Organic Results - Now with Empty Google Local MapMarkers?

[Colan Nielsen]

Hey Everyone,

I've been seeing a good chunk of organic listings showing up with a balloon that takes you to the businesses listing on Google Maps if you click on it. I thought I had seen this once a while back, but I've seen several examples today.

Have you seen this?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

I think once, but if you are seeing more maybe a change underway.

What was exact search term used to get that shot?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

flushing auto insurance

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

Hmmm thought maybe you were sitting on a test server.

I checked and see same 2 balloons but split. One on top of pack and one below.

 

[JoyHawkins]

New Display for Microformats?

I think Google might have a new display for microformats. See 2 pictures below (before and after). Anyone else seeing this?

http://www.diigo.com/item/image/2robx/up3m - Before (with the plus mark)
http://www.diigo.com/item/image/2robx/abwj - After (as of today, with a dot that when clicked goes to the business listing on Maps)

 

[JoyHawkins]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

Crap - I didn't see this thread and started a new one. Linda, do you have a way to combine them?

http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/showthread.php?278-New-Display-for-Microformats

I am positive it has to do with microformats. I wasn't seeing the new format at first and then cleared my cache and cookies and now I see it on IE. I haven't deleted cookies on Chrome yet so I'm still seeing the old version with the +

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

Sure I had not read your other thread yet. Merged them, so your other post is 2 posts up in chron order of when they were posted.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: New Display for Microformats?

I think Google might have a new display for microformats. See 2 pictures below (before and after). Anyone else seeing this?

http://www.diigo.com/item/image/2robx/up3m - Before (with the plus mark)
http://www.diigo.com/item/image/2robx/abwj - After (as of today, with a dot that when clicked goes to the business listing on Maps)

Hmmm have not had time to investigate yet and had not thought about microformats but based on Joy's screenshots, think maybe that's it.

I'm up to my eyeballs in alligators today with other Google issues like the dupe search prob - plus have Local SEO training most of afternoon. So you guys brainstorm this or show more examples and I'll get back here when I can.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

Here's the full scoop on what we found - http://imprezziomarketing.com/seo-blog/google-maps/new-display-for-microformats-on-google/

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

Oh Perfect, thanks for sharing Joy! Running off to training, will read tonight when I get caught up.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Re: Organic Results - Now with Balloons

Mike commented on my G+ Post and basically indicated "I have determined that it is an upgraded Plus Box display which doesn't require rich snippets but any reliable web based address info that Google trusts."

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Joy,

Yep Mike blogged the story yesterday too, with more details.

<a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2012/07/31/new-local-search-result-display/">New Local Search Result Display – Google Upgrades the Plus Box</a>

Lots of interesting theories and screenshots over there too.

 

[Optimize Prime]

Looks as if it takes you to the address. Not the business listing.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Optimize Prime, good to see you and your smiling face over here. Welcome to our BRAND NEW forum!

The one's I've checked take you to the local listing on Maps. Then if you click the link from there it takes you to the G+ Local page.

I still have not had time to research this much. But one listing I checked with an organic empty map marker SHOULD have been in blended and was right in center of city. BUT had a violation - keyword added to title field. So I wonder if that's why it was that new weird marker instead of an A, B, B with link directly to the G+ L page.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Someone posted this example at Mike's and I just grabbed a screenshot.

Cincinnati buick dealers – all the new empty MapMarkers, no G+Local blended results.

Click image to view full size

<a href='http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/8/21307271923-orig.png'><img src='http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/thumb/8/21307271923.png' alt='Click here to view full size' /></a>
​

 

[Dino]

Yeah, pretty cool. It's been giving some of my clients better visibility. See attachemnt - Notice on my screenshot that it's referencing the client's Yelp listing in the new display and then the website (as it normally would) in the maps section.



Also, Mike's blog: http://blumenthals.com/blog/2012/07/31/new-local-search-result-display/

 

[Optimize Prime]

Here is a theory...

In other blogs it is looking like they have replaced the expandable map that showed in the organic ranks and making it look like locals. (Linking it to their Google+ local page)

As we all know, Google gathers information from countless data sources, directories, other search engines, etc...

What if they now have adjusted this to automatically add a Google+ page just because you have an address on your website?


I love this stuff!

---------- Post Merged at 12:56 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:54 PM ----------

Maybe a new way to track citations??

 

[JoyHawkins]

I feel like this might be difficult to explain to small business owners. I love Google having new features but I can just see the millions of questions in the forum about this now. Everyone is going to confuse the 2. I'm wondering where Google wants you to report it if there's something wrong with it...

 

[Dino]

Right, it's always tough trying to keep up with Google updates, though I hope this one lasts. I think there are opportunities here to give your clients more visibility.

Because Google is so unpredictable, I try to optimize other pages for my clients as well such as their Yelp profile, Citysearch, Superpages and so forth. Looks like the new update can give those clients an advantage. Not sure why yet. Still trying to figure this one out.

Dino

 

[Don Berthiaume]

Looks like Google might be back to using the Plus Box here on the East Coast. Anyone else seeing the same?


Wonder if its more than a coincidence that things seem to be "reverting" back to what it used to be?

Thread: Is Google Thinking About Abandoning the Zagat Rating System?



Hmmm... also just noticed that a particular search for me "hvac nashua" used to return blended results... now it's not.

But trying another search I've been watching "child care nashua" that still seems to come back with blended results.

Anyone else seeing any 'not what you've been seeing lately' results?