The Power and Impact of Google Maps

[okguyjames]

the onebox placements are like a front-page advertisement with a picture - wow - hard to compete with that kind of dominating, eye-catching exposure. i'm sure thinkflowers doesn't mind it a bit

[earlpearl]

Here is another amazing change that may have something to do with this maps phenomena; Notice that on the right 2 sponsored ads have addresses underneath the ad. I've never seen this.

I bring this up because over at Mike's blog Bill Slawski referenced a patent different than what we were thinking about with regard to this phenomena--but one that does emphasize delivering address information.

Bingo...well here is another address phenomena--this time with sponsored ppc ads.

It appears to me that google is trying quite a lot of different applications pulled from its patents and throwing it into search. It also appears that the Denver florist got caught in the middle of it.

[okguyjames]

i've even been noticing collapsible maps under some of the listings, even the sponsored links (#2 organic and #3 paid). the floral business is rougher than I thought

[pops]

EP, yes three and I haven't been drinking (but it's a good idea so I've got to run )

[StuartL]

Here in Australia I'm not seeing the whole address for several local search terms in the PPC advertising but I am seeing the state listed even though one of the sites doesn't actually list their physical address - merely a generic location in the state capital and a free-call type phone number as their contact details.

[A.N.Onym]

Eh, I guess the thinkflowers don't have the power of the domain name for 'denver flowers' and 'flowers denver' and are more optimized (have more trust), than denverflowers. Hence, algorithmically, they are more entitled to a one box results, than denver flowers.

Overall, I'd too not rely so heavily on Google, esp PPC. Why not just invest that sum of money in local linkbait and reign all the organic traffic and the local Denver sites.

Maybe they should've invested in offline marketing, too. Can't put all eggs in one basket.

[StuartL]

Originally Posted by A.N.Onym

Eh, I guess the thinkflowers don't have the power of the domain name for 'denver flowers' and 'flowers denver' and are more optimized (have more trust), than denverflowers. Hence, algorithmically, they are more entitled to a one box results, than denver flowers.

Overall, I'd too not rely so heavily on Google, esp PPC. Why not just invest that sum of money in local linkbait and reign all the organic traffic and the local Denver sites.

Maybe they should've invested in offline marketing, too. Can't put all eggs in one basket.

I'm not sure that's going to work for every industry and probably not for florists. The florists I've spoken to in the town where I live get a lot of business via the phone from outside their local area and more and more people are finding them via the Internet.

Linkbaiting and offline marketing aren't going to work for them when their potential customers are thousands of kilometres away on the other side of the country.

Stuart

[A.N.Onym]

Well, if 95% of business is cut down only if the one box result disappears (not the top ranking, adwords or local advertising), then it wasn't built and marketed well.

It might help building content for long tail keywords in that case. Linkbait, in this case, serves to increase the longtail/search traffic and attract some target audience (may be not local).

Other than that, it is ce la vie.

[mvandemar]

Originally Posted by A.N.Onym

Well, if 95% of business is cut down only if the one box result disappears (not the top ranking, adwords or local advertising), then it wasn't built and marketed well.

That's not what he said at all... he said 95% of his business was internet based, not based on that one listing or keyword.

-Michael

[earlpearl]

There is more commentary on the issue going on over here