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Google Maps Taking Over Facebook with Its Own News Feed Launch

Google Maps Taking Over Facebook with Its Own News Feed Launch

Almost all social media platforms have a feature called stories. It is getting frustrating with time. However, Google Maps is keeping it old-fashioned.  Rather than adding small circles at the top of the screen, it has come up with its own News Feed. Google is calling this feature the ‘Community Feed.’ Under this, you will find posts from a local area. Nevertheless, it is organised just like any other news feed. 

Google Maps Taking Over Facebook with Its Own News Feed Launch

So, you will get to see a vertically scrollable feed, and you can tap on the small thumbs-up icon to like it. 

It is as easy as using Facebook, except that it isn’t really a social media platform.

 

How Does It Work?

Go to the Explore tab to find the feed of Google Map. With this, you will get access to the most recent news, recommendations, and updates. 

  • It includes posts that business owners create with the help of Google My Business for notifying the customers about menu updates and other offers. 
  • At the ‘Community Feed’ launch, Google said that it is going to focus on highlighting posts from businesses like food and drink. 
  • For several years, businesses have been making these kinds of posts with the help of the tools provided by Google. 
  • However, previously, users would have to tap specifically for following the profile of a particular business for receiving updates. 

Now, the same kind of ports is going to surface on Google Maps even when you don’t take the additional step to follow a certain business. Its increased exposure has affected the post views. 

  • While testing the ‘Community Feed’ before its public launch, Google found that posts by businesses saw more than double their views before the feed existing. 
  • Apart from posts from different businesses, the new ‘Community Feed’ is also going to feature content that Google users post and views from Local Guides, which is a volunteer program. 
  • Here the users will share the knowledge about the local places to earn perks like early access to Google feature, profile badges, and much more. 
  • Chosen publishers are going to participate in the ‘Community Feed’ including ‘The Infatuation‘ and other new sources from Google News when it is relevant. 

Almost all the information in the Community Feed was available elsewhere in Google Map before its launch. 

For instance, the Updates tab on Google Maps offers a similar feed, including business posts along with recommendations, news, stories, and various other features that add to this discovery. 

In the meantime, the Explore tab combines businesses into thematic groupings at the top portion of the screen. It then allowed the users to browse all other lists and check the photos of the area. 


Image credit: Google

How Is It Beneficial?

The most beneficial part is that the groups of businesses listed by category are going to be present at the top of the screen. However, the remaining tabs are exclusively scrollable feed. So, the tab looks more distinctive than before. 

It can also position Google Maps to venture into videos in the future. It can thus use the popularity of the short-form video feed of TikTok that has now been adopted by Snapchat and Instagram

At present, it is a more standard feed. As you scroll down the feed, you can tap on the ‘Like’ on the posts that you think are useful. That will improve your future recommendations.

There is also a ‘Follow’ button on businesses. So, you can follow the businesses that you want to hear from. They will send in alerts to the ‘Update Tab’ too. Nevertheless, there is no comment feature. That sets it apart from the rest. 

  • Google sincerely hopes that the changes are going to encourage users to visit the app often to find out what is going on in their area, whether it is a review from some other user or a new post from a business. You can also get updates on a new hiking spot or a day trip. 
  • You can use the feature when you are researching or travelling to some areas. The ‘Community Feed’ isn’t designated to where you live or your present location. It instead focuses on where you are looking on the map.
  • The feed design makes Google Maps more of a rival to Facebook
  • Over the years, Google Maps have added several features that have enabled users to follow a business just like Facebook does and manage the business directly through the app, just like Messenger. 
  • In the meantime, businesses have been able to create their own profile on Google Maps. 
  • In their profile, they can add a logo, upload a cover photo, and choose a short name. 
  • It is just like the Facebook Pages that you have seen. 

 

Final Words

After launching this news feed feature, it has become even more obvious that Google is trying to copy Facebook. The feature is rolling out on Google Maps for Android and iOS, globally.  

Although it is beneficial in many ways for the user and is interesting too and let’s see if this new feature of Google Maps outruns the existing social media base of Facebook.

 

References:

Written by The Original PC Doctor on 22/12/2020.

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