Google Local Results Gone?

Linda Buquet · Mar 23, 2015

UPDATE 4/1 A BUNCH of people are reporting missing Local Packs today. I mean local results TOTALLY gone and it's no April Fools joke.

See starting at post #16 below.

Then this post starts the original issue where it looked like packs were gone but they were just hiding.

Was surfing this weekend and saw a SERP display change that concerned me a little.
Hope it's only a test!

You search on desktop. If there is no map on top right, you think no pack or local results, right?
Well think again and scroll WAY DOWN!

Searched for "Dentist" (No GEO modifier, location set to Los Angeles.)
Also checked NY and San Diego. Then checked Chiropractor - same thing.

Had heart attach after 6 searches with no map. Thought the local results were gone.

No Map or pack - only ads, organic & news above the fold!
(22 inch monitor, using FF)

<a href="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DentistNoMap.jpg"><img src="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DentistNoMap.jpg" alt="DentistNoMap" width="65%" /></a>

Scrolled down and saw this!
Map and pack WAY BELOW the fold.

<a href="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DentistNoMapBelow.jpg"><img src="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/DentistNoMapBelow.jpg" alt="DentistNoMapBelow" width="65%" /></a>

Did several searched for Dentist & Chiropractor with no GEO modifiers. NO map or pack above the fold.

However searching Dentist or Chiro WITH City, shows the normal display with map on top.

Next I searched for Plumber, Shoe Store and Pest Control in those cities and they all showed the map on top. The standard display that alerts you that it's a local result with a pack.

So from my limited checking only Dentist and Chiropractor had this new display.

Now most SEOs search WITH GEO. (I think, or maybe I should speak for myself.) But the majority of consumers search 1st with NO GEO, then add it if they don't get the results they are looking for.

So I'm wondering if surfers looking for medical, not using a GEO modifier will just surf away thinking there are no local map results? Where will they go? Maps? Bing? Yahoo?

I guess many will scroll down. But I spot checked 6 SERPs, thinking local results were gone, before I realized the map and pack had just been pushed way down below the fold.

It was late, I was tired. Maybe not a big deal. But to me seeing that map on top right is what sort of signals that there are local results on the page. You too?

What do you think???

Are you seeing same thing? Or is this just a test that only I am seeing?

P.S. Like my gif?

cdawg2610 · Mar 23, 2015

interesting - I'm still seeing the map and local pack in the "used cars" search I know well.

I wonder if it has something to do with the display of medical info Google seems to be doing more of.

Linda Buquet · Mar 23, 2015

Yes the map and pack is still there for most terms I checked. And even for med when city was added.

Just not for Dentist and Chiro without GEO.

Yes, my 1st thought was I wonder if they are coming out with a Dr/Dentist finder type of "pay to play" listings - similar to their monetization efforts in the insurance and travel markets.

Myles Anderson · Mar 23, 2015

I tested a handful on non-Geo terms on google.co.uk & .com using US proxies.

I tested some medical terms & non-medical.

I see results + map above the fold on all searches.

Sounds like you're in a testing bucket Linda. Please keep us informed of any further changes you see.

Linda Buquet · Mar 23, 2015

Thanks Myles, was hoping it was only a test!

Stefano Romero · Mar 23, 2015

Hey Linda Im seeing the same. Location set to Miami. Search was for dentist. Another thing which is seemingly insignificant, but just thought Id bring it up is that I searched for "dentist" in all lower case and the word was capitalized automatically at the results page.

Perhaps to match/bring up the wiki info

Linda Buquet said:
Yes the map and pack is still there for most terms I checked. And even for med when city was added.

Just not for Dentist and Chiro without GEO.

Yes, my 1st thought was I wonder if they are coming out with a Dr/Dentist finder type of "pay to play" listings - similar to their monetization efforts in the insurance and travel markets.

Linda Buquet · Mar 23, 2015

Thanks for confirming you see it too Stefano!

dlredd · Mar 23, 2015

Yeah, everything was the same on mine(searching in Draper, UT) I hope Google doesn't decide to do something weird with the map and local pack.

hollypowell · Mar 23, 2015

I'm seeing the same

Linda Buquet · Mar 23, 2015

Thanks for confirming Holly!

Rich Owings · Mar 24, 2015

I checked dentist and chiropractor, without geo-modifiers, and I'm still seeing the map pack above the fold.

Chris Ratchford · Mar 24, 2015

Interesting. Wonder what's going on.

Here are some SERPS using Google Chrome's Incognito browser:

Linda Buquet · Mar 24, 2015

Thanks Rich!

Thanks for the screenshots Chris.

Interesting, in 1st 2 pack is right up there, just the map is not.

billbean · Mar 24, 2015

We've got to accept that Google will be constantly testing. Makes (work) life interesting, if not crazy.

For the "dentist" query I think it's safe to say that the intent is uncertain. Likely that those searchers are looking for a local dentist. Testing, repeatedly, is how Google will decide.

As you said, Linda, with Google change is constant.

Greg Gifford · Mar 24, 2015

Linda -

seeing it in Dallas too - BUT, the pack is still way up at the top, only 2 or 3 organic spots above it - and the map is way down on the right...

BUT - the first time I did it (in Chrome, incognito), it loaded the page, then did a weird flicker thing where the map temporarily popped back to the top for maybe a half a second.. very strange...

just doesn't make sense - why would you show pis for the pack if you had to scroll down past the pack to see the map it corresponds to?

Linda Buquet · Apr 1, 2015

A BUNCH of people are reporting missing Local Packs. Wonder if it's really this?

Can anyone confirm?

Or did local just disappear for a few hours?

cdawg2610 · Apr 1, 2015

I'm still seeing them for my vertical

Linda Buquet · Apr 1, 2015

Gyi Tsakalakis on Twitter said no, for a bit they were all totally gone.
He thinks just a test.

I think maybe a glitch. BUT it could also be rumblings of some kind of display update that's trying to roll out.

Ron Russell · Apr 1, 2015

I am still seeing this for non geo-specific searches for "dentist" in some locations but not all. Geo-Specific searches all appear normal.
Best,
Ron

Stefano Romero · Apr 1, 2015

I still see the local pack come up for both keyword + geo and keyword alone.

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