{"id":114499,"date":"2018-11-27T21:44:45","date_gmt":"2018-11-27T21:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=114499"},"modified":"2025-07-01T22:42:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T05:42:08","slug":"google-maps-copies-instagram-with-this-useful-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/google-maps-copies-instagram-with-this-useful-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Maps copies Instagram with this useful update"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-77164\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header.jpg\" alt=\"Google Maps\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-256x144.jpg 256w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-568x319.jpg 568w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/11\/Google-Maps-header-304x170.jpg 304w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Google has been working hard on updating Maps recently. Most recently we\u2019ve seen <a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/google-maps-eta-sharing-feature-expands-its-reach\/?ex=BB-682.0\">an update to Maps\u2019 Estimated Time of Arrival feature<\/a> and a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/did-google-maps-just-become-a-messaging-app\/?ex=BB-682.0\">new messaging feature for contacting businesses<\/a> from within the Maps app. It now seems that Google has rolled a new update for Maps that will make it easier for users to find businesses that other people have recommended.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" alt=\"Google Maps\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_optimized,f_auto\/p\/95612986-96d5-11e6-af7c-00163ec9f5fa\/3278374776\/google-maps-logo.png\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">Google Maps<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/google-maps.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Google Maps<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--70\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"70\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"7\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\">7<\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/google-maps.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h2>You can now include hashtags in your Google Maps business reviews<\/h2>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2018\/11\/26\/google-maps-biz-reviews-can-now-include-hashtags\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a report by TechCrunch<\/a>, Google has confirmed that support for hashtags in Google Maps reviews rolled out to Android devices over a week ago.<\/p>\n<p>The search giant recommends that users add up to five hashtags per review and put them after the text to make the reviews easier to read. The feature had previously only been released to members of Google Maps\u2019 Local Guides program, which offers bonuses and rewards to people who share images and information about the places they visit and the businesses they use. As well as including hashtags in new reviews, Guides have been told that they can go back and add hashtags to the old reviews they made in the past.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-starred-link\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-starred-link__img\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/Google-Maps-messaging-service-1024x576.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-title\">\r\n        <p class=\"sc-card-starred-link__title\">Did Google Maps just become a messaging app?<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__button\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/did-google-maps-just-become-a-messaging-app\/?ex=BB-682.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\">Read now<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/did-google-maps-just-become-a-messaging-app\/?ex=BB-682.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<p>The obvious contender for hashtags here is for restaurant reviews. Users will be able to let other users know certain aspects about the food and services certain places can offer, like if they are #vegetarian friendly or serve #greatburgers. Obviously, however, there is much further scope for adding useful hashtags to certain businesses. Wheelchair friendly would be an excellent hashtag and Google recommended #goodforselfies or #sunsetviews as good examples of what they might be used for. Google was keen to point out to Tech Crunch though, that the hashtags should be specific and useful. Generic terms like #love won\u2019t offer anything to other users and so should be avoided.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-starred-link\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-starred-link__img\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/10\/google-maps-7001.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-title\">\r\n        <p class=\"sc-card-starred-link__title\">Google Maps ETA sharing feature expands its reach<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__button\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/google-maps-eta-sharing-feature-expands-its-reach\/?ex=BB-682.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\">Read now<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/google-maps-eta-sharing-feature-expands-its-reach\/?ex=BB-682.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<p>You should start seeing hashtags in reviews as more and more users start to use the new feature. They\u2019ll appear in blue and will be clickable links. Clicking on a hashtag will take you to a list of other nearby places that share the same hashtag. This way, Google Maps will now work as a discovery platform as well as a place for finding recommendations for other like-minded people.<\/p>\n<p>This extension into more typical social network territory adds another notch to Google Maps\u2019 belt as it moves to take on the likes of the new WhatsApp Business app, and Facebook Pages and Messenger. Add to this the new Messages tab and it is plain to see just how far Google Maps has come over the last few weeks and months.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey\">\r\n<p class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__title\">RelatedArticles<\/p>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"How to Share Your Live Location on Google Maps\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/how-to-share-your-live-location-on-google-maps\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/06\/live-locations-1024x614.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>How to Share Your Live Location on Google Maps<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"Google Maps gets public transport step-by-step instructions\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/train-and-bus-journeys-easier-than-ever-as-google-maps-gets-public-transport-step-by-step-instructions\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/12\/public-transport-1024x576.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>Google Maps gets public transport step-by-step instructions<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n  <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__row\">\r\n    <a title=\"Google Maps\u2019 New Feature Will Save you Time\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/google-maps-new-feature-will-save-you-time\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2014\/06\/DSC0189-568x377.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>Google Maps\u2019 New Feature Will Save you Time<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n    <a title=\"Google Maps might soon start telling your friends how much battery you have left\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/google-maps-might-soon-start-telling-your-friends-how-much-battery-you-have-left\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__article sc-related-articles-grey__article--last\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__image\">\r\n        <div style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/10\/battery-192.jpg)\"><\/div>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-related-articles-grey__text\">\r\n        <p>Google Maps might soon start telling your friends how much battery you have left<\/p>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<!-- Shortcode [playwire] does not match the conditions -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You can now include hashtags in your Google Maps business reviews<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9073,"featured_media":114501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[1015],"tags":[1082,2354,1068,1061],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-114499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-android","tag-app-subdomain-redirectioninstagram","tag-google","tag-google-maps"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9073"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114499"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114499\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":326980,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114499\/revisions\/326980"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114499"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=114499"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=114499"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=114499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}