???

 

[James Watt]

Thanks for the share Linda. Not a huge surprise since categories have been something they show on browser searches for a while, but good to see they're throwing weight towards spreading that farther instead of going the other way with it.