SmallBusinessNewz

Most brick-and-mortar small businesses don't exist in a vacuum; they're located somewhere in the vicinity of other organizations, and may even be in that exact spot for a reason.  So a new Google Maps feature called "Nearby places you might like" could turn out to be of significant value.

Google hasn't said a whole lot about how this feature works, and a blog post announcing its existence just gave one example of the system in action.  Still, the basic idea is that a user will look up a certain place, and Google will provide a list of recommended businesses that are located nearby.

Then here's the important part: the recommendations seem to steer people away from establishments that aren't especially unique.

For example: Google recommended something called Roasting Plant Coffee to a theoretical New Yorker who looked up a bakery, even though Starbucks and fast food places that serve coffee must be easier to find.

Let's hope this feature continues to favor small businesses as Google fine-tunes it over time.  It's easy to see how companies could get a lot of new customers as people use Google Maps to plot different trips around a neighborhood.