Wed, 6 Feb 2008 09:27:28 by Matt Hopkins
Google has recently implemented a change to how they display the local search results map in the main web results (aka the "OneBox").
When Google detects that your search query may have "local intent" and is related to a single location (e.g. The London Eye) or local business or service, it will display a map at the top of the results along with a company or location that it has determined to match your request. This section in the Google search engine results pages (SERPS) is also known as the "OneBox" - and comes in a number of variations - maps, local businesses, movies, video, etc.
Single Result in Local OneBox
For quite some time, these results were similar to the one above - limited to a single result or at most five results.
Multiple Results in Local OneBox
But now, Google has expanded this and is listing as many as 10 companies in the results - along with their web site and phone number. This is great news for companies promoting their website as part of a "local SEO" initiative as it provides twice the number of opportunities to be listed at the very top of Google. This sort of positioning could take much longer in the organic results; but now your company could actually now be listed on the first page of Google within a few days or weeks - you just can't beat that kind of impact.
Here's a few examples of how this is being displayed:
Search for Portsmouth Letting Agents
Search for Portsmouth Search Engine Marketing
As we have mentioned several times on this blog, Local SEO is going to be big over the next couple of years. Now that Google is making the opportunity even sweeter by including your local business at the very top of the main Google search index - what are you waiting for?
Matt Hopkins
Managing Director |
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