Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Knowledge Graph Dropdowns & Crowd Sourcing the Future on Twitter
On Friday Sebastien Socha alerted me to the fact that Google was now including inline Knowledge Graph Dropdowns in general and local search results.
Besides the fact that it provides mostly irrelevant, distracting. repetitive and non specific Wikipedia type results to very specific queries, I saw it as an annoying addition to local search with little of value for the searcher or the business.
Here is an example of the search result. Note that the Ikea Knowledge Graph drop down link with exactly the same, limited content appears above the fold twice as does the Yelp Corporate information panel. Given that the card is static, after you have clicked it once, you know all you need to know – never click again.
I didn’t have time to write about it at the time, so when Cyrus Shepard tweeted it, I retweeted his image.That led to a lively discussion about the present and future of Google with @CyrusShepard, @MikeGracen, @JohnAndrews & @SEOAware (Melissa Fach).
I am reproducing it here because it says so much about us as SEOs, Google, our fears, the present and the possible futures we all face. And it says a lot about how Twitter can sometimes be very enjoyable.
Google now showing Knowledge Graph dropdowns inline with your search results. pic.twitter.com/XCJ3xhqUCL
— Cyrus Shepard (@CyrusShepard) February 7, 2014
@SEOAware @mblumenthal @CyrusShepard Too bad it links logo to G+ page. It was almost like they were a search engine again.
— Mike Gracen (@mikegracen) February 7, 2014
Next step is G email “pls move all yr content to G+ page ASAP or we will manually probe you – The Borg” — Mike Gracen
@johnandrews if not complete control a fair bit of FUD
— Mike Blumenthal (@mblumenthal) February 8, 2014
@seoaware @mikegracen @cyrusshepard Next? G serves ALL webpages frm their servers so that "we can achieve the speed users wants w/o malware"
— Mike Blumenthal (@mblumenthal) February 8, 2014
I share Mike’s cynicism because as an industry we aren’t nearly cynical enough for reality — Cygnus SEO
@cygnusseo @seoaware @mikegracen @cyrusshepard I prefer to refer to it as "my healthy skepticism" 🙂 Google is big, we are little (Matilda)
— Mike Blumenthal (@mblumenthal) February 8, 2014
@CygnusSEO @mblumenthal @SEOAware @mikegracen @CyrusShepard many are now more cynical and distrusting of G than I was 3-4 years ago
— john andrews (@johnandrews) February 8, 2014
@johnandrews I see nothing but Skynet 🙂 @CygnusSEO @mblumenthal @mikegracen @CyrusShepard
— Melissa Fach (@SEOAware) February 8, 2014
I though, am excited about future. There will be grand opportunity to help businesses. — Mike Blumenthal
@mblumenthal I hope there are grand opportunities w/Goog in the future. You just never know. @cygnusseo @mikegracen @cyrusshepard
— Melissa Fach (@SEOAware) February 8, 2014
@seoaware @cygnusseo @mikegracen @cyrusshepard Was thinking broader opportunities than just G but I suppose we could all become "G+ Experts"
— Mike Blumenthal (@mblumenthal) February 8, 2014
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Comments
4 Comments
Thanks guys for redefining what I thought was just paranoia as simply cynical realism. When Google acquired NEST, my first thought was, “Great, now they have a thermostat that learns your occupancy routine to combine with the new robotic telemarketer they’re showing off. I can’t wait until my answering machine picks up and I hear, “Hey Dave, I know your home… you can’t hide… I know you’re there… pick up the phone…”
My vote was for the “skynet” tweet–but that was when I mistakenly believed I was paranoid–not cynical.
Glad we were able to help you upgrade your DSM diagnosis from critical to normal. 🙂
So does this mean we need a Google+ Brand and Local listing or does that result in duplicate penalty?
Neither.
This KG info seems to be coming from Wikipedia not G+.
You can have as many G+ Pages as you want. You can have only one Local Page per location but as many company, brand, event pages as you wish.
I don’t see much benefit in that but you can do it. And there is harm other than splitting YOUR energy.
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