Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Bricks & Mortar Stores Getting New Local 3 Pack Treatment at Google?
It appears that Google is either broadly testing or perhaps rolling out (or maybe they did this last week and I missed it) a more visual 3 pack with fewer direct contact CTAs for bricks and mortar locations. It appears, at least for now that professionals like lawyers, doctors, insurance agents and service businesses like plumbers and locksmiths and hair dressers are still receiving the neo-classic treatment with an option to visit web site and click to call. This new 3 Pack style is similar to the restaurant 3-pack that has been around for some time.
Like most recent Google pack developments, this new style provides fewer ways for customers to move off of Google and onto the business website from the main search page. And in the absence of information like address, website url and directions forces users into the Local Finder with great frequency.
Whether this is a test or a rollout I am not quite sure but the fact that it appears on certain industry groups but not others is unusual. Are you seeing the new pack? Are you only seeing it on certain types of businesses?
© Copyright 2024 - MIKE BLUMENTHAL, ALL RIGHT RESERVED.
Comments
14 Comments
I am seeing the same for wedding photographers here in Seattle:
Pack I am seeing for lawyers, doctors, insurance agents, salons, plumbers and locksmiths
If you search San Francisco plumbers you’ll see Google experimenting with a “sponsored pre-screened” map pack. Not sure if this will become wide spread or not.
they keep adding things to that page… interesting – thank’s Jonathan 🙂
*for instance “select 2 to 3 pros to contact”
I can’t seem to trigger one in the UK (except the ones you referred to for restaurants).
I’m not seeing the new format for anything but restaurants (and casinos/bars)
…in Billings MT
Mike,
In Sugar Land TX, a jewelry store search returns the traditional three pack. However a search for “pizza sugar land tx” returns a mixture of your new three pack (with photos) and the old three pack (because it includes addresses). There’s also no phone number with the pizza result.
@Eric and Paul
Could you try this on mobile instead of destkop (or vice versa)? Also try with a different browser?
Mike, I tried Safari on desktop and mobile, searching Google, and got the same mashup three pack for pizza sugar land tx. It has the photos on the right, no phone numbers, and the street addresses with no cities.
I’m not seeing the new format (tested ‘jewelry appraisals’) on desktop (Chrome or Edge) or on mobile (Safari/iPhone).
However, I am seeing the new format for ‘churches’ on both Chrome and Edge on desktop, but not on mobile.
The ‘church’ query will only trigger it for ‘church + some variation of billings mt’ not for just ‘church’ or for ‘church + billings’
Pizza has long had this sort of display…. its the non pizza that I am seeing this on and trying to determine if its just a big test or something more.
@Mike,
Jewelry stores in Sugar Land TX on Safari desktop are the old style three pack.
Restaurants are like the pizza places — photos to the right, street addresses, no phone numbers, and no cities. Restaurants on mobile Safari, Google search, show the photo on the right, street address and no phone number.
I’ll send you some screenshots.
So I’m not seeing any three packs with the photo, city and phone number like your jewelry store example above.
I don’t see any change up here in Edmonton Mike 🙂
Comments for this post are closed.