Lose the References, Google Local.

[Chicago]

Google's local search display provides a significant amount of real estate to "References". These References, which appear on the local search results and are listed out on the business landing page provide links to pages where the business' information was found on the web.

I can associate no real value to this data. It is confusing, at times of poor quality,largely irrelevant and misaligned with the users intentions and knowledge. Aren't we using Google local as an alternative to directories, anyway?

Empower a business to provide you with rich meta data / profiles on their business. Users are happy to generate this content, and it is in your best interest to improve value of the business landing page display.

Lose the references. It does little for the user experience.

[bostonBeans]

Empower a business to provide you with rich meta data / profiles on their business. Users are happy to generate this content, and it is in your best interest to improve value of the business landing page display.

In my experience, a minority of users actually provide this content when given the chance - especially at the local (i.e. small/medium business) level. That said, the data will build up overtime and the pace will accelerate as the masses start to understand what the leading minority already does (these are enabling essentially free business leads!). The references provide a decent stop-gap until Google can build this data set...that is not to say there are not better stop-gap solutions though.

I agree that they are given entirely too much real estate on the page - but they aren't really displacing any quality data...so does it really matter at this point?

-bB

[bakedjake]

I kind of like it, actually. :-D

[JeremyL]

I agree, The references need to go. I see no value in them at all. I am positive most users have no clue what they are.

[Chicago]

>>but they aren't really displacing any quality data...so does it really matter at this point?

yes, because it is a click off-site - everything breaks down.

>>kind of like it.

yea, cause you are the average user and i don't tune into a show called seo rockstars.

[werty]

Many of the searches I perform are showing the BBB as references, which I think is a great link to have for anyone looking to buy something on or offline.

[RossWal]

I kind of like it, actually. :-D

Isn't it intersting how open G is to tipping their hand initially? Then they'll move to obfuscate when the time comes as they did PR and backlinks.