Whole Lotta Changes Goin On – New Google Places Layout, Dashboard and More
Google SERPS and Google Places are continuously changing and Google runs tests all the time. It’s impossible to know which of the tests we see will become the new standard format AND for how long. Back in July 2010 I was the 1st to break the story about the new “Blended” algo over at Mike Blumenthal’s blog. I was sitting on a Google test server and was the 1st to discover the test. Then 4 months later the results went live.
Today I want to share a couple new tests with you that are rolling out on a pretty broad scale. I’m not seeing the changes, but my clients and other bloggers are. One change involves some major Google blended and 7 pack SERP changes. Be sure to read below too for major dashboard changes that were just reported today. Sounds like it could include a change in the number of categories as well as category selection functionality.
CLICK HERE FOR To See FULL PAGE SERP
Original screenshot provided by Matt Prados at ChiropracticTraffic.com, enhanced by me.
Yesterday I was doing Advanced Google Places Optimization Training for Matt and he said he was seeing strange results so I asked him to send me a screenshot. (Thanks Matt) He was seeing different results with different browsers and also based on whether he was logged in or not. I’m waiting for him to get back with me to confirm which browser and what log in status the above image was taken from.
I believe Nyagoslav was the 1st to blog about the gray pins a couple days ago, but they were on the left. Google Testing Grey Google Places Balloons
Then Eric emailed me yesterday that he’d seen gray pins but they were still on the left. Here’s his post: Google Places Changes Pin Color!
Then this AM Phil blogged and shared screenshots similar to the one above, with gray map markers on right. He also shows a 7 pack layout with this new format. New Google Places Layouts w/ Gray Map Pins: Face-lift or Botox Shot?
DASHBOARD CHANGES COMING TOO? Jo from LollipopLocal just blogged about a very interesting new Google Places dashboard update she’s seeing over in the UK.
Most noteworthy: “The most obvious thing from my point of view is the categories bar – no longer separated into five boxes but one long bar with the suggestions from Google now appearing when you hold your mouse over the words. And, looking at my list without any editing, there seem to be eight categories listed…” Head over to her blog to see the screenshots.
Also if you missed it, be sure to read about the big ALGO change I recently discovered. More and more people are reporting a drop in rankings due to this. Google Places Algorithm Change – New Proximity Filter Can Cause Major Ranking Drop
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I couldn't believe my results! Went from #44 to #1 (Chiropractor Washington)
#1 Mike Blumenthal wrote on October 29, 2011 :
Linda, the change is map area is not new. Google has been doing this off and on, in different markets, with different terms for a long time. Since at least April it has become more obvious and perhaps more aggressive. See Andrew’s post referencing my tweet from the early summer.
Also I think that the view that Jo is seeing, is the new community edit feature that was rolled out last week NOT a new Places dashboard. It used to be that clicking on edit took you to the Dashboard but not it takes you to the community edit.
#2 Linda Buquet wrote on October 29, 2011 :
Thanks so much Mike. I agree it’s been rolling out to different cities at different times and seems to be getting more aggressive.
The main point I was trying to make in the proximity post is not just that the map is getting tighter – but that for several months and still now in many cities, the blended results were/are mainly controlled by organic ranking – there did not appear to be a proximity factor at all. (Packs somewhat, but blended, no) In blended, anyone within the city limits could rank if their organic SEO was strong enough. But for cities hit with the proximity lockout it even if you rank #1 organically and even if you are near city center but outside the radius, you can lose your blended ranking and your pin and reviews. It also for a long time seemed to me that the only high ranking organic sites that lost their pin and got disconnected from blended were sites with mismatched NAP or 800# or multi location offices where Google had a hard time connecting the site and Place. Now even if you do everything right, you can be disconnected just cuz you’re outside of the too tight map radius Google uses for that city.
Thanks for the insights about Jo’s post. I had not looked into it and just quickly added it to my post. so good to hear your feedback on that too.
#3 Mike Blumenthal wrote on October 29, 2011 :
@Linda
Perhaps it wasn’t clear from Andrew’s post, but for me the narrow map area was being applied to city+product searches producing blended results in the April timeframe.
#4 Mike Blumenthal wrote on October 29, 2011 :
PS Ie the blended results were controlled by a Map view, just a very broad one.
PPS.. do you agree about what Jo is experiencing?
#5 Mike Blumenthal wrote on October 29, 2011 :
PPPS I have seen these narrow blended results come and go and come again. It appears that it is not only geo specific but industry specific as well. I think
1)That Google needs to find enough appropriate candidates within in the narrower view
and
2)That however they assess user feedback must be positive about the change
#6 Linda Buquet wrote on October 29, 2011 :
@Mike Re: Jo’s post. Sorry have not had time to look/think in more detail. Up to my eyeballs in dupe/merge challenges on several listings today. Just did that quick post then had to get back in and try to get some of these listings working right.
