Google seems to be rolling out a new design for the mobile version of the local pack, the local results that show up in web search.
Phillip Barnhart was one of the first to see this start rolling out, and now many others have begun seeing them.
What is the new local pack design? Google is now showing a heavier graphical layout to the local pack. Wider and larger images from the business that you can scroll and slide through directly in the local pack. Here is what Mike Blumenthal posted on his blog, which some of our staff can replicate on their end:
Here is the old design for the same query:
When will I be able to see it? You might be able to see it now. Many are saying that you need to use the Chrome browser on your mobile device to see this new design, but others are seeing it on Safari, too. I personally cannot replicate this, but maybe it is not fully rolled out yet.
Is this confirmed? No, Google did not yet confirm this yet by the time of publication. We will update the story when we have a response from Google.
Why does this matter to me? For users, this makes scrolling through local results a lot more visually appealing. Larger graphics give you a better representation of the business.
As a business owner or SEO, your business photos are now even more important. Make sure to upload clear, representative and marketing focused images of your business. If someone sees a bad image for your business, you can bet they will scroll past it to look at your competitors business first.
About The Author
Barry Schwartz is Search Engine Land’s News Editor and owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on SEM topics.