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Local SEO - 3 Pack Update

by GGpaul
12 replies
  • SEO
    • |
FYI...

Three Pack To Be ALL "Sponsored" With Google's New Home Service Ads
#local #pack #seo #update
  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    If that really happens on a large scale I guess all you 3-packers are screwed.

    I've always said rank organic, forget the 3-pack. It takes a lot more SEO work but it beats being lumped into the 3-pack which is always changing something. Organic SERP/SEO never changes.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      If that really happens on a large scale I guess all you 3-packers are screwed.

      I've always said rank organic, forget the 3-pack. It takes a lot more SEO work but it beats being lumped into the 3-pack which is always changing something. Organic SERP/SEO never changes.
      Yukon? I respect you.. I do really.. read most every word.. well ok not every but some of what you write.. but this?

      If you think about listings that have 3 packs as no longer having 10 serp listings but 13 / 14 ( if you count googles new addition ) and you are saying.. hey I want to compete for spot #4 or #5. Ranking 1 2 or 3 just makes no sense to me.. forget the fact that ultimately if you do fall in the 3 pack, you will usually be positioned well in the organic search. I get yeah rank for organic, but if its "less" work to also grab a 3 pack position.. come on now
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      • Profile picture of the author yukon
        Banned
        Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

        Yukon? I respect you.. I do really.. read most every word.. well ok not every but some of what you write.. but this?

        If you think about listings that have 3 packs as no longer having 10 serp listings but 13 / 14 ( if you count googles new addition ) and you are saying.. hey I want to compete for spot #4 or #5. Ranking 1 2 or 3 just makes no sense to me.. forget the fact that ultimately if you do fall in the 3 pack, you will usually be positioned well in the organic search. I get yeah rank for organic, but if its "less" work to also grab a 3 pack position.. come on now


        Google changes the 3-pack all the time. Forget moving targets, not interested.

        Anyways, you'll have it way easier now, just whip out that credit card for Google and rank away, lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Lmao, it really is a paid 3-pack.

    plumber san francisco

    The best part is the BBB Accredited A+ rated on each ad in the 3-pack. The spammers will take the bogus BBB ratings to next level.

    Hilarious.
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  • Profile picture of the author MaxxC
    The local 7-pack was replaced by (or shortened to) the local 3-pack ...
    and now we see the local 3-pack being replaced by the Google Home Service Paid Ads.
    Here again, the winner is .... Google !!

    Google's intent is to monopolize all the space above the fold on their first pages,
    with their - revenue earning- paid Ads.
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
      Originally Posted by MaxxC View Post

      The local 7-pack was replaced by (or shortened to) the local 3-pack ...
      and now we see the local 3-pack being replaced by the Google Home Service Paid Ads.
      Here again, the winner is .... Google !!

      Google's intent is to monopolize all the space above the fold on their first pages,
      with their - revenue earning- paid Ads.
      Lol... and why shouldn't they be the winner? It's their platform. They built one of the most recognizable brands on the planet.

      And one could make the argument that users are winning here too. There are a lot of awful and shady businesses that are going to lose traffic from this. Some good ones too.

      It's a shame they are incorporating BBB ratings and accreditation into this. The BBB is one of the biggest scammers in the country. That is a mistake I did not expect Google to make.
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  • Profile picture of the author GoogleMyBizGuy
    First off, it's another local experiment for Google to monetize the local pack as a pure paid medium. Other efforts like this go way back to 2009 (paid listings were the 7/3 pack were). They all failed. This one is for plumbers, locksmiths mainly and only for some keyword sites (plumbers pulls up the new paid section for "sacramento plumbers" for example, but not "sacramento plumbing" which still pulls the organic pack). This is also limited to some California markets for testing such as San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego. Google also implemented a partnership with Pinkerton to verify listings and do some level of background check to ensure their authenticity. Could it wipe out all local SEO's populating the 3 pack for lead gen? Maybe, but consider the failures of the past by Google in this space and the massive undertaking on their part to target not so easy to monetize niche markets. Then, consider the limited scope. This is a test. If it is like the others, it's doomed to fail until the next local data manager at Google gets a spark of ambition. That's my 2 cents.
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    • Profile picture of the author GGpaul
      Originally Posted by GoogleMyBizGuy View Post

      First off, it's another local experiment for Google to monetize the local pack as a pure paid medium. Other efforts like this go way back to 2009 (paid listings were the 7/3 pack were). They all failed. This one is for plumbers, locksmiths mainly and only for some keyword sites (plumbers pulls up the new paid section for "sacramento plumbers" for example, but not "sacramento plumbing" which still pulls the organic pack). This is also limited to some California markets for testing such as San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego. Google also implemented a partnership with Pinkerton to verify listings and do some level of background check to ensure their authenticity. Could it wipe out all local SEO's populating the 3 pack for lead gen? Maybe, but consider the failures of the past by Google in this space and the massive undertaking on their part to target not so easy to monetize niche markets. Then, consider the limited scope. This is a test. If it is like the others, it's doomed to fail until the next local data manager at Google gets a spark of ambition. That's my 2 cents.
      Hope it's a test, because my sites are being tested as well (non local), and there's a lot of chatter with an update from algoroo.com on the 15th.
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      • Profile picture of the author GoogleMyBizGuy
        I think it is a test and I've not heard a whisper of expansion lately. Also, this new product must outperform PPC in terms of net revenue generation or they will scrap it. It's competing against an adwords platform that has been refined for over 10 years. It's a likely another failed experiment, IMO and if it isn't and it does stick, it will hit the plumbing and locksmith categories first.

        Originally Posted by GGpaul View Post

        Hope it's a test, because my sites are being tested as well (non local), and there's a lot of chatter with an update from algoroo.com on the 15th.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    I highly doubt it is a test. If it is, it is the longest test ever.

    They first rolled this out in July of 2015 in San Francisco.

    Only recent change they made was their advanced verification requirements, which had a deadline for businesses to meet of November 10th.


    And that little checkmark with "Google guaranteed" beside it will most likely ensure it outperforms traditional AdWord ads.
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  • Profile picture of the author vic1
    Had a meeting with a small engine repair business about Adwords Express 2 days ago.

    He spends about $75 per month (complained about it) for his ads to get a spot in the local 3 pack.

    His Vista website, crappy as it is, I think he pays about $30 per month, ranks in the top two spots organically.

    I said, "you're complaining? About 75 bucks? This is after he told me, anytime he stops the ad, his phones stop ringing.

    I can't think of a better way to spend 75 dollars per month, he has a hell of a business.

    At least for his keywords and local searchers, they click on the top spots.
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  • Profile picture of the author MaxxC
    In a recent sales promo video, a guy demo'ed a very similar business model,
    except that he ranks his websites in Google Organic listings in multiple US cities.
    He uses forwarding phone #s to sell calls worth $1 Million revenue monthly, in just two niches.

    Test or not, Google owns the search engine, and they have made a business decision... its that simple !
    When Big 'G' is ready, their "Pay Pack" will appear above the organic sites anyway.

    BTW, To the list of Big 'G' services in the in CA cities - San Diego, Francisco, Jose , Sacramento .. so far..
    add painting contractors to the plumbers and locksmiths

    And so nowadays, PPC may be defined as either Pay Per Click or Pay per Call ...LOL.
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