[Mike Halliday]

anyone else getting a different look to google.

mine is........ half the screen as adword, then organic listing the you scroll down to get the google places list....... the map is half the size on the right

[wynne jones]

Yep, adwords box half way down page, places map small on right, then only top three map entries before the fold.

This means being No1 spot in Google is no good anymore, you have to be 1st on Maps or... as Google want, you start doing Adwords.

[Dennis]

They have been fiddling with the search algorithm, don't know if that's why it's changed.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/google-changes-search-algorithm-trying-to-make-results-more-timely/

[cannon]

Yeah ive noticed the change ive also dropped off google maps and its hit me quite hard.

I was talking to a seo guy the other week who reckon maps will be coming off soon and will be a button at the top of the search results, whether this is right i dont know.

[Scott Fraser]

Yeah Dennis / Mike They have been changing there algorithm again. You probably noticed in the new changes the red place marker is now gone plus if you hover your mouse roughly in middle off page it now shows top the right your details in your google places account plus screen shot of your website. This is because they are now giving more weight in the local searche results for businesses listed in google places vs the organic listings. You probably noticed for a while they have been merging organic with google places for a while now.

Big G has been uping the anti with google places recently and they are now as of Nov going to start dropping listings that have not been claimed / verified by the owner in favour of ones that have been claimed.

Also as you say Wayne they are really trying to make it so you use there new adwords express platform more if you cant get into the magic 7 box.

If any of you havn't claimed your listing you better do it quick.

Regarding the button at top of search and google maps coming off karl i dont know where your seo guy heard that from. Google is putting more importance now on places than ever before as they have been on the war path to oust yellow pages and yell etc and what they are up to now is part of that process.

Being listed high in google places is going to be more important than ever now.

Has it dropped any of you guys out the 7 box ??

[Robert Watson]

Hi Scott, Welcome to the forum. I see your a fly fifer. Good post by the way.
Cheers
Rab.

[AshWhite]

Everytime I checked last week, I was top of Google places. I checked yesterday and I was 4th. Is it a random thing, or is it linked to me updating my content, my places page, clicks, or something else?

[Scott Fraser]

Hi Robert thanks for the welcome glad the post maybe help someone, yeah im a fly fifer lol

Ash regarding your google places because google has changed algorthm just recently so its moving a lot of these listings around right now as its dumping ones that havnt bee claimed and moving ones up that have been. Youll prob find it settles down in a week or 2.
It also might be your competitors have been working on their listings ie more citations or reveiws which has pushed them above yours might be a possibilty.

You need more citations and reveiews plus all your google places content filled out to make sure you get the maximum from it.

hope that helps

[AshWhite]

Yes, I've got more reviews than my competitors (it's a struggle to get any more as it's not straightforward for customers to leave a review on there), I've also put plenty of pics and a video on there. It was after I did all this that I went to number 1, which is why I was surprised to see that Ive dropped back down the list again - can't see any changes for the other listings yet. Like you say, hopefully it'll settle down (and go up!) in a few weeks.

Cheers for the info, and welcome 

[Scott Fraser]

Quick question Ash does your other competiors that are above you have reviews or not . Also do they have websites attached to their google places listings or not ?? Also tell me what keywords your listing appears for and ill take i quick look

[AshWhite]

1 has 1 review (he's 2nd), none of the others have any. They all have websites attached.

[Scott Fraser]

Whats the keyword Ash and ill take a quick look. Might be able to suss it out

[AshWhite]

Carpet cleaners aberdare

[Steve. Taylor]

Ash just done a search your showing on C AND F
on the maps

[AshWhite]

Long story, as a hobby my mrs makes & sells gift hampers - somehow she ended up on Google places (she would not have a clue how to do this). We were getting loads of junk mail for her, and the only company listed at this address according to google when I searched was hers! Even though I've verified mine with the post card, and she has done nothing with hers.

So I amended her listing on the map to mine, next thing I know, I'm showing 2 seperate results. I'm hoping that this is not why I've dropped down. Even when I was top, I still had 2 listings.

I haven't made any attempt to verify the 2nd listing, hopefully they'll remove it when they see the error?

[Scott Fraser]

Your right you have the most citations and reviews out them. Burfords have 50 citations and dont have their places filled out properly neither does johnstons.

If it dosnt settle in a few weeks you might want to try more reviews and some actual backlinks to your website as i have a funny feeling google is now looking at all that combined together since its now merging the organic and google places togther now hence the bit to right of page with your palces and website all in one place.

Johnstons has loads of backlinks but burfords only 28 so that wont be hard to beat

Hope some of that helps ya

[Scott Fraser]

Regarding your second listing in maps what you want to do is claim that then change address to some other family member and use your mobile on one and your landline on other

Google wont remove it for you and you dont want them too. Just claim the listing then change the address and number of the one thats in the lowest position.

Dont touch the higher listed one apart from more reviews or citations

better having 2 listings in the maps if you can get away with it always better competing with yourself lol

[AshWhite]

Yeah, when they changed the layout I instantly noticed an increase in calls (when I was top) - so this is definately going to be an important area going forward.

How do you check how many backlinks a site has??

I was a bit nervous that if they do delete one, they take my better listing and not the crappy one. Good call about claiming the other one (naughty boy!)

Thanks again Scott.

[Scott Fraser]

Here is a tool you can use Ash

https://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com

Just put the website in here and it tells you how many backlinks your competior has.

Here is something else thats quite interesting from an american company that i found that did research on google places and what made people click on what listings

http://www.capturecommerce.com/blog/local-search-marketing/research-shows-google-places-listings-clicks/

Whatever you do dont change any of the business information in your higher placed listing but claim that other one you have and change the address and contact number to something else before google bounces you out the top 7 as its not claimed

Hope that helps

[Paul Moss]

The change has benefited the placings of both natural web sites and google map listings but has not made any difference in calls.