For business owners, managing business profiles and data can be an essential task. It can be directly impacted by the programs and tools that they use to understand and edit their business profiles. This is why there has been a lot of discussion around the changes that Google has made to their editing experience within their SERPs, or search engine results pages.
While the changes that Google has made should not be a surprise, as they have been in the works for some time, they have still caught many business owners and managers by surprise. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to In-SERP business profile management.
Some of the In-SERP Business Profile Management Changes
There have been multiple changes to In-SERP business profile management. Not all of these changes are uniform, and experiences will vary with the new roll-out. There are some features that will take you back to the older layout, but this may not happen for all users.
While there are some changes that are not uniform, there are plenty of others that are. For example, all of your Google Business Profiles can only be edited within the SERPs, and what used to be called “posts” in the dashboard has now changed into “updates” in the NMX.
Additionally, while some functions have changed, there are others that have been removed altogether, for example, all photo insights have been removed from the Performance area. Another change is that if you manage more than one profile you will no longer access them from a dashboard, but instead search for them.
Common Frustrations With In-SERP Business Profile Management
One of the biggest frustrations for business owners is that they are no longer able to view Photo Insights. This particular feature provided insight into the types of views that they got. While some argued that it was inaccurate, there are many others that relied on it as a simple way to get a grasp of their business’s views. It is still unknown whether a different form of visual insights will be introduced.
Another thing that is causing frustration for In-SERP Business Profile Management users is the piechart visual that would break down searches by discovery, direct, and branded visits has been removed. Along with that, the “how customers search for your business” section has also disappeared.
Something else that is throwing many users off is how the current metrics are arranged. Many things that are still available are now more difficult to find, with lots of important features now being accessible through the “three dots” menu button. Even though this may not be a significant issue on its own, it has had a noticeable impact on the user experience, and while it may have streamlined the appearance of In-SERP Business Profile Management it has potentially had a negative impact on the ease of use of the system as a whole.
How the In-SERP Business Profile Change Can Impact You
There are pros and cons to the In-SERP Business Profile change. With many functions changing, and some disappearing altogether, it can be even more difficult to perform basic tasks. This can add up to lost time. That said, it can be worked around. Even though you cannot do anything about these changes, putting aside time to study them can make In-SERP Business Profile Management easier to use.
Last Thoughts About In-SERP Business Profile Management
While it may be frustrating at times, there will always be changes coming to the way that In-SERP Business Profile Management works. Because this is unavoidable, it is important not to rely solely on it, and to stay flexible in the ways that you manage and edit your business profiles. Contact Sprout Media Lab to learn more about your options today.
