It has always been the goal for small business owners to get a good placement in the Google 10-Pack (now coined the Lucky 7-Pack) for local search results, as well as a natural placement directly below the 7-Pack results.
Well as Mike Blumenthal reports in his post today, this has just gotten a lot more important.
Why?
In the past, the business phone number showed up as part of the placement in the 7-Pack. It seems that Google has removed those phone numbers now. So the only way to get information to contact the business is by clicking on their Google Profile link.
Why Google, Oh Why?
The local search community is buzzing with questions and potential motives for this.
Here ares some random quotes on reasons for the change, and potential implications:
- Looks like they are trying to generate more clicks through to the LBC listings
- Perhaps they are making way for a system wide roll-out of Google Voice?
- Will it divert clicks from the businesses website to the Google LBC listing?
- Will it affect call volumes for local businesses?
- “Natural just got that much more important.”
The consensus is this: the move should drive more clicks through to the Google LBC listings, where, by the way, they are advertising now.
No matter what the motive behind this change, it is more important than ever to get your natural listing to show up below your listing in the Google 7-Pack now!
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Don,
Yeah, I have noticed the switch to the “Lucky 7 Pack” – I like that!
Who knows exactly why. My guess is to improve click throughs. The G-voice is a good insight, never thought of that but thats because I can’t access my GV up here in Canada. Sometimes, it sucks to be CND. We just received the new analytics for the Google LBC. Crazy, eh? (No pun intended).
I think you are on to Google wanting to drive the visitor to the business listing page where they are displaying ads.
I’m seeing the phone numbers in the Local listings again now. Maybe this was a temporary glitch?