Another Local SERP Display Change or Test - Reported by Colan Today

[Linda Buquet]

Colan reported on yet another Local SERP display change today.

Head over to check out the screenshots and let us know if you are seeing similar.

<a href="http://imprezziomarketing.com/seo-blog/google-maps/google-testing-new-type-of-local-result-again/">Google Testing New Type of Local Result?.Again | Imprezzio Marketing</a>

Colan dubbed this new display the Maps Knowledge Snack Pack.

But on his example query: ?Austin Courier? I see a traditional 7 pack.
So may just be a test.

But what struck me the most (since I can't replicate and wee the MKSP myself) is the fact that that search even yielded and snack pack. I hope that pack style is not slowing creeping beyond the food, lodging and entertainment sectors.

Are you seeing the MKSP???

 

[Dustybones]

Started noticing this last week. We have 5 computers here in the office and only 1 at a time was showing this result. Noticed it again this morning "Dentist Vestavia Hills, AL". Refreshing brings up a 7 pack.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Justin. You got the snack for a Dentist search? Not liking this one bit.

Refreshing probably made you hit a different datacenter. Hopefully just testing.

 

[Dustybones]

Gonna see if I can record the next time I see it.

---------- Post Merged at 12:33 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:23 PM ----------

Ok, So jeff and I just messed around with this. We are consistently getting the new pack when we are signed into a GMAIL Apps account through a canadian clients domain. We searched several cities in the USA and are getting the snack pack in everyone.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Gonna see if I can record the next time I see it.

---------- Post Merged at 12:33 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:23 PM ----------

Ok, So jeff and I just messed around with this. We are consistently getting the new pack when we are signed into a GMAIL Apps account through a canadian clients domain. We searched several cities in the USA and are getting the snack pack in everyone.

Thanks Justin!

I wondered if Colan was seeing because he was searching from Canada.

When you say you got on every one. Was that just Dentist and Ortho searches?
Can you check plumbers, personal injury attorneys and others and see?

 

[Dustybones]

Every search I do so far is showing the snack pack. I'm logged into a Canadian domain in Google Apps. Searched plumbers, personal injury attorneys etc.. Also, I am searching all USA businesses.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hmmm, thanks!

 

[Dave]

I haven't seen it on the East Coast yet. I assume its a test. If I start seeing it I'm going to complain each time.

This crap pack is going to crush smb's and traffic. Crush them. Its the ultimate "fix" to drive advertising.

I'd go to the bottom of each page and report that they are bad results. I'd highlight the pack and whine complain and point out how horrific the information is.

Then I'd copy the results and show counter examples with addresses, links and phone numbers. I'd send the two contrasting versions to media. Encourage the media to raise a stink.

Google is testing whether they can get away with showing this to the public....and if they can stiff smbs.

Frankly on the other side of the coin....I'd learn how to sell adwords. Which is google's intent.

 

[Joe Mink]

I'm here in Austin, TX and am seeing the traditional 7-Pack. No ads at the top, only sidebar ads below the mini-map. Both logged-in as well as incognito.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Thanks for sharing Linda.

The only way I could trigger this maps knowledge pack today was when I was in Chrome incognito.

 

[Joe Mink]

Update: So if I'm logged into Google (my location is Austin, TX) and I go to google.ca and perform the 'austin couriers' search, I see the exact same snack pack that Colan is reporting.

 

[Dustybones]

Update: So if I'm logged into Google (my location is Austin, TX) and I go to google.ca and perform the 'austin couriers' search, I see the exact same snack pack that Colan is reporting.

Thanks Joe. I see the same thing on random accounts I am logged into.

 

[Dave]

A three pack can be a miserable result. If its the crap pack with no link, address or phone number its a worse result. But showing 3 choices at the top as a "directory" is simply miserable....certainly in some cases.

I searched in Google on Reston Dentists: https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=reston+dentists

Google shows a 3 pack. 3 dentists on a map and 3 directory like responses with address, phone number and links. Then of course ads and organic results

BUT!!!! When I went to Yelp and searched in its directory for dentists in Reston, I stopped counting at 21 different dentists!!!! 21

Why is google stopping at 3??? Reston is a very large community in Northern Va. It has a population of over 50,000. Its been around for a long time.

If one searches for "dentists, Herndon, or Herndon VA Google shows a 7 pack. Herndon and Reston are next to one another.

Reston is MUCH bigger and more populous than Herndon. Lots more people live there and lots more people work there. And there are a lot of dentists in Reston.

As directory information the Google 3 pack stinks. Its not good for users. Terrible.

By limiting the visibility all they are doing is implying to dentists that the only way you'll get seen in Google is to advertise.

Its a terrible result. I'm going to complain about it in Google. I'm going to take screen shots, etc.

Why does google, with all this data, show such limited results???? As a user, its not helpful. Its clearly not the best way to look up dentists.