Key Takeaways
Google is trying out new ad formats that look like local business listings.
These ads show up at the top of search results when someone looks for a local business.
Some experts think these ads could help local businesses get more customers, but others worry people might get confused by them.
Google says the pictures in these ads come from businesses' listings.
Google is trying out a new kind of advertisement that appears in search results. These new ads are designed to resemble the local business listings that usually show up at the top of the results when someone searches for something like "restaurants near me" or "plumbers in [city]."
When people search for a local business or service online, a box of 3-4 top local business listings often appears at the very top of the search results page. Google's new ads mimic the look and format of these regular local listings.
The new ads show key business details just like a normal listing would:
- The business name
- The address
- The phone number
- The website
- Ratings/reviews if available
However, there is one important difference - the new ads have a "Sponsored" label to indicate they are paid advertisements, not normal search results.
Some marketing experts believe these new ad listings could really benefit local businesses. Having an ad appear right at the top of local search results could mean increased visibility and more customers finding and clicking on the business listing.
However, other experts are worried that including ads designed to blend in with normal listings could mislead or confuse users who don't realize they are looking at a paid advertisement.
There is also concern that businesses able to afford these prime ad spots will have an unfair advantage over smaller businesses that cannot pay for that premium placement.
Where Did These Ads Come From?
It all started when some digital marketers noticed the new ad format showing up and shared screenshots on Twitter. This sparked a buzz of discussion trying to figure out exactly what these new listings were.
Initially, the ads did not have any explanation or labelling indicating they were sponsored. Marketing experts began analyzing and speculating about their purpose and how they functioned.
Anthony Higman took to Twitter to post a screenshot of the mysterious ad format.
In a similar move, Mike Blumenthal shared a similar screenshot, which made people curious.
Glenn Gabe was among those who guessed they might be related to Google's Home service ads but admitted it was hard to say for certain.
He highlighted that looking at the URL when clicking the ads could give a clue about what type of ad it is.
Eventually, Google provided some clarity about the source of the listing information and images used in these new local ads.
According to Google, the business data like name, address, website etc. as well as any images present in the new ad listings are pulled directly from the business's Google Business Profile.
Businesses can also choose to allow Google to use media from their listing in these local ads.
Here is a screenshot shared by Anthony Higman on Twitter:
While Google has now offered some details, many in the marketing world are still awaiting fuller official announcements and explanations about this news and how it will impact local search.