Summary
Google is in the process of restructuring its Google Business Profile APIs. LocalClarity is releasing a series of backend updates to maintain functionality while setting the stage for enhanced listing and reputation management going forward.  

Background
The connection flows between LocalClarity for Google Business Profile have been governed by the functionality made available via Google My Business v4.9 API.

Details
The new APIs use a federated model that includes separate endpoints for different functionality, borking into the following:

• Account Management API
• Business Calls API
• Lodging API
• Place Actions API
• Notifications API
• Verifications API
• Business Information API
• Q&A API

What's Next
We are very excited to build significantly more functionality onto these new endpoints. New functionality should begin to launch in May.

Summary
The LocalClarity platform can now be used to create new tickets in Zendesk.

Background
Brands need to manage customer communication and feedback across numerous channels. At the request of a client, we have added the ability to trigger custom emails that create new tickets in Zendesk.

Details
Accessible from Settings > Report Management, users can trigger a structured email whenever a new review is received from any source. The email can be sent directly to the address established in the Zendesk system to create new tickets.

Here is the Zendesk support note:
Your administrator can enable an option that lets you forward an email in your inbox to your support address to create a ticket on behalf of the original sender. Forwarding works for ticket creation, not ticket updates.

What's Next
Zendesk (and other CRM platforms) offer flexibility to accept name:value data pairs that can be parsed into custom fields. To support this functionality, LocalClarity will make the email's subject line and content fully customized for each profile.

Summary
Today, we are thrilled to ship two much-requested features. Users can now build keyword groups and organize a hierarchy of their review and media #tags into groups.

Background
Clients were thrilled when we launched the Automation Center so that they could "auto-tag" reviews based on the content identified, but more flexibility was needed to help with large sets of keywords (e.g., all the ways to identify the concepts of price, service, or even profanity). A new platform was needed to manage the build and maintenance of these keyword groups.

Details
You can find a new control panel in Settings > Manage Tag Groups. Clicking the Add New Group button in the top right will trigger our new dialogue box. Select "Keyword" and give the group a name (most clients are using a lowercase, no-space structure that mimics social media tags).

You can then enter in any number of words or phrases, separated by a comma. This group can be used to look for any review comments that contain ANY of the keywords.

After the Keyword groups are created, they will be available in the Automation Center.

What's Next
We are very excited to extend this functionality further to crate actions around not just individuals, but a new concept for Teams.

Summary
Users can now identify all of the brand and public images assigned to each location in their profile.

Background
The new Image Management module offered exceptional visibility to the media presentation of all locations in a profile, but users need to view media coverage across locations to look for missed opportunities.

Details
You will see a new primary sub-navigation item in Image Management for "By Location". You can view all of the brand and public images organized by location. Filtering and image upload data selections allow you to target the exact visibility.

What's Next
We will be doing several rounds of clean-up so that date selection and filters work as users navigate within the Image Management module. We will also be making it easier to flag images from this view.

Summary
Users now have expanded tools to easily tag and upload brand images in bulk.

Background
Local search continues to be more visual as Google expands the real estate offered to brand and customer images.

Details
In the Image Management module, you will see a new primary page-level navigation item for + Add New. Navigating into this section will present the listings for the profile. You can use the filters to identify just the right set of locations. 

When locations are selected, you can click the "+Media" item to trigger the pop-over.

Posting the media will start the upload to Google. You can track the progress in the History section.

What's Next
We have several updates planned for the coming weeks to extend this functionality further. Stay tuned.