Big Changes in Local SEO: Your Guide to Google’s Local Snack Pack Results

September 2, 2015

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Local Snack Pack: More Than a Pudding Cup


The Local Snack Pack update comes in to replace Google’s Carousel with a shortened version of local results listings. Each business listing provides minimal information aimed at enticing searchers to click through to a second interface and then a third. While this update only applies to certain types of businesses right now, including restaurants, it has the potential to cross over into other industries in the future.


Included in the snack pack are the top 3 local listings. Each listing includes the business name, Google star rating, street, and a brief description of what the restaurant serves. Unfortunately, there is a lot of information that isn’t included in the initial listing that seems more vitally important than the little bit of information provided. For example, you might hope for an entire address or even just the city in which the business is located but you’ll have to click through to get that information. You might also hope for a phone number or a link to the business website, so you can easily move on to learn more information, but again you’ll have to click through to a second interface.


So basically Snack Pack gives you a bite-sized bit of information that leaves you wanting more. Google provides the “more” after you start clicking through including full business details with contact information and website links, map and location information, customer reviews, and all of the other important information you’re used to finding in a google listing.


Is It More than the Flavor of the Week?


The way Google works, it’s possible that the Snack Pack may not stick around for long, but who really knows? While it’s here, you might as well get used to it and understand how it can help and/or harm your business.


The Snack Pack interface keeps your potential customers in a seemingly closed-loop Google-fueled system. What does this mean for you? It means that if your Google pages aren’t up to date with all of the latest information your customers are not going to have very good information to go on. This could mean that your customers get wrong information or incomplete information, neither of which is good for business.


On the other hand, if your Google pages are up to date with all of the correct information, your Google and Zagat reviews are up to date and positive, and you’re able to maintain all of this, you have a great chance of really shining on this new platform.


“I don’t even eat pudding”


Although for certain sectors, this update is a major change, it’s not that big of a deal for those who are already staying up to date with their Google pages. If your SEO team is proactive and working to ensure your business has a positive image on Google and Google’s partner pages, you’ll be well-poised to take advantage of the Snack Pack update as it becomes more widespread.


To take advantage of this new update, keep doing the good work that you’ve been doing. Ask happy and satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your business’s Google+ page, and make sure other sites like Yelp and Zagat have positive reviews. Be sure to keep all of your business information up to date so that the small amount of information that this new update does provide will be a good representation of your business that will entice potential customers.


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