{"id":15706,"date":"2013-10-23T18:23:22","date_gmt":"2013-10-23T22:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/?p=15706"},"modified":"2013-10-23T18:24:17","modified_gmt":"2013-10-23T22:24:17","slug":"google-testing-new-local-listing-about-page-just-what-are-they-thinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2013\/10\/23\/google-testing-new-local-listing-about-page-just-what-are-they-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Testing New Local Listing “About Page” Layout – Just What are They Thinking?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google is testing a new\u00a0enhanced “card” layout for the About page on local listings. The new layout, visible to me in Firefox only, was pointed out by Mary Kelly Gaebel<\/a> of ADP.<\/p>\n

The big difference is that the page now can be displayed in either a single, two or three column layouts depending on browser window width as opposed to the current fixed two column display. Reviews will now follow the same columnar structure as the rest of the page and will not be limited to a current one column display. While this view is not yet visible in mobile, one assumes that if the view were to become universal it would likely push to mobile as well.<\/p>\n

The page adds three iconic based calls to action near the top; review, directions & photos. The review summary has been moved up the page and photos have been moved down the page. Geo information including street address, category, hours, description and map are now consolidated into a single card near the top titled “Contact Information. “Similar Places” from around the web no longer show and “reviews from around the web” have been moved up the page to be nearer the top.<\/p>\n

The real question about this change is why here, why now. The About Page of the local listing has become virtually inaccessible on Google. Since reviews were pushed<\/a> to the front page and Places search was replaced<\/a> with a the new Google Maps, it takes searchers anywhere from 2 to 4 clicks to get to the page. I am confident that visitation has plummeted<\/a>. It is hard to understand a visual makeover of this page when there appears (at least to an outsider) that there are so many other more critical issues to deal with\u2026 Makes one think of Nero fiddling while Rome is burning.<\/p>\n

Here is a screenshot of the three column width view (click to view larger):<\/p>\n

\"three-wide-editied\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Google is testing a new\u00a0enhanced “card” layout for the About page on local listings. The new layout, visible to me in Firefox only, was pointed out by Mary Kelly Gaebel of ADP. The big difference is that the page now can be displayed in either a single, two or three column layouts depending on browser …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-google-plus"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t