Google Maps Gets More Social

Opinion: The app continues to emulate Yelp

Navigating the world became a whole lot easier 13 years ago, when Google launched Google Maps.

Within two years, Google started to make Google Maps a social experience by allowing users to post reviews of local businesses. Not only could users find businesses on Google Maps, but they could also leave public ratings and reviews.

It seemed like Google was trying to keep pace with Yelp, which had launched at roughly the same time as Google Maps.

When smartphones exploded in popularity, the ability to provide both wayfinding and recommendations became even more critical as Google Maps became a mobile application.

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