Google is rolling out some big changes to its search engine and local interface. With these updates, users are given the ability to see their locations on a map as well as nearby results. These modifications will be available in English first with more languages coming soon after.
Google has confirmed to SagaReach Marketing that a new local pack and map design is being rolled out in Google Search results. For desktop search results, the new design shifts the map to the right side of the local search results, often known as a “local pack.”
The confirmation from Google. “We’re always investigating methods to connect people with the useful information they’re looking for,” a Google spokeswoman stated. When consumers search for locations or companies nearby, such as ‘parks near me’ or’restaurants near me,’ they’ll get local results on the left and a map on the right, thanks to a change to the Search experience on desktop. We anticipate that this will be widely accessible in the next weeks.”
The new look. A snapshot of the map on the right side of the local search results is shown below:
The previous design. This is how it used to look, with the map at the top and the local results below it:
Testing. Google has been testing this new design for many months, and we only observed a surge in the amount of individuals who have seen it this week. In fact, I’ve been seeing it personally in recent days. As a result, we requested Google to confirm the deployment, which it has done.
Why should we be concerned? If you or your clients get a lot of traffic and business from Google local results, you could notice some changes. The map has been moved from the top to the right side of the page, and the local results are now further up on the desktop search results page.
I have just heard other local SEOs mention that their local search traffic has changed lately; we assume it was due to a local ranking tweak, but it might possibly be tied to this design change.
In any case, look at the questions in your Google Business Profile insights that you score highly for and see how they show in desktop search. Depending on the design update and placement of your local listings, it might imply more or fewer traffic.
Author Biography
Barry Schwartz is a SagaReach Marketing Contributing Editor and a member of the SMX programming team. RustyBrick, a digital consulting business located in New York, is his company. He’s also the founder of Search Engine Roundtable, a renowned search site focused on advanced search engine marketing subjects. Cartoon Barry is Barry’s personal blog, and he may be followed on Twitter here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Google change its interface?
A: Yes, Google has changed its interface. The new interface is known as the Material Design 2. It was released on November 17th of 2017 and its a complete overhaul of Googles design language.
Did Google change their search results?
A: Apparently, Google changed their search results in order to combat fake news. This caused quite some controversy and many individuals were upset with the new changes from Google.
Does Google Maps affect SEO?
A: Yes, Google Maps is one of the most popular websites on the internet. This means that not only are people searching for it with keywords they think will be relevant to them, but also by typing in Google maps because they might want to search other places near where a business or place is located.