Google has rolled out a new feature to it's mobile search and maps services, which they announced (unsurprisingly) on
Google+. Now, when looking at results for businesses, the information will include a graph showing peak days and hours for that business. Google describes the new feature as a way for consumers to avoid long lines. So far, Google says you can see the results for "millions of places an businesses around the world".
No action is required on the part of businesses, as Google draws the information from the anonymized location data collected from participating Android users. That, as
the Verge reports, is the same data Google uses to estimate traffic delays and provide accurate directions and navigation instructions. As such, the information regarding peak business days and times is an estimate, and may not be perfectly accurate, as Google can really only estimate the number of people at the location, not necessarily how many are actually in line. Also pointed out by the
Verge, the new, more robust search results are something that Google's search competitors, and even big players like Yelp, are going to have a hard time emulating. Google has a big advantage with the data it collects from Android users,
of which there are many.
Google has really been beefing up their search results lately, aiming to give users as much information as quickly and cleanly as possible. Most of the time when you do a Google search, there will be a "card" at the top of the results, with information that Google has aggregating from websites, so that the info is right there and easy to find. They've added restaurant menu's to search results in recent months. That's all in addition to the existing business ratings, and comprehensive navigation directions. One notable limitation (for now) is that this new information will only be available on mobile searches, not when searching from a computer.
It is yet to be seen how restauranteurs and business operators will feel about the new in-store traffic data that Google is presenting. On the one hand, it could help spread out the rush of customers and make sales smoother and more even. On the other hand, if a consumer thinks your business is very busy at a certain time of day, and they need your food/goods/services right away, it may sway them over to a competitor.
What do you think about the new Google search improvements? Consumers, is this going to be very helpful in your day to day lives? Operators, would you rather Google just leave it be and let customers find out for themselves? Let us know what you think via Google+, Facebook and Twitter.
Source:
Google,
The Verge
Image Credit: Screenshot
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