Breaking: Will Google Kill Search Location Setting? Bad News for Local SEO if So

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks for confirming Jason. Sounds like she's still just testing and all we can do it hope that by the time this rolls out it's improved and includes location settings.

 

[Chase Billow]

FWIW, on different computers, different locations (same city) and same browser (Chromium based), I get two different formats. On one, I get the old, left-hand nav with the location and option to edit. On the other, I get the top nav with the new "search settings" with location in there and the option to edit.

 

[Andrew Forster]

In Firefox, and Chrome both logged in, and out of my Google+ account I'm only seeing location selection on left sidebar - so looks normal to me. Bright Local is probably crapping their pants right now

** Edit - this is in Edmonton, Alberta Canada FYI

 

[sergiuliano]

Google Search Page layout has nothing to do with the google search syntax, so yes thats true, users could encounter difficulties in changing location but Keyword Rankings tools will be there to help as they will still be able to receive the results.

 

[KabanaSoft]

Google seems to be testing the crap out of this new layout right now in my area...at this point the new layout seems to be displaying randomly...sometimes i see it using Firefox, then i switch to Chrome, i don't see it, sometimes it shows using private browsing or being logged into Google account, other times its still the old layout.

In any case i'm working on updating the code for Places Scout so it can detect what layout is being displayed, and work with the new layout accordingly. That way Places Scout will still work no matter what layout they show.

Almost done with the new code, testing it now, seems to be working well with the new layout. Will release an update soon .

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Mark - knew you'd be pulling your hair out AND on top of it at same time!

TONS of complaints about it at the Google Search Forum keep coming in. Guess there are lots of different problems aside from the locations setting.

Tools & Filters missing from Left Sidebar - "Search Tools" Useless - Google Groups

 

[Linda Buquet]

WOW - So I just got the update on Chrome and was able to play with it a little.

So far everything checks out OK for me. I have city location settings as before and so far it looks like nothing else important to me has changed. Still have Place Search and Maps Search and they still appear to work the same.

It's a little different than what I'm used to but all the features I use are there.

WHOOHOO, just found an interesting new feature. Hang on, let me play with it.

 

[Linda Buquet]

OK no more testing or messing around. It was just officially announced - done deal.

Spiffing up your search results page

Rolled out or is rolling out in US for now, but sounds like our members in other countries have been seeing it sporadically.

The NEW feature I discovered is not new it turns out after some research. However, I've never seen it before and I've never heard anyone in local talk about it. Search "Nearby". Under the "All Results" drop down in search tools, can filter by "Nearby".

 

[Jason Kamara]

Linda, thanks for the Blogspot link. While the new top nav bar layout is inconvenient, it's the inability to manually choose location (on Google.com) that gets me. I'm going to see if I can append the location parameters to the query URL manually.

Mark has already finished the update to Places Scout. I can't imagine what it must be like to work with a continuously changing Google API - nerves of steel maybe?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Oh so you are still missing location settings? I have them. I wonder if it's still just buggy, still in testing or or not quite finished for Canada?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Good article in INC about how the new layout could affect search.

How Google's SERP Redesign Could Affect Your Business | Inc.com

 

[Simon James]

I think I prefer it; the new layout is the best way of giving advanced search capabilities on mobile... so why not have a consistent approach?

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

This was a good article about the potential affects - and I tend to agree with the analysis (that organic may get hurt and PPC may see more clicks).

Personally, I like the new layout. It is much cleaner.

Travis Van Slooten

Good article in INC about how the new layout could affect search.

How Google's SERP Redesign Could Affect Your Business | Inc.com