Chicago Local SEO & Digital Marketing Consultant Near You
Iām usually late to the āSEOās break the newsā game. Sometimes because I donāt see the tests (changes) happening right away, but mostly because I donāt blog about changes right away. Iāve got other shit going on. There are plenty of articles and whiteboards out there already about what an increase in meta descriptions means. Iāll break it down quickly, but Iām more interested in how Digital Marketers can take advantage of this change.
Recently, Iāve been noticing more and more review snippets in Local Packs. Local SEO people have been discussing the new additions to the Local Pack, though there hasnāt been much discussion on what triggers the snippets. I analyzed 6 different niches and hundreds of searches to determine what, if anything, is triggering review snippets to show in the Local Pack. Below is what I found.
Itās been a bit since I last posted – nearly 3 months in fact. Been wicked busy and my brain has been focused on learning the ins and outs of my new gig. This post wonāt be anything ground breaking but should be fun.
I figured I should write a 2015 wrap up post since there was a good amount happening last year, not only in Local SEO, but to me as well. Letās just jump right in with some of the bigger happenings.
Updated July 25th, 2016
It has been over 2 months since Google reduced the Local results from 7 down to 3. Since the change, Iāve been attempting to analyzeĀ various items in the Pack – picture sizes, who is ranking, why they are ranking and what factors are keeping the businesses in the Local Stack. Iāve written several posts on how terrible the results are and what a poor experience the Local Stack has been so far. I think Google is doing some things to better the user experience but it still has a ways to go.
I have been noticing more and more small business, āmom and popā shops, located in the Local Stack since the change and decided to test my theory that big Brands are being pushed out of the Local results.
As being reported everywhere now, phone numbers and addresses returned to the Local 3 Pack today.
Ever since Google rolled out the new Local Stack and Local Finder, pictures within the Local Finder have been a huge problem.
I’ve been doing additional testing on the “new” Local Stack Pack and the Local Finder. Here are some additional observations from my testing:
Let’s go deeper.
I wanted to do some testing on the new Organic links showing in the Local Finder which just began rolling out the past few days. These listings are seemingly rolling out live for the whole country after some began seeing them this weekend and even more reported them today. Where isĀ G pulling the information in the Local Finder Organic section? Below are screenshots of test results.
A few quick things about the new Local Pack update Blumenthal is calling the Local Stack (so much for all my pushing of the Local 3 Pack).
As reported by Mike Blumenthal earlier this week, Google Local has shifted from theĀ 7 Pack to aĀ 3 pack. The shift was first reported as a possible test in various markets, is now rolled out to even more markets and should be nationwide soon.
The shift from a Local 7 Pack to a Local 3 Pack is a horrible user experience for several reasons.Ā Instead of seeing 5 or 7 local results, there are now only 3. Those three local results: