New Local 3 Pack Advanced Hack PLUS Speculation: New Style Local Page Coming?

[Linda Buquet]

Wallery, here is the new post where I credited you with this discovery.

Plus another member discovered yet another type of display. A NEW TYPE OF 7 PACK!

Check both out here:
<a href="http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-local/35763-images-local-serps-2-more-new-google-local-displays-being-tested.html">Images in the Local SERPs - 2 More New Google Local Displays Being Tested</a>

Thanks again for sharing!

 

[Wallery]

Thank you. So far it seems like it was a test--but it seems plausible that it could be the next wave. The one scary part was that they listed search results below the reviews. In the cases I looked at, those search results contained competitor sites and directories (that sell leads and referrals). It seems like a lot of work to get all of Google's search results also to point to a client's site. If the client has enough reviews, the search results would be pushed below the fold. I guess we will worry when it becomes a reality! I am enjoying your posts on this forum!

 

[Linda Buquet]

OOps forgot to mention that part.

Thanks for reminder! Adding now.

 

[petrakraft]

Take a look at this example - https://www.google.at/maps/uv?hl=de...25feae!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4s

If you scroll to the end of the image row - there are e.g. some images from external sources like hotel.de -> those external sources do have a link to the extern website!
The business owner with their own images don't get that....

 

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Linda!
I've followed with such interest the creative ways folks like you and Joy Hawkins have found of getting to an actual Google+ Local page. You ladies are super sleuths!

The one drawback of these methods is the number of steps they take, and I just wanted to take a sec to mention that the way I've settled on of finding on Google+ Local pages takes just 1 step. As you guys know, I work for Moz, so I want to be sure I'm fully disclosing this in case it might look like I'm being promotional. Honestly, my only aim here is to share what I do, because it's so much faster than a process like the one you've described. What I do? I look the business up on the free Check Listing tool on Moz. Just enter the name and zip and if a Google+ Local page exists, we should not only find it, but also find duplicates of it. I've tried this on so many listings over the past few months and compared it to methods like Joy's and bookmarklets like Darren's and Check Listing has been accurate, time and again, without a bunch of steps.

I love the community here and wanted to be sure folks knew about using this tool, which really takes the sweat out of finding those Google+ Local pages and their duplicates. Hope this may be helpful to some of the hard workers here.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Miriam so much!

I'm almost embarrassed to say, I've never even tried the Moz tool because I think of it just for checking other citations. Never thought of it for checking for G+ pages.

Who knew???

I'll try it tomorrow then may add it to a post I'm working on for next week.

 

[seoWest]

We can also use Google's own tool at www.gybo.com which I believe should default to the nearest major city based upon your proximity. However, you can check to see if any business is verified and on the map by simply typing business name and city.

 

[Linda Buquet]

I look the business up on the free Check Listing tool on Moz. Just enter the name and zip and if a Google+ Local page exists, we should not only find it, but also find duplicates of it. I've tried this on so many listings over the past few months and compared it to methods like Joy's and bookmarklets like Darren's and Check Listing has been accurate, time and again, without a bunch of steps.

Hi Miriam, just tried it.

And cool it does link to the G+ page quick and easy.

But I don't think it's ideal for duplicate research. Well I mean it will pull up exact dupes with the same name, but not violation dupes with a different name, KW stuffed dupes, practitioner listings and closed listings with a previous name. At least from the check I did. It only found 1 out the 5 problem listings for the example I tried.

But I agree it's a quick and easy way to get to the G+ page.

However Priya's way in post #8 is easiest of all I think. Because it's right there in the Google listing you are looking at without having to leave and go to a different site and enter name and zip. You are already right there.

We can also use Google's own tool at www.gybo.com which I believe should default to the nearest major city based upon your proximity. However, you can check to see if any business is verified and on the map by simply typing business name and city.

Thanks Dino. Yes that shows the listing for the name you input. So that's a good one too, but again like I said to Miriam, you have to got out to another URL and input the data. With Priya's method, no other site to have to go to. Nothing to input. Just 2 - 3 clicks and you are there.

BUT every tool helps! Sometimes for dupe research in particular you may need to double check with a couple tools. For instance when I tried Michael Cottam's dupe finder in the example I used when I tested Moz Local, it only found 2 out of 4. I thought it would have found all 4 because it's using the API.

 

[Dave]

I have attached a screenshot as of a few minutes ago. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

---------- Post Merged at 07:07 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 06:59 PM ----------

Here is another example for "assisted living twin cities" after clicking on the 3 pack.

---------- Post Merged at 07:15 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 07:07 PM ----------

Here is the case if there are no reviews for the location.

The pictures in the law firm example are among the worst things I have seen. They are very wide and very narrow. Terrible pictures. You capture pars of a person's face...or part of him if its a vertical picture. What a FAIL!!!!

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey all, be sure to see this. Wanted to alert you in case you missed it:
<a href="http://www.localsearchforum.com/google-local-important/35835-new-google-local-3-pack-shake-up-definitive-overview-all-you-need-know.html">New Google Local 3 Pack Shake-Up: Definitive Overview - All You Need to Know</a>

 

[Colan Nielsen]

I'm seeing yet another test search result. This is what I am seeing after clicking a business's photo from the Local Finder and then clicking on the link that goes to VIEWS. Anyone else seeing this?:

 

[Linda Buquet]

Whoa, good catch Colan.

Remember I said Views was going away and being replaced mid August?

It's mid August, this must be it. Off to check it out.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[JoyHawkins]

It looks like that lists all the photos that plus page has contributed?

https://plus.google.com/110834084508689077362/about vs

https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/110834084508689077362


The long number string is the same.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Also if the business has written any reviews (b2b reviews), they show up too:

https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/110861441965302788502

It's basically the crap from the Plus page that Google is not showing anywhere anymore (the photos tab + the reviews tab)

 

[Dennis Cline]

Hmm. Following the 5-step process, my URL reads https://www.google.com/maps/contrib/longnumber/reviews/@geocode, but snipping the long number did get me to the G+ profile page. Pretty bizarre.

It's become increasingly difficult to rely on the stability of Google as a venue for marketing local business. Obviously, as Google is the 300 lb. gorilla in the room, we have to work around such vagaries and make the best of it, but I'm increasingly emphasizing other means of advancing my clients' interests. This constantly putting out fires is for the birds.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Ditto that Dennis!

 

[jonkeel]

What's going on in San Francisco?

Was just talking with a locksmith client in San Francisco who advised me the 3 paid listings test results have disappeared.

Set my location to San Francisco and searched for locksmith and then locksmith San Francisco and no paid results as there were last week.

Google testing something different now?

 

[Brian Barwig]

Good catch @jonkeel.

I did the same search and still see the ads but couldnt find them for any other queries. Here is a screen shot from just now.



Did the same search on mobile and didnt find the ads there either.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Good catch Jon!

But score one for the Locksmith that scored the Twitter profile listing.

I assumed when Google integrated Twitter it would be topic related Tweets.

Has anyone else see Twitter local business profiles come up on page one, like the one in Jon's PDF???

Oops haha. Just checked out that Twitter profile, he's a rapper or something, not a locksmith.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Good catch @jonkeel.

I did the same search and still see the ads but couldnt find them for any other queries.

Brian you added geo mod, Jon didn't.

I just replicated what Jon showed.

Then did plumber with and without city added. No city, no pack or ads. With city the new service ads.

I really think the difference is just whether you have geo modifier or not. If you add city it shows strong enough local intent to trigger the ad pack.