While performing a search today for Bondi Beach I noticed a Google Maps location URL appeared as one of the normal listings in the Google.co.uk SERPs, as shown below.
Click image for full-size screenshot
This is the Google Maps result which is displayed:
Over the last few months Google have been using OneBox results to display maps at the top of the SERPs for local searches. They have also began using an embedded map link, but as far as I’m aware individual Google Maps locations shouldn’t be indexed and listed as a regular search result. Looking into the cached copy of this page shows that it is not indexed, this seems very strange as somehow it’s managed to get into the SERPs.
I haven’t seen this appearing for any other location so far and it doesn’t make sense that a page which isn’t cached is ranking for this term so could this be a test by Google?
Update: I’ve just noticed my own Bondi Beach rankings improve so Google seems to be doing a good job with this search after all!
It could be a test.. Google is doing extensive test on all of their system including their adsense ads.
I’ve looked into this a bit deeper and it seems that Google Maps locations can be indexed:
site:maps.google.com.au bondi beach
I didn’t think Google would list results in this way but it seems to be getting listed naturally.
FYI I first noticed this happening in October of last year: Google Organic returning results from Map in organic search results page
Although I am not sure why.
Mike Blumenthal
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Understanding Google Maps and Yahoo Local Search