Last week, Google launched a new Places Search, which helps users more easily find nearby businesses that could fulfill their queries. Continuing its efforts to advance local search, Google is now displaying new suggestions in general search results that may direct consumers to local stores – a development marketers may like.
Google has made related search suggestions to consumers' queries since last May, when the company announced its offering of relevant brands that might help users with their online shopping. The highlighted brands are "determined algorithmically," according to Google. This is great for big companies, but smaller businesses are generally less likely to get mentions.
Now, local businesses may catch searchers' attention with new related search results. Searching for the phrase "running shoes" in a general Google search (conducted in New York) yields major related "Brands," including Nike and New Balance. But it also features "Types" (such as trail or women's) that may help a shopper refine his or her results, and – importantly – it promotes nearby retailers with a related "Stores" feature. The stores are seemingly selected algorithmically, much like the related brands. Along with the store suggestions, the results come with a map displaying where they are located.
Google is making local shopping easy and intuitive for its millions of U.S. users, and marketers may take this as their cue to give their SEO strategies a local leaning. They'll also want to remember to make sure their search campaigns are mobile-friendly as Brafton has reported that one in three smartphone users visits local businesses they discover via their mobile devices.
