How Alarming Is the New Snack Pack of Google For SEO company

The update on Google’s local ranking algorithm has not only brought changes in local search results but also resulted to different reactions from SEO company. Google has changed the face of local search in search results. 

A surprising move has been made by Google making the 7-packs into 3-packs that happened everywhere. This shocking change happened as Google wants their desktop results to appear similar as to is mobile-specific results page. Since mobile usage continues to increase yearly, Google sees that this change is just needed to increase user experience. 

The first three shown on the results are those that have much traffic compared to the fourth to seventh places. Google has come into a decision to show only three as these three are commonly visited or clicked by users than the others on the list. With this change happening, how is SEO services affected by this?

SEO is greatly affected with this said change. For one, branding opportunity has become less to those below the top three. Exposure is significantly needed by websites to gain popularity. Unlike before, websites were given exposure despite their fourth to seventh ranking. With the new 3-pack, SEO specialists would have to implement different strategies to increase their traffic to compete with the first three ranks.

Also, with the 3-pack, addresses are only street names instead of specific addresses. If you are using a desktop, viewing the complete addresses are possible as a panel opens up on the right when you click the listing. This is still promising to boost traffic on the others included in the list. However, if your target consumers are always mobile, the chances of seeing addresses of the others on the list is quite impossible as the general addresses of the top three are only shown. Getting traffic from mobile will be lesser compared to those who use desktop searches. 

SEO specialists have also become more concerned with ratings. Say for example, you are in the food business. Your ratings are crucial to your ranking. Google has added an option where online users can select a business based on their rating. So if you get four stars or higher, you are most likely ranked on the top three. It has been observed that most users opt to go to try on products and services that have received a high rating from consumers. Thus, if your business is in a very competitive locale with lots of competitors from the same industry, you have quite a problem to deal with as you need to get good ratings for your business to rank on top searches. 

With this changes happening, SEO company can focus on the following things:

•  Focus on organic SEO – Both onsite and offsite SEO boosts your rank. Even though business cannot land on the top three, this will still generate organic ranking which can somehow beat local ranking.
• Build solid backlinks. 
• Come up with better marketing priorities. Study the market and know what keeps you different yet better with your competitors.

      This said change has made SEO company adjust their strategies and techniques, yet SEO specialists know that it will only take a matter of time for them to adapt with the changes and bring forth better to their clients.