Google Chrome mobile adds local places to Chrome Actions

Google Chrome for Android has added new local places features to Chrome Actions, that will allow Chrome users to quickly call, get directions and read reviews from a local business directly from the Chrome search bar.

What Google said. Google announced it added “new Chrome Actions to help you save time when you’re trying to engage with places like a local business. For example, when you search for a restaurant, you’ll see shortcut buttons in the search results to quickly do things like call, get directions and read reviews.”

Android first. This is first launching on Android today and will be coming to Chrome for iOS later this fall.

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot showing those Chrome Action shortcut buttons. You can see it shows a mobile phone screen doing a search for “verdant valley,” with options underneath the Chrome address bar to “call,” get “directions” and read “reviews.”

Why we care. This may lead to more visibility for local businesses within the Google Chrome Android and, in the future, iOS platforms. Searchers would be able to click to call the business, get driving directions or read reviews a bit faster than when performing a full search in Google.