Local Search Is Evolving, Here's Why You Need to Pay Attention
Twin Pack, 3-Pack, 5-Pack, InfiniPack, Quad Pack; local results are expanding. And it could be more impactful than AI Overviews at driving Zero-click behaviors.
When SEOs talk about the future of search they usually talk AI Overviews (AIOs). While AIOs are interesting they have yet to really surface in local (post-Google I/O). And it is not clear that they will. The heated Google-AI conversation might in fact be masking another, equally significant but overlooked move by Google to control search results with their data: local entity expansion.
When we think of Local Search and Google, the Local 3-Pack comes to mind. Even though Google has embraced the Local Pack as a staple of local search results, the reality is much more varied and nuanced. When we look closely we see the Google local listing graph claiming ever more space in both ads and organic search results.
Why is this important? And what can we learn about the future of local by better understanding what we are seeing today?