Google said this morning that local search on mobile devices is growing faster than mobile search overall — 50 percent year over year. Partly in response, Google has been regularly adding new features to the Knowledge Panel and Google My Business (GMB).

Today, Google announced a new GMB API, new agency dashboard and new agency partner program. The API will enable agencies to manage additional categories of content, such as merchant descriptions and Posts for multilocation brands and small businesses at scale.

Google developed the agency dashboard in collaboration with a couple of its agency partners. The new dashboard promises to be fast. And it enables:

• A single registered account on GMB to manage an unlimited number of locations.
• User Groups to manage internal teams and control access to locations.
• Easier product workflows to manage listings.

Registered agencies are also being given early access to new GMB tools and features. They’ll have a dedicated partner manager and other benefits. There will also be a new partner directory.

Google said that multiple criteria were involved in evaluating potential agency partners for the new program. There isn’t a specific “number of locations under management” requirement, but Google wants to initially focus on agencies that are growing. You can sign up for the agency partner program here.

The new dashboard will become available in the next three weeks.

About The Author

Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog, Screenwerk, about connecting the dots between digital media and real-world consumer behavior. He is also VP of Strategy and Insights for the Local Search Association. Follow him on Twitter or find him at Google+.

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