Local search is a very important way for your customers to find your business. This fact is especially true of retail and restaurant businesses. Many customers look up the place they are going to before they leave their house or while on their way. Customers look for the business address, phone number and directions. They may call ahead to check whether an item is in stock or for business hours before they meet friends. On August 6, 2015, Google made significant changes to local search, primarily in the "Snack Pack" results which will impact your company's listing.
Previous Results
Before the recent change, each local SERP had a small map and seven listings at the top of the desktop results page, directly under the paid ads. On mobile devices, the screen would show three listings unless you scrolled down. This list of seven was called the "Snack Pack."
New Results
The new version of the snack pack has changed to a list of three local businesses under the map on both desktop and mobile. While the Snack Pack still shows up under paid adds, the desktop and mobile versions are almost identical.
In a small town where there are only a few competitors in each category, this change will not make a large difference. However, in larger markets, the change from seven to only three listings in the Snack Pack makes the spots much more competitive. Local search has changed in other ways including:
- No longer listing the complete street address in the Snack Pack
- No longer listing the complete street address in the Additional Results section
- Complete street address only shows up in the panel result on the Additional Results page
Emphasis on Reviews
Along with higher competition to be placed in the three-pack, reviews are now a critical factor. Google is now starting to give selected test markets a choice to see listings with specific ratings. For instance, you can request to only see restaurants rated 4-star or higher. This choice means that customer ratings on Google+ are a big factor for getting seen in local search and being listed in the three-pack. Ratings on Yelp or other sites do not factor in.
Google+
There is evidence that Google is distancing the connection between search and Google+, but at this time it is still important to claim your Google+ business profile page. However, business images are now being shown through the Maps program instead of Google+ as they have in the past. Google+ reviews are the ratings that are showing up in the new three-pack.
Current Local SEO Tests
There is the potential for further changes as shown by the tests that Google is currently running on a limited basis. One possible change being tested in San Francisco is the insertion of home service ads in a three-pack instead of organic three-pack results. If Google institutes these ads globally, they will become a new income source for the search engine and many customers won't realize that they are sponsored ads because they look so much like the organic listings.
Penalties from Panda or Penguin
Another issue is for companies that were penalized in the last Panda or Penguin run. With only three listings at the top of the page, the likelihood that a penalized site will show up in the "Snack Pack" is low. These companies will lose a primary spot on the front page until the penalties are removed. Google is currently running a Panda refresh that is expected to last a few months. Companies that alleviated problems before the Panda filter started running should get reinstated. Penguin was last run almost a year ago, and there is no indication of the next one.
Optimizing for the Three-Pack
Although not every SEO is certain this new reality will stay in place, right now the best bet is to play by Google's rules. The new displays are the result of user experience feedback. If users do not like the new three-packs, they may change again. Here are several ways to optimize for local SEO:
- Concentrate on organic search
- Continue to build solid backlinks
- Make sure you are listed in the big directories in your industry, and get citations
- Invest in marketing
