September 2016 Google My Business API Update: Everything You Need To Know

Google just made it even easier to ensure that customers make their way from search results to your front door.

Today Google released an update to the Google My Business API, which further amplifies Yext's PowerListings integration. This is a follow-up to the API release from earlier this year and gives you access to even more information about — and control over — your Google listings.

Here's everything you need to know:

Help customers not only find you, but choose you.

New types of business attributes allow you to specify even richer details on Google Maps listings — like what types of credit cards you accept.

Not only does this make search results generally more detailed, it's also another step towards serving the single most precise answer for voice searches, where there's literally room for only one result (so it had better be the best).

Keep tabs on your brand's reputation without lifting a finger.

Get notified every time a customer leaves a new Google Review. No more waiting to see the latest feedback, which of course saves you valuable time. This will also enable you to engage with your customers more quickly and with greater frequency.

Google Maps listing issues? Fix 'em faster.

Instead of being told simply that a listing is "Unavailable," you'll see exactly why. Does it need to be reverified, thanks to an address change? Has a duplicate surfaced within your account? Now you won't be left guessing.

Note: This information was previously available, but only from the Google My Business dashboard. Now you have the convenience of viewing it directly in the Yext Location Cloud.

As Google continues to grant businesses more real-time control over their location data online, you can expect the PowerListings integration to become even more powerful. To learn more about how you can stay ahead of the competition, and leverage the latest version of the Google My Business API, download our whitepaper.

Onward!