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Google Local 4-Packs Showing 1 Ad & 3 Organic Local Listings

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We have seen local 4-packs from Google where Google will show 4 paid local listings in a local 4-pack.  But it seems Google is now testing a single map pack with a combination of both paid and organic listings.

Sergey Alakov spotted this in action this morning, with one paid local listing followed by three organic ones.

Here is what it looks like:

I do like the fact they have added a single ad listing and increased the pack to 4, so that local businesses aren’t suddenly losing a position in the organic pack. The pack seems identical in other ways.

It also includes the filters we are familiar with in local listings that allows you to get more detailed with your results.

I think this style with the green “Ads” tag in front of the actual listing helps it stand out as being paid.  The paid local 4-pack just had “Ads” with “Nearby businesses” above the listings.

This seems a good solution for local businesses that were seeing the local paid ad 4-pack, then regular AdWords ads, before the local non-paid organic listings would be shown.  Yes, an ad is first, but this is a much optimal format compared to previous versions of ads we’ve seen where organic is pushed much further down the screen.

This seems to be mobile only and a test, as I am unable to replicate it.

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Jennifer Slegg

Founder & Editor at The SEM Post
Jennifer Slegg is a longtime speaker and expert in search engine marketing, working in the industry for almost 20 years. When she isn't sitting at her desk writing and working, she can be found grabbing a latte at her local Starbucks or planning her next trip to Disneyland. She regularly speaks at Pubcon, SMX, State of Search, Brighton SEO and more, and has been presenting at conferences for over a decade.

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Comments

  1. it’s the best we could hope for, knowing they were going to have ads in there. Don’t see it here in Edmonton Canada – yet 🙂