A couple of weeks ago Google updated its search engine results pages (SERPs) whenever you typed in a location based search – and what a major change! Instead of the ‘Google Seven Pack’ , as it was known, appearing at the top of the main search results like this:
now the results page has changed to move the map over the the right hand column and incorporate both Place and organic search results in the main results, like this:
But it’s not just a layout change. As well as moving where the map and results are appearing, there has been a fundemental shift in which businesses are being listed – and which ones aren’t. Take the above screenshots, for example. In the first one, you will see that the number 2 Google Places listing is for Fred Malcolm Jewellers. Take a look at the second screenshot and they are nowhere to be found (sorry Fred Malcolm Jewellers!). What has happened?
Well, as always we don’t know exactly, but our best guess is that Google has partly tried to improve the user experience but also it has tried to stop the ‘spamming’ of Google Places that had been taking place with things like fictional listings and reviews. The end result, however, definitely seems to be favouring those sites that have applied a good combination of organic SEO and also a well crafted Google Places listing – and that can only be a good thing.