SEO google retracts maps for organic search results

I first noticed google maps business results turning up in the organic search results a couple of weeks ago. It appeared like a trial run, and after a couple of days it was removed- now it is gone.

“Universal Search” is where results from sister search engines are included in the mainstream organic results. Up until now I have seen results from the image, video and news search results included in the organic searches, and they seem to be here to stay.

But I am going to look for reasons that the business maps search have been quicky retracted so quickly after it was rolled out.

Demographic SEO considerations
Demographic searches have their own particular set of challenges. Brunswick Melbourne is a different place to Brunswick Germany or Brunswick Canada. When I was exploring this new feature, looking at the serps for “Graphic Design Brunswick,” I was surprised to get German results. Now this is big bad bug, one which makes the results irrelevant. One way round it would be to make the user choose which one they are searching for, but this puts an extra procedure in the search process which is supposed to be simple. Maybe the feature is in remission whist they are fixing the problem.

Fair SEO
There has to be some fair process in evaluating which web pages get to the top. The method of ranking pages for local searches is not the same as for normal websites. There is only the listing itself, a small bunch of content to discriminate. How can you evaluate the strength and relevance of a business in a couple of hundred words? Possibly they had a huge body of complaints, or a word from the department of fair trading.

Reluctance to Change
Maybe it was just too far off the track for some users. People are used to the simplicity of google, and when the local business maps results get first listing they think they are using a different website; it looks and feels different to the search engine they know and love. People like familiarity and resist change, so Google could have retracted the feature to hang onto their searchers.

Incomplete listings
The numbers tend to suggest that the google local business search is relatively incomplete. When doing a search on google.com for “graphic design Melbourne,” I get 1,960,000; and when I do the same search in maps.google.com.au I get 2855.
Maybe there are not enough listings in the local business maps index to make them relevant.

I have a feeling that google business local maps search is a thing of the future. It would not surprise me if we see them re-appear at any time soon, and will be watching the seo landscape very carefully.



	SEO Melbourne SEO google retracts maps for organic search results I first noticed google maps business results turning up in the organic search results a couple of weeks ago. It appeared like a trial run, and after a couple of days it was removed- now it is gone. “Universal Search” is where results from sister search engines are included in the mainstream organic results. Up until now I have seen results from the image, video and news search results included in the organic searches, and they seem to be here to stay. But I am going to look for reasons that the business maps search have been quicky retracted so quickly after it was rolled out. Demographic SEO considerations Demographic searches have their own particular set of challenges. Brunswick Melbourne is a different place to Brunswick Germany or Brunswick Canada. When I was exploring this new feature, looking at the serps for “Graphic Design Brunswick,” I was surprised to get German results. Now this is big bad bug, one which makes the results irrelevant. One way round it would be to make the user choose which one they are searching for, but this puts an extra procedure in the search process which is supposed to be simple. Maybe the feature is in remission whist they are fixing the problem. Fair SEO There has to be some fair process in evaluating which web pages get to the top. The method of ranking pages for local searches is not the same as for normal websites. There is only the listing itself, a small bunch of content to discriminate. How can you evaluate the strength and relevance of a business in a couple of hundred words? Possibly they had a huge body of complaints, or a word from the department of fair trading. Reluctance to Change Maybe it was just too far off the track for some users. People are used to the simplicity of google, and when the local business maps results get first listing they think they are using a different website; it looks and feels different to the search engine they know and love. People like familiarity and resist change, so Google could have retracted the feature to hang onto their searchers. Incomplete listings The numbers tend to suggest that the google local business search is relatively incomplete. When doing a search on google.com for “graphic design Melbourne,” I get 1,960,000; and when I do the same search in maps.google.com.au I get 2855. Maybe there are not enough listings in the local business maps index to make them relevant. I have a feeling that google business local maps search is a thing of the future. It would not surprise me if we see them re-appear at any time soon, and will be watching the seo landscape very carefully.	home Services SEO Melbourne Web Design Folio Logos Graphic Design Blog About Ben Kahans Contact