Google is getting serious about being the dominant force when users are searching for a local business to fulfill their commerce or culinary needs. Yesterday (May 7) the firm announced enhancements to its local service on its website that will make it easier for Googlers to find it, click it and get it – all without ever having to leave a Google search page.
“Google Search and Google Maps make it easy to order food delivery, reserve tables, and book appointments with select businesses found on Google,” the search giant noted in the Web posting on the expanded service menu. When this feature is enabled on a business’s Google My Business dashboard, users will see a link to a third-party booking and ordering service, like seamless.com, where they can complete their order or reserve their table.”
According to Google’s post, booking links (if available) will appear automatically – there is no way to request them. The service does have a form local businesses can fill out that informs Google of “an online service that allows local businesses to directly accept online orders, appointments, reservations or other similar services.”
Google’s new local push also allows local businesses a chance to fix broken, incorrect or out of date links.
