Matt McGee in a recent post, Google Maps push further into regular SERPs clearly laid out some significant changes that Google had made in the Local OneBox. I would like to add to his list.
From Matt’s post:
In its post, Google is trumpeting the fact that this new display now shows rating/reviews to make comparisons easier. That’s nice, but there’s a lot more going on here. Consider:
1. Gone forever is the text-only local Onebox display.
2. It looks like the number of ratings and reviews has gone up dramatically.
3. Google is very aggressive about using this display for anything closely resembling a local search.
4. Finally, very specific searches still bring up a single listing, not three.
Some additional thoughts:
1. The Local OneBox results now include a direct link to the business website. Thus a business will get site visits not just phone calls from a onebox listing and for the first time there will be an ability to measure results.
2. Google, in pushing organic results so far down the page and highlighting local results, is rewarding a bricks and mortar presence at the expense of a well optimized web site. There are plusses and minuses here but on net, I would choose reality as the preferable predictor of results.
3. Google has added somewhere between 10 and 12 entry points to their Maps product compared to 2 entry points in the previous incarnation of the Local OneBox. Given that there is little else to choose from “above the fold” the user either will visit the website or go into Maps.
4. There appears to be an increased use of the Authoritative OneBox. Previously it was shown when there was no competition locally but now is shown more frequently.
5. Google has changed the ranking algorithm for the results in the Local OneBox (more on this tomorrow).
Just as important are the things that haven’t been added or changed:
1. The coupons have not yet been rescued from obscurity and placed on the front page
2. Click to Call did not claim a place in the OneBox
3.While the highlighting of reviews may be more agressive, Google is still not updating reviews very frequently. This seems problematic.
4. They are still only showing three results. Why three? Why not 4 or 5 or even 6. The choice to stick with 3 denies many the opportunity for a listing.
One other thing that wasn’t added was a “submit your business” link, which surprises me a bit because they’re pushing so hard to get businesses to sign up.
Anyway, good stuff here, Mike.
Comment by Matt McGee (39 comments) — February 5, 2007 @ 1:25 am
[...] Google Maps – Even more that is going on here [...]
Pingback by Local Search Bonanza » Small Business SEM — February 5, 2007 @ 1:59 am
[...] Mike Blumenthal also has an excellent post from this weekend about the new changes to the way Google local onebox results appear, which is worth checking out: Google Maps – Even more that is going on here [...]
Pingback by Local Search Interviews -- SEO by the SEA — February 5, 2007 @ 11:15 am
Good point Matt…they could add it to the bottom of the main search results page or just to the right of the “more local results” link.
Mike
Comment by Mike Blumenthal (1957 comments) — February 5, 2007 @ 11:58 am
[...] Clearly, given the new prominence of the Local OneBox this sort of issue will come to surface with increasing frequency and will need to be solved by Google for their Maps product to have the level of consumer trust that their organic search product does. « Beware: Competitor Hijacks Google Local Business Listing? Maybe, Maybe Not! [...]
Pingback by Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google’s forced choice for the Authoritative Website — February 12, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
[...] I had noted previously that the Local OneBox change had provided between 10 and 12 new entry points into Maps from the prime territory above the fold on the main search results. [...]
Pingback by Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Hitwise confirms: Dramatic rise in Google Maps traffic due to Onebox update — March 6, 2007 @ 11:33 am