Today, Google launched version 4.3 of its Google My Business (GMB) API. This update includes features that help businesses engage with consumers more easily on their Google listings, gain new insights about their locations, and more.
Google's latest update supports:
Questions and Answers (Q&A) APIs
Create and sync pre-answered FAQs, as well as monitor and answer the questions consumers ask about your business on your Google listings.
Branded (Chain) Query Insights
Google has introduced a new query type, which will be called Branded in Yext. Previously, GMB searches were categorized as Direct (if your Knowledge Card appeared) or Discovery (if you appeared in the Local Pack). With the introduction of Branded (or chain) insights, Google will no longer count a location that appears in Local Pack with your other locations as a Discovery search. Instead, they'll count it towards Branded search, which will give you a clearer picture of your true unbranded search performance on Google.
This change primarily benefits businesses with chain locations or franchises. See below for examples of each type of query.
Direct: "adidas 5th ave"
Branded: "adidas"
Discovery: "running shoes near me"
Media Description
Add captions to your photos on Google to give searching consumers more context about what they're viewing.
Suppression Improvements
Leverage new endpoints that help you more easily discover and take action on duplicate business listings. This functionality is incremental to Yext's existing proprietary Duplicate Suppression process. Available via the GMB API only.
Recommended GoogleLocations
- View unclaimed locations that Google thinks may be belong to your chain so you can proactively claim them and associate them with your brand accordingly.
- Report GoogleLocation Issues
- Resolve issues more easily and quickly with the ability to claim or mark the unclaimed locations Google thinks may be yours as duplicates or 'Closed.'
Service Enum for PriceList Sections
Got menus? Note to Google which of your menu prices are for food items or services provided.
Bulk-Read Reviews
Optimize your API calls with the ability to retrieve reviews for multiple locations in a single call. Available via the GMB API only.
If you're interested in using Yext to manage your GMB account, contact your Yext representative to get started or sign up for a demo of the Yext platform today.
