A brief history of maps
Ancient maps once depicted the Earth as flat, and they were drawn on animal skins. Many centuries later, a somewhat more sophisticated worldview was introduced. Large paper sheets, globes, atlases, and map books followed, but a serious amount of brainwork, memory, and note-taking was still required.
A widely available, highly detailed way of getting around was seriously needed, leading to the creation of Google Maps. Vellum and paper were replaced by the desktop computer web application in early 2005. Later that year, one of the first significant uses of this fantastic new technology was to view events following Hurricane Katrina. Updated satellite imagery quickly revealed the extent of the terrible flooding that ensued in New Orleans.
The use of the system, a year or so later, became available for mobiles, and My Location was introduced. Later, satellite imagery of Earth, geographic databases, imagery of other planets, driver alerts, route planners, and Google Street View were added.
Commerce and the mobile map
It didn’t take long for businesses to see the value of this extraordinary amount of real-time information. Initially, people needed Sat Nav devices to navigate in their cars without paper maps or printouts from a home PC, but smartphones changed everything.
As more and more people started using digital maps, more potential customers were finding places to go to. Stores, garages, offices, entertainment, sports stores, and gaming venues became moving images on a cell phone or a car dash. Getting to them was much simpler and direct, with obstructions or closures highlighted as delays. These were avoidable, as only an overview can show. Google Maps became the bird’s-eye view of seeing, beyond buildings and around corners. Travellers began almost to step into the future!
Reviews and ratings are now a way of life
So businesses, either local or further away, could have their names on these mobile maps as a go-to destination. Maybe an ocean-side restaurant with a particular food style is on your wish list, or perhaps you want to find a casino or movie theatre. Reviews and ratings are vital for physical and virtual businesses alike. As online slots often use real money, potential customers need to know that they are traveling towards a reputable destination. Ratings and reviews are a trust mark for businesses and customers alike. They help remove the risk and let people know what their peers and experts think about a place. They cut through advertising hype to give a ‘no-holds-barred’ opinion of an establishment
You can often find yourself spoilt for choice, and getting someone else’s opinion can save time, money, and disappointment. Google Maps ratings help people find the business they are looking for without beating around the bush. You can even highlight your favourite places on Google Maps and let others know why you rave about a particular spot. If you do not know how, here are some tips for making recommendations about your favourite businesses.
Create a review
Google account holders have to sign in to leave a review. Your opinion, good, bad, or indifferent, is very important for venues and businesses. It is a public statement that, when read, can seriously influence a decision and, therefore, a shop or service’s footfall or online traffic. When there is competition between stores, a good or bad review could trigger an automatic switch – the power is in the hands of the reviewer, particularly when the reviews are well written and informative.
By adding your own review, you can consolidate the opinions of others. Your opinion is your experience to share, by opening Google Maps, tapping your picture profile, and searching for the place you want to write about. On the business name, you will see “Write a Review”. Now is your chance to express your experiences and opinions, bearing in mind that the establishment and many others will read it. So choose your words carefully.
Ratings
Some people never get beyond reading the headline of a review or checking the rating given. How many stars out of ten will you award a place? It helps to be specific. Every bona fide business will be grateful for the opportunity to improve, so a problem shared with them offers the chance to take action. It may be the case that after a review pointing out an issue has not been acted on, another, more pressing statement can be posted.
Letting the algorithm get to work
Google Maps analyzes the published reviews given for the various businesses. From that, an average star rating will be allocated, ranging from 0 to 5 stars. Of course, the closer the rating is to five stars, the better for all, and as Google Maps has over 1 billion monthly users, the ratings matter. When searching for specific venues in a given location, Google will present well-rated businesses to customers.
Trust, Visibility, Reputation
Any business loves to see three values associated with its name: trust, visibility, and reputation. Google Maps is not only a traveller’s companion on a local or international scale, but a living directory. Google Maps can show travellers where to go, for what, and why. The more users there are, the higher up the list the venue climbs when finding a particular business’s review or rating. At some point, it may be number one on the search, which should translate into more customers. That equates to a solid gold reputation with dollars in the bank.
Google Maps moving forward
It is by checking information that painful mistakes can be avoided. A global mapping system that can also reveal your local bakery is one to be relied upon. It won’t crumple like paper, it’s not a hardback book, it’s not a note on the palm of your hand, but it is a pocket-sized, controllable, assistant dedicated to your personal needs.
Find the hospital, find the racetrack, find the friend at the touch of a button. Slide your fingers on a screen and you can see how far to go, the ways there, how long it takes, and what others think about it— you never got that from parchment and brown ink! Things have come a long way.