SearchInfluence

Recently, I decided that life would be simpler if I got a Mohawk — but a nice Mohawk, one carefully mown and primped into shape by a professional.  I looked up my options with Google maps. This way, I could see where the salon my friend recommended me was located, how far it was out of my daily route, and what other closer options were. Google Maps gave me a pincushion map of the New Orleans area, and I started browsing each salon along my route from work to home.

Hot on the heels of big redesigns to a whole suite of Google services, including Docs, Reader and Gmail, searchers will soon see shakeups in the way local listings are displayed on their results pages. Instead of the familiar red pin of Google Maps, searchers looking for businesses matching a given term such as breast augmentation Maryland will now be greeted with a row of grey icons which can be expanded with a click to show a highlighted popout with site preview, map and reviews:

Google Places results page when no selection is highlighted.

Results page with mini-Place page expanded.

Google is feeding local business owners to the wolves with their latest Places update. Lior Ron, Google Places Product Manger, announced yesterday evening that Google will be “helping” business owners keep their business listings updated by now allowing anyone, mischievous competitors included, to edit your entire Places listing for you. Yes, even if it is verified.

How… thoughtful of Google.

It’s been nearly four years since I’ve left New Orleans on any kind of leisure trip, but this weekend, I’ll be out on the road to Austin for my first “I’m an adult” vacation. Leading, for the most part, a frugal and boring existence, the task of planning a vacation is one that’s both foreign and daunting for me. This trip marks the first time I’ve ever booked a hotel on my own, and how did I go about booking?