Google just expanded onebox G maps for far more searches

The onebox/G Maps has been dramatically expanded

[earlpearl]

As of today it appears the google onebox w/ the google maps insert has been dramatically expanded to include organic local type search queries that include state names and secondary terms for businesses.

This is a significant and dramatic expansion of the Google Onebox and the importance of Google maps. The onebox now dominates the first page real estate for a much larger percentage of queries.

All of this makes ranking w/in Google Maps more important, expands the terms and language for aranking within Google Maps, and simultaneously makes advertising directly with Google far more important.

I think it further reduces the importance of verticals and IYP to the extent they depend on traffic off of high Google serps rankings.

Definitely something to check. Its a big move by Google.

[Silvery]

I've also witnessed a new placement for the Local OneBox -- it's now sometimes intermingled into the organic web search results, further down in the page.

They've been testing quite a lot of new layouts recently, as noted in this other thread:

[webmasterworld.com...]

If the local onebox content/layout you mention is part of the UI testing underway, I wonder how much of those changes will stick permanently?

[earlpearl]

Per searchology it appears they'll be placing and testing onebox location on organic pages in a couple of different locations on the page.

I got a strong feeling it will migrate to the top of the page after sufficient testing.

[earlpearl]

...a day or 2 later and I see it jumping around for a lot of phrases. As a webmaster, I have almost all #1 serps for relevant business term/geo phrases.

With the maps inserts visability for my site is jumping around.

What are other webmasters seeing and what is your reaction?

Right now I'm pumping some money into ppc.

Dave

[jimbeetle]

Google Universal Search [webmasterworld.com]