Google+ profiles updated with Local reviews tab, larger cover photos

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,256   +192
Staff member

Google+ users have spoken and the search giant is taking action. Starting today, Google is launching some profile and page updates that members of the social network have been asking for according to a post from Google’s Sara McKinley which was later shared by Vic Gundotra, the company’s VP of Engineering.

For starters, Google is rolling out cover photos that are much larger than previous versions and feature better aspect ratios. From today on, photos can have a maximum resolution of 2,120 x 1,192 and will display in 16x9 when fully expanded. McKinley points out that more images can be used as cover photos due to the increased size.

google local google plus profile layout

Google+ users will now have an easier way to edit information as the “About” tab now consists of separate cards, each with its own edit link. Furthermore, there’s now a new tab for Local reviews alongside photos, +1s and YouTube videos. This can be used to highlight your favorite restaurants or shops or it can be hidden completely in the settings.

We are told that these changes will be rolling out gradually so if you don’t see them right away, just be patient.

The timing of the announcement and rollout is especially interesting as rival Facebook is expected to unveil an updated version of their news feed at a media event tomorrow. As always, we will keep a close eye on that announcement and report any major updates as they come down the pipeline.

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The cover is way too big if you use a large screen. It's awful. Also, I liked more the squared profile pic. This is a step back.
 
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