Heads up, local businesses: Google has yet again added (and subtracted) some key features in the Google My Business dashboard.

Here’s what you ought to know:

The “Introduction” Field

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Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, you log in to your GMB account only to discover that things look slightly different. That’s what happened when I went to edit the “Introduction”–or the custom “About” information that displays on a Google+ page (pictured above)—and it was nowhere to be found.

As of August, this feature is no longer part of the GMB editor, which makes good sense; the Introduction does not appear in search results or on Google Maps anyway.

If you still need to update the Introduction that shows on your Google+ page, here’s what to do:

Log in to the Google account that manages your GMB listing and go to aboutme.google.com.

Tip: be sure to select the page you wish to edit in the top right corner.

Find the “Story” section in the right hand column and click on the pencil icon. From there, you can update both your Tagline and your Introduction.

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Insights

Further separating GMB from Google+, you can no longer access statistics for your Google+ page from the GMB dashboard. Instead you will find some richer statistics relating specifically to how customers are finding your business listing.

You will first see a breakdown showing the number of customers who found your listing via your business name or address (aka Direct), versus those who found it through a non-branded search such as a broad category, product, or service that you offer (aka Discovery).

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No matter how small the customer pool is that finds you through “Discovery,” it is all the more reason to make sure your categories are filled out and accurate.

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Going beyond just the number of views on your listing, you can now monitor exactly how many visitors found your business on Search versus Maps. This is particularly helpful to track growth in either area, and you can toggle between them by clicking on the check boxes.

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If reading this has you second-guessing what your business listings look like, check out The 5 Essential Elements Your Business Listings Are Missing.

About the Author

Laura is the Content Director at PCG. She likes to sew, read fiction, go on day trips, and doodle on her iPad. She is also a "Diamond Girl" (aka more than your average Neil Diamond fan).