\n Stay Forward <\/h2>\n
\n Get exclusive insights into digital
media's top-trending topics delivered
directly to your inbox. <\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n
\n
![\"Message](\"\/wpe-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/gbp-app.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Image: Google<\/p>\n
Those who try to access the Google My Business app will now receive a message stating that it is no longer available, and will be presented with links directing them to Search and Maps. All former functionality is transferred to these platforms and account managers should not lose any of their archived data.<\/p>\n
1-star reviews plague restaurants on Google<\/h2>\n
As covered by the New York Times<\/a>, scammers are leaving 1-star reviews for restaurants (and other businesses) then demanding gift cards in order to edit or remove said reviews. For businesses that rely heavily on their online reputation<\/a>, the threat of losing foot traffic over negative reviews often sees them paying the scammer. The formal process to remove fraudulent reviews can take time, so it seems that some business owners are opting to pay off scammers rather than absorb the potential loss in revenue from weeks of a visible 1-star review.<\/p>\n This review scam spread widely enough to warrant an official response from Google:<\/p>\n We\u2019ve recently become aware of a scam targeting businesses on Google with the threat of 1-star reviews unless they send money via gift cards. Our policies<\/a>\u00a0clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and our teams are working around the clock to thwart these attacks, remove fraudulent reviews, and put protections on business profiles that may have been affected.<\/p>\n If your business is being targeted by these scammers, please do not pay them. Instead, please flag the reviews\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0or reach out to Google support via our\u00a0Help Center<\/a>, so that our team can review and remove policy-violating content. If you haven\u2019t yet claimed your business profile, you can do so\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Despite its many problems, Google is succeeding in becoming one of the largest review platforms online. While trying to fight back against the negative aspects of its reviews, the search giant is also trying to promote its wealth of positive content.<\/p>\n In its latest attempt to leverage its large volume of quality reviews, Google is slowly introducing a new method to highlight reviews in local search: a new feature named “Find places through reviews”. This new tab will show a review carousel for select local businesses that match the user’s search query. For example, if a user searches for a “coffee shop with free Wi-Fi”, Google will present reviews that specifically mention the quality of the establishment’s free internet.<\/p>\n Image: Search Engine Roundtable<\/p>\n Regardless of what issues Google may face while trying to become the internet\u2019s number one review platform, it is dedicated to its goal of making reviews one of the most important factors for every business listed on the search engine.<\/p>\n“Find places through reviews” on Google<\/h2>\n
![\"Find](\"\/wpe-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/find-through-reviews.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n \n