• Nov 26, 2010 modified: Oct, 24 2025

Google now includes local places results

The organic search results (non paid) are now including local places results. Google’s Local Pack (the map + 3 listings). This is also called Google My Business (GMB).

They are combined on certain searches by the Google algorithm. When and where your listing displays is pretty much a secret. There are some obvious improvements you can make. We have noticed a trend where the content on your site will impact when and why your listing is shown in GMB. So good content strategies have a benefit.

You will sometimes notice the map on the right hand side of the results (2010). This is a region where we are trained to look for advertising or not look for advertising.
Interestingly research conducted using heat maps shows the maps are rarely clicked however the results are being clicked for local results. (Check the image)

Note heat maps are created from users who are tracked whilst conducting searches in controlled research labs.
This is going to make it harder for companies that don't have a local presence.

There is also a local places spam team at Google to look for sites trying to spam the system.

This also puts a premium on the paid listings for people wanting to reach a certain market without a physical location presence.
That could translate to more income for Google.
You could theoretically be a second class citizen if you are physically not there.

Heat maps indicate people do not click on the maps (2010) however it is used to indicate a local search.
Refer to the map image.
2025 Update: Reviews changed this. Listing are often clicked to check reviews.

Maps theoretically makes it harder for non locals to enter a market which can be a benefit to legitimate businesses in an area. Reality shows there seems to be many interstate phone numbers for 'so called' local businesses.

This move is aimed at making search results more relevant and attacking spammers who throw up a non local site with some keywords or a domain name like www.goldcoast......com.au
and then try to sell it or rent it.
2025 Update: This practice has also been dealt with by Google - domain names with keywords are now irrelevant as an SEO technique. Refer to our domain name guide.

The myriad of reviews and spammy links used by some SEO companies is going to be downplayed. refer Fake Reviews on Google My Business

SEO constantly evolves - I started SEO before Google existed and many of the moves we see are a result of people trying to manipulate results.

If you have seen a dramatic drop in your results - or you have been advised to go to spammy sites and add reviews etc. - you need better advice - a good site with structure and relevant content will out do poorly made spammy sites. Google continues to find ways of counteracting the cheats or those that only have one or two techniques that eventually everyone uses. That is why we are first web developers with our own systems and secondly making sure the clients get to the top of Google ahead of the pack or also rans.

Check our info on getting listed in Google Local Business Center

Australia's role in the creation of Google Maps

A team of four from Sydney called Where 2 Technologies presented a demo of their desktop mapping system to Google's Larry Page (co-founder). Google were more interested in a web application.

The Where 2 team scrambled together a web version of their program using a little-known set of web development techniques known by the acronym Ajax, short for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a web language. It meant an already loaded webpage could fetch new data – in other words, update itself – without needing to refresh the entire page.

The technology via AJAX would load multiple smaller map tiles. This feels like a large dynamic map. Google hired the team and eventually bought their intellectual property.

JSON fetch (can be used to Query data for a Shopping Cart) and AJAX are conceptually similar—they both allow you to make asynchronous HTTP requests from the browser to a server without reloading the page.
Simple Explanation: Essentially once a web page is loaded it does not ussually connect back to the server. These technologies allow simple web pages to fetch more data and display it via a combination of JavaScript and CSS.