How SEO’s Can Take Advantage of Increased Meta Descriptions

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Google Increases Meta Description LengthĀ 

Iā€™m usually late to the ā€œSEOā€™s break the newsā€ game. Sometimes because I donā€™t see the tests (changes) happening right away, but mostly because I donā€™t blog about changes right away. Iā€™ve got other shit going on. There are plenty of articles and whiteboards out there already about what an increase in meta descriptions means. Iā€™ll break it down quickly, but Iā€™m more interested in how Digital Marketers can take advantage of this change.

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Are Big Brands Being Forced Out of the Local Stack?

 

Google Local in a nutshell
Google Local in a nutshell

Updated July 25th, 2016

It has been over 2 months since Google reduced the Local results from 7 down to 3. Since the change, Iā€™ve 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. Iā€™ve 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, ā€œmom 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.

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Google goes to Local 3 Pack

New Local Pack
New Local 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:

  • Do not have a website
  • Do not have a phone number
  • Do not have a Google+ page visible
  • Take 3 clicks to find a meaningful result

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