Google Places Dashboard Gets A Much Needed Update.

On April 2nd. Google announced that they will slowly begin implementing new changes and updates the their Google Places Dashboard. They say the new changes will decrease the time before changes go live and will help the integration of Local with other products and services that Google provides.

The new dashboard is more than just a design overhaul. It features an intuitive widget that tracks and displays how “complete” your listing is and gives you feedback on information that you should include in order to have a successful profile. This update also features improved insights and analytics and will also allow you to manage your AdWords Express campaigns directly from the dashboard.

It seems that Google is finally bridging the gap between the now defunct Google Places and Google Plus. New profiles will have all the benefits of this new layout as soon as they are created, where as current profiles will have to wait as Google slowly begins converting and upgrading the existing listings. Which is good news for small business and the SEO companies and marketers that manage them.