Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Google Maps: Are the 10 Packs Now the Lucky 7 Packs?
Reports have been coming into my inbox and from the forums since early this morning that Google Maps is now showing with great frequency a new Local Universal Result- the Lucky 7 Pack:
The display is less cluttered and cleaner looking but once again limits valuable real estate and ups the ante on ranking. If this change is permanent it is the first display update to the Local Universal OneBox since they broadly introduced in January of 2008. One interesting theory mentioned to me was that the change was to make room at the top in anticipation of the coming Local Listing Ads.
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Comments
33 Comments
Same up here in g.ca, Mike….similar searches for most of our client channels now show 7-packs….for both services and mftrs, retailers and wholesalers too…
Dunno…is this what’s going to happen….1o to 7 to 1?
If so, we’d better get busy!
😐
Jim
Also noticed and posted about this new display this morning. I’m definitely interested in seeing how it affects the actions now for those that weren’t on the bubble spots (H, I and J). Should be more actions per impression reported in the LBC than before, but I also wonder if the reduction in listings will also make it appear more authoritative in the eyes of some searchers.
edit thought right after I hit submit on the last comment – should we coin API as a new acronym for local search just to add some confusion? actions per impression? buehler?
noticing the same here in the netherlands!
I’m definitely seeing it. This is going to take some getting used to. Mike, are you still seeing Oneboxes in their usual places as of this change?
@Miriam
I am still seeing OneBox in their usual (inappropriate) places. See this search: Luxury Apartments NY (now that’ a money phrase and result 🙂 )
@Martijn
It does seem to be world wide. Thanks for confirming
@Taylor
I am not sure that we need one more acronym to keep us high priests distinct from the hoi poloi. Perhaps I should ask Mike Ramsey and see what he thinks 🙂
But yes it will affect click thru and user behaviors. Please let me know what you see
@Jim
You get the Lucky 7 but not the Dashboard or stats. Man, it sucks to be Canadian. 🙂
In the 10 packs I have listings on, I noticed that listings located in the 9 & 10 spots moved up to 4 & 5 in the 7 pack. So I got a little bump. I’m not complaining about that!
I’ve been seeing it today as well. Actually didn’t notice it was only 7, just noticed something about the configuration changed. Wasn’t till I saw your post that I clued in that it was 7 instead of 10. lol
Are they prepping for the Local Listing Ads? By reducing the number of “free” listings, more will opt for the payed spots 😉
It’s funny, I just came across this 7-pack and thought to myself “I better go see what Mike B has to say about this!” I like the look of it.
Anecdotally, I’m also noticing fewer Sponsored Listings ABOVE the “10-pack”, even in competitive searches. For instance “restaurants new york” just returned a Lucky Pack with sponsored listings only off to the side. Certainly speaks to the idea of creating more real estate for LLA’s.
I’ll have a full post on my thoughts tomorrow morning. Way to continue to break the news, man.
I’m having trouble finding 10-packs for any queries now. Don’t know if it’s permanent, but it certainly looks like more than a small test.
The one box…. The one box shows when google has associated a specific search phrase with a singular company and not a general location. Take any one box and switch the search around and you will get a now 7-box… or 10 in areas that have not been updated. Unless its New York Luxury Apartments.
@meleighsmith
Yes it is quite attractive although once they add 4 Local Listing Ads, it too might still seem crowded up there.
@David
In studying several queries that are showing the ads, they are experimenting with top of page placements. I will put up some screenshots tomorrow
@Stever
That same thing happened to me. I looked, I saw but I didn’t really see until several astute readers hammered it home that it wasn’t a fluke
@Brian
It is definitely more than a test thats for sure.
@Thos
You are correct
I am a novice when it comes to the web. I did have a A slot on Maps, now I don’t have any slot??!
Yes i think that the change was to make room at the top in anticipation of the coming Local Listing Ads.
Then the sidebar with Sponsored links was shifted to left (more visibile and more clickable).
Yes,
it is 7 pack here in UK as well – I think it looks much cleaner and neater – easier to read. 10 was too cluttered.
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Someone just called me and said they could keep in the top 7 for $159 a month and that they were working in a partnership with Google…is that true?
They cal it
Google Maps “Lucky 7 Local Listings
Have you heard of this before and does it work?
There are no guarantees that they can make about the 7 pack. They will usually have you on the front page with adwords. Some of them do get you in the 7 pack but the ones I spoke with do so by breaking google guidelines.
There are a number of companies making these claims. They tend toward deception. The “relationship” that they “have with google” is that they buy adwords from google on your behalf and make their money by charging you $159 and paying Google quite a bit less than that.
They are unlikely doing anything you couldn’t do yourself cheaper
You can buy your own adwords and
Ginny,
No SEO has a partnership with Google. In fact, Google itself advises staying away from companies that make such claims:
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291
Look at the second bold bulleted line.
Thanks Brian…..You just saved me a ton of MONEY!
Thanks Mike Too!
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