Google offers a variety of services and products for local businesses, and it can be challenging to keep them all straight. Most often, people confuse Google My Business, Google Places, and Google+. Here’s a quick rundown of each:
• Google My Business – The central hub for managing how your business appears on Google Maps and in search results.
• Google Places – Google’s original tool for managing business profiles. This service was retired in 2014 and replaced with Google My Business.
• Google+ – Google’s social media network (similar to Facebook), which was phased out in 2019. Google+ focused on joining and interacting with different Communities (public or private groups). Businesses could create Google+ profiles to interact with groups and post pictures and updates.