What You Need To Know About Google Maps & AR Technology

Google's ARCore has made it possible for developers across the globe to “blend the virtual and the real more seamlessly,” improving the way people lead their lives and how businesses operate. Google Maps is the search engine’s flagship navigational tool and its latest development is to use augmented reality (AR) to make it simpler for people to get from one place to the next – so long as they have an ARCore friendly smartphone. Below, I’ve explained what you need to know about Google Maps AR facelift and how it benefits people and businesses alike.

What new features is AR bringing to Google Maps?

Satellite navigation systems for vehicles have long used arrows to help guide drivers to their destination. The addition of AR to Google Maps uses the same principle to help you travel, with arrows overlaid on an augmented view of the street in front of you. These arrows direct you along your journey and keep you on track as you walk. Google initially trialled using a blue line like that currently used by Google Maps, with AR putting a path in front of you to follow. This idea was scrapped after testing showed that people tried to stand on the line when they walked, making it more difficult to follow the route planned by Google Maps.

Why Google Maps is being given an AR technology facelift

Since being launched in February 2005, Google Maps has become one of the go-to tools for people on the move, shoppers who want a local business, and companies seeking to attract customers to their stores. 2019 sees Google Maps being given a facelift that will make it even more useful by adding AR functionality that will alter the way people navigate. Google Maps brings together GPS and Google Street View to give you an AR view of your journey, instead of the existing dot on a map. To access the AR function in Google Maps you open the tool, put in your destination, hit the walking icon, and then select Start AR. So far, only people with Google Pixel phones are able to use the AR capability of Google Maps and this is only when they are outside. This is because the technology works via your smartphone camera’s capacity for recognizing street signs and landmarks – meaning that it needs an area that has good lighting and is found in Google Street View. AR & VPS combining to tackle the shortcomings of GPS Google has been clear about its reason for adding AR to Google Maps – the existing GPS method of guidance isn’t accurate enough. Google’s response is to combine AR with Visual Positioning Service (VPS), machine learning and machine learning technology – a technique which Google calls global localization. GPS uses radio signals from satellites to find your location and then map out a route to get to your destination. GPS works so long as there is a clear signal, but in urban areas (such as large cities) the signal can be hindered, disrupted, or obscured by buildings and pollution. In addition to this, GPS is unable to determine the orientation of your mobile which can make Google Map’s readings off by 180 degrees. What this all means is that Google Maps cannot always give you accurate readings while being led by GPS. The result of this is that your location may not be recorded correctly and you might not be taken to the right destination. Global localization uses your smartphone as a sensor to produce an AR rendering of your journey that is based on images with defined locations, rather GPS signals. This removes the problem of radio signals being obscured by busy locations, making Google’s AR upgrade a more accurate way of getting to your destination.

What do businesses need to know about Google Maps’ AR tech?   

As I explained earlier in this article, Google’s AR tech is going to give people more accurate recordings of their locations and will be able to be more precise when mapping out a route to their destination. This is because Google Maps will now use buildings, street signs, and landmarks to show people where they are and where they want to go. However, more accurate readings are not the only result of Google Maps’ AR tech. The upgrade will also impact businesses that use local SEO as part of their tactic for driving traffic to their websites.

Local SEO is one of the best ways a business can use Google Maps

Local SEO is used by businesses to rank in search results for local and regional topics, making it ideal for service-based businesses such as florists, salons, coffee shops, plumbers, and restaurants to appeal to customers. There is a range of tactics used in local SEO which can help businesses to boost their ranking.

Optimizing for near me searches

‘Near Me’ searches are “a curated list of search engine results tailored toward local intent searches.” What this means is that businesses optimize their websites to include terms like “florists near me” or “restaurants near me.”

Securing online reviews

Why are online reviews important to local SEO? It’s simple: “Local search engines love online reviews for one reason: Consumers love online reviews.” Securing online reviews is also a simpler process than businesses might fear and there are a number of tactics they can use to get them:

• Publishing existing customer reviews
• Giving customers an incentive to post a review – such as a discount
• Asking customers to leave a review

Consistent Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP)

NAP is part of the process of setting up a Google My Business account. When businesses create an account they are asked to include as much information as possible, to make it simpler for people to find the business and demonstrate to Google that the company is authentic. Businesses must make sure that the information included on their GMB account is consistent with the data entered elsewhere online (such as social media accounts) – failing to do this will lower the credibility of the business, resulting in a rankings penalty from Google. Addition of AR to Google Maps means businesses need to optimize for landmarks Google’s AR facelift won’t make existing local SEO tactics redundant but it will require businesses to make some tweaks to their strategy. The addition of AR to Google Maps means that businesses will need to optimize for landmarks if they want to keep an up-to-date local SEO strategy, as Search Engine Watch explains: “As Google Maps’ AR looks to make increasing use of non-transient structures and landmarks, it might be good practice for businesses to make it more of a point to rank for key terms related to these landmarks.” This means businesses will have to add local buildings and landmarks to their keyword strategy to optimize effectively for ‘Near Me’ searches. But not only that, but businesses will also need to ensure that their online and real-world branding is consistent, that their Google My Business profile is up-to-date, and that their websites are optimized for local searches. Google Maps is already used by billions of people across the globe to help them navigate, and by countless businesses that wish to rank in local searches. Will the addition of AR to Google Maps make it more popular for users? Perhaps. And will AR create more work for businesses? Absolutely. However, the results can be positive for both companies and users, as Google Maps’ AR technology is set to make it easier for people to find what they want and for businesses to direct them there. Edward Lott, Ph.D., M.B.A. President and Managing Partner BusinessCreator, Inc. Ed can be reached at edl@businesscreatorplus.com 855-943-8736 610-437-8822 www.BusinessCreatorPlus.com

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