4 Critical Google Maps Changes that will Impact Local Search

[MichaelJ]

Yes true sergiuliano it will still show blended organic.

There are only 7 or sometimes 3 listings on page one. There is NO page 2 local results any more.

So my point with "Seattle chiropractor" in part is that the ranking order is totally different and the rank tracking programs had to switch to using Map search results order when Places search went MIA. And now the maps ranking order is gone unless you click view all. Then in that view, the order is totally different.

What, page one results will continue to display as they always have?

As of now then & as far as we know going forward, other than the "More results near" link missing we should expect the same as we get now - but only on page one? Doesn't this put an incredibly valuable premium to a page one listing if there are only 7 sometimes 3 listings on page 1?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Michael, you're right it does make getting on page one more valuable!

But also makes it much trickier to show a new client that was #46 how much progress you'd made and now you've worked them up to top of page 2. Because there is no page 2 per se.

However I have a feeling that that list you see with images and review stars when you hit "Go to top results" from maps, will be connected to regular search again. Possibly even Places search and more results will come back. But again the ranking order is totally different in that view. So who knows. We'll have to figure it out as we go along.

 

[Linda Buquet]

HACK! HACK! Thanks I'm feeling better now.

Who wants a New Google Maps HACK???
Tired of waiting for that invite???

Here's how to preview it without an invite.

Get the New Web Interface for Google Maps Now

 

[sergiuliano]

Many Thanks Linda!!! It works as a charm

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks, good to know!

 

[Jo Shaer]

Ha, finally had a chance to use my invite and go in and play here in the UK. Hate that SABs get no image in the report card but I guess, since it's a street view that's only to be expected. Also hate that it positions my pin in the centre of my town - because I'm an SAB.

In one search, I had two pins - one for my current SAB and one where I used to live - an address which was never listed with my business!! Not sure what that is all about.

Search terms are also very hit and miss with businesses showing that have no relevance to the actual search.

Also rather worrying in that I'm seeing an old suspended dupe listing for one of my clients showing up along with their main one - I do hope that's not going to rear its ugly head again!

 

[Linda Buquet]

but I think people are making a little too much of the new Maps. It's mostly a facelift...

Mike is seeing the shift that's about to come from this as well and just blogged about some of the points I've been making in this thread.

Is Google Local Changing the Metaphor For Local Ranking?

 

[Chris Ratchford]

Just got my invite this morning to the new Google Maps!

One thing that sticks out to me is the new search option of filtering "top reviewers" and "your circles".

So does this mean that reviews are a lot more important now? I recall David Mihm's pie chart showing that reviews, citations, links, and onsite SEO were equally important. Has this changed???

 

[Eric Rohrback]

Just got my invite this morning to the new Google Maps!

One thing that sticks out to me is the new search option of filtering "top reviewers" and "your circles".

So does this mean that reviews are a lot more important now? I recall David Mihm's pie chart showing that reviews, citations, links, and onsite SEO were equally important. Has this changed???

That's kind of the way I'm seeing it. "Top Results" in the maps change based on your search history as well (like Linda pointed out earlier), so this is a huge wrench in the gears. If Google will weight listings differently by customer sentiment (or "circle" sentiment), then we'll have to mix up the local search strategy a bit.

 

[Linda Buquet]

One thing that sticks out to me is the new search option of filtering "top reviewers" and "your circles".

So does this mean that reviews are a lot more important now? I recall David Mihm's pie chart showing that reviews, citations, links, and onsite SEO were equally important. Has this changed???

Well kinda sorta yes and no... in different ways...

Keep in mind MOST people still search Google, not maps. So being in the pack on page one is MOST important. There the organic ranking factors still rule the ranking order. Not reviews. Not citations. And I can prove that fact. So in that respect, no reviews are not more important - as general search ranking factors.

Reviews will become more important for conversions IMO even on Google search due to the red stars that are coming. If you don't have them because you don't have enough reviews I think that will hurt you.
So in that respect, yes reviews more important.

But as far as what you said above relating to "filtering "top reviewers" and "your circles" that's not so much about just getting regular reviews. I guess some folks will have a new strategy to get reviews from "top reviewers" and I'm not sure how you do that. I also don't know how you can be sure you have more reviews from every consumer's circle. PLUS don't think average consumers will use that option much if they are not tuned into G+ social and don't have many in circles, they'll just ignore.

If you are a non G+ user with no circles type of consumer, searching for Plumbers in Podunk Ia and click "top reviewers" or "your circles" you probably won't see much. Hopefully most folks will think to click "top results".

But then again as I mentioned before "top results" order is totally different than the 7 pack, so it seems there is a different algo at play.

I think one of the biggest things we need to figure out is what drives the algo to pick the listings that are highlighted on the map. So if someone just does a map search your client is lit up on page one and visible there right away without having to filter.

 

[Chris Ratchford]

Thanks for the explanation... Makes sense!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Colan brought up a good point. Duplicate listing discovery is harder/different with the new maps. I show some options in post #7.

Duplicate Listings and the New Google Maps