#7 Gav Heppinstall wrote on October 29, 2011 :
The Dashboard observed @ Lollipop Local definately seems to be the community edit dashboard as opposed to the Business Login Dashboard.
There does eeem to be conflicts between the two dashboards though. For example the community edit dashboard seems to let multiple (more than 5) categories be entered in comparison to a max of 5 in the business login dashboard. In interested to see what Google does with more than 5 choices when presenting info to the end user.
With regards to the Proximity issue….im starting to pull my hair out!! I had several local businesses ranking A,B or C for multiple related searches with blended results, however now that Google has tightened the map and reverted to a 7 pack for most searches, im left waiting for an algo change.
Maybe if the Grey Balloons ever get rolled out, things may change. It certainly looks as if the screen shot is more “Blended” than “7 Pack”
#8 Linda Buquet wrote on October 29, 2011 :
@Mike re: “1)That Google needs to find enough appropriate candidates within in the narrower view”
I have a Dentist example that I don’t want to show publicly but would show you that illustrates what I believe is going on. (From my limited testing.)
Here is my theory using the Dental category as an example. Every Dentist is going to have the core keyword Dentist as their default category , even unclaimed Place pages G sets up can rank high. Even with those unclaimed listings G is going to give them all Dentist as the default category. (Same with Plumbers, attorneys, chiropractors)
So when you search for City Dentist there are so many Dentist Place pages to choose from right in the center of town that G’s radius tightens.
But then in this Dentist’s market, because it’s not a very savvy or competitive market (as far as Places optimization goes), hardly any of the Dentists have selected teeth whitening as a category. So when you search for city teeth whitening, the radius stretches and opens up to about a 4 city area to find enough Dentists that have that cat selected. So he ranks in blended for City Teeth Whitening, even though he’s on the far south end of town. He ranks in blended for all his other keywords too because G opens up the radius to find enough Dentists with those other cats.
Again it’s super obvious to me in this market because it’s not very competitive. Not that many Dentists have claimed and optimized their Place pages, so not many have good custom categories. So the radius stretches to be able to show ones that match the search. But EVERY Dentist in the area has Dentist as the core cat. So G doesn’t have to stretch far to find lots that meet her criteria, right in the middle of town.
2)That however they assess user feedback must be positive about the change
Probably true but I wonder how they do assess it.
However still can’t see where this is good for the user. If someone is on the far north end of town searching for a dry cleaner, dentist or chiro, seems they would want to see a good cross section all over town and pick one most convenient for them. They likely don’t want to drive downtown and fight traffic and parking. So only showing them providers in a tight city center radius doesn’t seem best for the user. Doesn’t seem like geo searches by IP are the right thing necessarily either. Someone may be searching from home on the north side, but they work on the west side and are looking for a provider near their office. So again seems best to show a cross section from around the city and let the user pick the location they are interested in, don’t just show city center providers.
#9 Is Grey the New Red for Google Places? | Understanding Google Maps & Local Search wrote on October 30, 2011 :
[...] *CatalystMarketing’s summary *Optilocal *LocalBusinessRockstar *LocalvisibilitySystem Please consider leaving a comment as your input will help me (& everyone else) better understand and learn about local. « Talking with Siri: My First Conversation Since 2007 That Wasn’t About Local – [...]
#10 Grey Pinned Results Now Live | Understanding Google Maps & Local Search wrote on November 2, 2011 :
[...] Comparison Old vs. New -Linda Buquet pointed out in the comments that the meta description is significantly shorter in the new Blended [...]
#11 Jo Shaer wrote on November 2, 2011 :
Linda, not sure what’s happening but if I comment using the email I used to register with the Catalyst blog, my posts won’t appear
What I was trying to say was:
I will make sure I check with Mike B before getting excited in future. I should know by now that you need to get up pretty early in the morning to get something new before him
What I did notice, however, was that the category changes I made to the community pages were implemented within hours, whilst the description alteration I made on the GP dashboard has still not been update four days later. Might be useful info for the future…?
#12 Linda Buquet wrote on November 2, 2011 :
@Jo, Sorry I have it set up that comments don’t go live til approved. HOWEVER akismet was putting your posts with your other email in spam. So that’s why you had problems posting at Mike’s too. You need to go to akismet and get that email pulled off the spam list. It happened to me years ago but I don’t remember what I did to correct the problem.
Interesting that the cats from the community edits went live right away.
Yes descriptions are still lagging. I had one go live instantly a couple days ago. But then when I phone verified after some minor NAP changes the description reverted back to the clients 4 word description. So go figure.
#13 Jo Shaer wrote on November 2, 2011 :
Thanks for the heads-up Linda, will check it out. Have found some posts dealing with the problem
Jo Shaer recently posted..Local Search via Google and Mobile
#14 Click Magnets! New Google Places Previews – Stand Out from the Competition - Google Places Optimization Blog wrote on November 3, 2011 :
[...] I blogged about some major local search layout changes Google was testing and the update started on Tuesday. The changes are still rolling out in some areas and some [...]