Tuesday, July 28, Google has added a small update, which can be handy for Google Search users. Upon searching for a specific local business, the search yields not just the information about the store's name and open hours, but also when it is most visited, according to a report in Tech Crunch. The data is shown with a bar graph that can be browsed daily by users.
Google has announced on its official post that the new feature helps users to be time efficient. It helps customers to see the times that are best for visiting, as they already know when the business establishment will be the most packed. The company has said in its post that the 'popular times' feature helps users save time by letting them avoid long lines when going to a particular place. Rush hours of business establishments can also be avoided, so as to keep users from joining in the surge of customers to the place.
For the business owners' part, knowing when their businesses are most visited can help them better understand patterns in their peak hours. Google, however, is not making the data available to individual businesses in further detail. Information is accessible on Google Search and owners will have to look for it on the website or app, just like everyone else does.
The search works by first typing in the name, where information such as opening and closing times, location and contact numbers appear under the business name. To view the 'popular times', click on the name and the bar graphs appear, showing the peak hours of a particular establishment from Mondays through Sundays or till when the store is open.
The 'popular times' in Google Search has been made available to "millions" of businesses around the world, the company claims. Google Search is available to android users with the Android Google Search App, and pretty much anyone with internet connection can access Google Search. The feature is not live to many Google users as of yet, according to Tech Crunch.
