Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

[Colan Nielsen]

[FONT=Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif]Joy just wrote an interesting post on what appears to be the shrinking of the font size in the local search results. Anyone else seeing this?

[/FONT]Google Shrinks Font Size for 7-Pack Google Places Results | Imprezzio Marketing

 

[360 Spin]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

No change here in the UK ( at the moment )

 

[Stefano Romero]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Definitely seeing it here (Miami). Saw some like this last night, but today they are everywhere.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Thanks Colan, saw your post this AM but have not had time to check in detail. Will soon.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Tony]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Google seems to be playing around a bit today. It seems that Blended results have disappeared.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Got your PM with more info Tony.

I'm not seeing any of that. All the same to me.

You must be sitting on a test server.

 

[Tony]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

So far, you're the only one I've talked to not seeing it. Go figure! I can't imagine it will last, but it's definitely...something.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Ya I'm seeing same old serps and am not seeing reports anywhere else yet.

The reason I asked for screen shot in PM, is people use different terminology.

When I say blended I'm referring to the pack.

Are you saying the pack is gone? For all searches everywhere there is no more local blended 7 pack?

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

OK based on tips from Tony, followed a string of Tweets. Cannot see the update in most SERPS but found a WEIRD one.

Search Chicago Lawyer: https://www.google.com/search?q=chicago+lawyer&ie=UTF-8

​

Hat tip to Jared Mckiernan on Twitter.

So def looks like there is some sort of shakeup going on!

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

OK so I figured out PART of what's up. People, including Joy and Tony are reporting doubles on page 1. Some that rank in the pack also rank in organic.

That combined with the "more results near city" link tells me that Google is starting to show the OLD pack layout. (Which has been around all along, but you would normally only see it for small towns or non-competitive searches.)

Check out seattle chiropractor. Several lucky Chiros have double #1. They are in the pack also rank below in organic.

TONS of DOUBLE #1 being seen and reported!

 

[Stefano Romero]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

You are a sleuth Linda! This could be great news for the clients who had been blocked form entering the pack due to having their site in organic already. I know you had one dealing with this. Can't wait to see how it shakes out.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

I'll likely start a new thread soon since this is no longer a font size update.

Looks like lots of stuff is happening. I'm getting other reports and will try to pull it all together in a new thread when I get a chance.

 

[whitespark]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

This is looking like a major update to local, not just a change in display.

1. Businesses can now rank in the pack and organically with the same landing page URL
2. It kind of looks like the pack might be driven directly from Maps now, possibly indicating that the pack is driven purely by local factors now. In other words, no longer blended. 9 out of 10 queries I check, the pack matches up perfectly with the top 7 results in Maps. I'm still looking into this before I make any conclusions.

I'll report back once I've investigated further.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Thanks Darren, yes that's what the old Places algo and display was like.

Pack pure local, not blended. So if you ranked high in both maps and pure organic you'd get a double.

So this does not look like a quote "new" update. Looks like we are going BACK in time to the old Pack algo, that was still around but you would hardly ever see it anymore.

Weird.

And yes I'm still checking it out too.

My gut tells me that going BACKWARDS to the old Places algo is a Google brainfart and she's trying to push out some other bigger, different update but something got jumbled up and this is a temporary glitch. (Nothing to base that on, just pure gut reaction.)

 

[Marie Ysais]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

I can't SEE IT but I am hopeful it will role out into Austin !!

 

[aaronwatters]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

I'm seeing the same thing in San Antonio, Texas and Fresno, California. A number of my clients who "used to" have 2 results in the top 5 (back 8 months ago) are now back at it again. A lot of our home service companies have been moving around over the past 72 hours. Confirmed, merged results are gone.

This makes me wonder about the ranking factors for the map pack...have they changed?

I still have a feeling this change isn't permanent....right? Right?

 

[Tony]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

My gut tells me that going BACKWARDS to the old Places algo is a Google brainfart and she's trying to push out some other bigger, different update but something got jumbled up and this is a temporary glitch. (Nothing to base that on, just pure gut reaction.)

I agree with your gut. I'll take it, however. lol Makes it much easier to explain to clients than "No, you see 'blended' is...".

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Hang onto your seats!

Fasten seat belts. Maybe even wear a hard hat!

I predict we are in for a wild ride this weekend!

 

[whitespark]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

Here's one case that contradicts the "pure maps algo" theory.

Pack: https://www.google.com/search?q=car+dealers+miami

Maps: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=car+dealers+miami

Kendall Toyota is able to break into the #2 spot in the pack where they rank #11 in Maps. So, they must getting the boost from organic factors.

It's a rare example though. Most searches match the pack and Maps results perfectly. Still looking...

 

[Stefano Romero]

re: Google Local SERP Update: Old Pack Algo & Doubles

An entire SERP just changed when I clicked search again to refresh.

Im seeing doubles for plastic surgeons in:

Orlando, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, NYC, Philadelphia, SF, Las Vegas, Atlanta, San Jose.

However not all of the local results are lined up with maps (yet?).