Update on New Changes in Google Maps and Local Search

There have been some major changes rolled out last week in local based searches with the blending of organic and local search results listings. Have you noticed them?

Where previously the Google Places map appears in a box above the organic search results, the map has now moved to the right and the local maps results are being blended with the organic results.

Mike Blumenthal has a good post with before and after analysis of some local based searches he has been tracking.


Key Take Aways

Based on the analysis so far it seems:

• Google is not replacing organic results with local results. Rather they are merging the Local and Organic results and showing the exact same number of total listings on the page.
• Some local listings though that previously had 2 listings, one local and one organic, now get only 1 consolidated and enhanced listing and only one link to their site.
• Local listings with both an organic and local presence were consolidated into a single listing.

Our own testing is showing a lot of variations in listings with some clients with both page 1 organic listings and local listings moving up and some dropping.  Obviously any businesses with both a local listing and a page 1 organic listing are now being merged.

You can read more @ the following story:

http://blumenthals.com/blog/2010/08/17/google-continues-to-test-integrated-local-and-organic-results/

An image of what the listings look like is below.