Integrated Google Local Searches – Game Changer for Small Local Businesses

So what's Changed?
Let's say you perform a search for "Chinese food Virginia Beach". Now look at the results. Notice anything different? Take a closer look and you might notice something very different then you have seen in the past. Google has added a floating map on top of the AdWords column on the right, and gone is the 7-Pack and local data stemming from Google Places. The results for the 7-Pack are now 100% integrated right into the organic results.

How could this affect local businesses & Internet marketing?

Still way to early to tell and no doubt Google will still be working the kinks out and "tweaking" this new feature set for some time, assuming of course it becomes a permanent fixture. However, to me, the best part of this change is the additional weight Google is assigning and rewarding local businesses who have successfully combined off web site marketing with a strong local organic or more traditional marketing for local business. In other words, they have worked both the real world and the Internet marketing in such a way that BOTH have weight in these SERP rankings.

Why does that matter? One might ask...

Google Places is open to all comers, including those without a website. You could rank in the 7 Pack and Maps with no website and therefore be found on the first page of a search and not even have a web site. Companies without web sites will apparently still be able to add and verify their Place Page listing, their chances of receiving high rankings without a website might have just become near impossible.

Prior to this roll out, a business with a strong website may have found their organic SERP listing buried down the page by a 7 Pack Local result. They may have not been able to even break into the top page because of it. This might indeed be the very thing that pushes them right back into the running for a top spot on page 1. The only thing that really bothers me about this change is that right now, the floating map covers AdWords Ads that someone is paying good money for. Google definitely needs to fix that ASAP.

So get ready...if this change sticks, it is sure to shake up the SERP's on Google for quite some time. If you have a good, well rounded marketing plan for both local business and for Internet marketing, it may just pay off BIG TIME!