It seems Google is rolling out Google Places integrated into search. Some locations are still in the previous style of local results, which for the sites in the organic results were an impediment but not the end of the world. Other locations are already showing the newer integrated Google places. This is the end of the world: As you can see the organic results are below the fold. Basically, nobody will ever get to them. This is good news for local businesses, and a death knell for guys who make a living out of portals, aggregators, directory sites, listings, etc. In the above "dentist" example, superpages.com - the #1 result after Place Search - has basically been wiped out and won't get any traffic any more, even though it is Numero Uno. For any result including a place name in the search query, such as "dentist" or "vet" or "weddings" or whatever, the actual bricks and mortar businesses will dominate the listings. Conclusion: The only thing portals can do to hang on is to roll out a Reviews feature ASAP if they don't have one yet. Google may recognize it and send a trickle of users who click to see the reviews mentioned in Place Search.
I think they will lose huge money on Adwords with this model. It wouldn't surprise me if it didn't last very long. This will also help the reputation management companies (in a huge way)
They will refine it but it will not effect the bottom line as much as you think. If someone is searching for something local then they will go to the local results. If they are looking for a service that can be anywhere then they will go below the fold. People will adapt to the layout and will know where to go. If people are currently going to those keywords and if they are looking for something local then they will not be adding to your bottom line anyways. I don't think it will make a major impact on the income of the non local results
Say what? ALL the sites in the serps are competing for local results. That's the whole POINT. If they are looking for non-local services they wouldn't put "tucson" or "jacksonville" or whatever in the search string. Let me break it down for you: if you are not physically in Tucson then you can no longer compete in the serps for any query including the keyword "tucson" because the serps themselves have been shoved where the sun don't shine.
I got you know. I did not look into this in detail because it does not directly effect me but it is something I will be getting into. Local will be huge. It looks like it will only effect directories that listed local businesses, right? So directories suffer and local get the money. The upside is this will open the flood gates for local business to make bank and seo experts to take advantage. Things are shifting but I like the shift because I see a big opportunity.
This increases opportunity for local SEO , sure short term pain for long term gAIN. Let face directories are dinosaurs anyways ...its over. Let get real local results and work on business in your area
that,s true with new look that it,s gonna be a winning position for local businesses but for those who optimize there place page as they optimized there websites. i use to optimize many local business place pages but i must say that only map optimization does not work like it worked before when there is no meter if the website is on 10th page, but the place page is enjoying 7 box so business gets leads now both optimization methods are essential to each other
I see that Google is changing very rapidly, and I am disappointed to read this information about Google Place Search. Can't wait to see what Google's next plans are.. Anyway, thanks for letting us know.
Ha ha ha, I think you get 1 but lost 10, we are ants and google like an elephant, google search is one of a lots of things make us run and run and collect coin ....
I hate this new model/look. I was the first place in natural ranking and now all I see is this local crap that takes up entire page with pictures as well. I have to scroll 60% of the page to see natural results. This is crap!!!