As part of its Google Business Profile messaging platform, Google has recently introduced "chat with live agent" buttons in select local business panels within Google Search.

Google recently added ten new healthcare verticals to Local Service Ads in the US.

Spotted by Colan Nielsen, When clicking on a business in the local pack, Google open up their business profile panel directly in search instead of taking you to the local finder/Google maps view.

Spotted by Colan Nielsen, Google summarizes the % of positive reviews that have a particular review attribute selected

Spotted by Joy Hawkins, The "Request A Quote" features has a new location in GBP as a button near the "call" and "website" buttons

When Google announced that Explore was rolling out, they focused on travel. But, I don't remember seeing something like this. The first result is a local carousel, that when tapped, opens each local listing. I can reproduce this as well.

Matt Casady spotted this new job types selection tool in Google Local Service Ads (LSAs). It's nice that you no longer have to contact LSA support to add/remove different verticals.

Via Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable - Google has confirmed that its latest efforts to filter out local reviews against its policies and guidelines went too far. Google, over the next few weeks, is working to restore the policy-abiding reviews that…

Book Now lead capture are now available for legal verticals on Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) previously they were only available for home-service-related verticals.

Users can post on Google Business Pages creating a UGC element on a business' GBP Google outlined restrictions that can be placed for inappropriate posts Short-Term vs Long-term restrictions partial restrictions vs full restrictions.

Apple launches "Apple Business Connect" - a competitor to GBP for Apple's maps environment.

As of February 15th, you will no longer be able to specify price ranges or set custom calls to action in Products on your GBP. Single-priced items only. This makes it more awkward to list services in the Products section. …