I bet you’ve seen a lot of different ways that Google is displaying local search results as part of the new Google Places search product, right? And if you’re like me, you’ve thought, Wow, they’re still testing some pretty odd layouts for local search results…, right? Well, no. We’re both wrong. I sent the following six screenshots to Google and asked if they’re still testing different SERP displays, and the answer is no.

Before I post the images, here’s what a Google spokesperson said in response to seeing them:

The layout for local search results will vary depending on how confident our algorithm is in determining if you’re looking for local information. So in some instances you might see a full Place Search page, and in others, you’ll see a more condensed view. Of course, you can always click on the “Places” icon on the left to get the full Place Search view.

I followed up to confirm my feeling that there’s a lot more variety and a lot of new display options in Google Places now than before. Google confirmed that, yes, there’s “more variety with Place Search.”

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Tags: Google Places, New