Google is experimenting with a new card carousel in search results. This carousel will allow “local business cards” in search results, which features content from local businesses at the top of Google’s search results. These tests are also the first time that Google has introduced animation or GIFS on to search results page.
Google has confirmed this test and informed the public that these local business cards are built on the same display functionality as the Candidate Cards which were launched a few weeks ago. Candidate Cards allow for presidential candidates to publish text to search results with lengths up to 14,400 characters and up to 10 images or videos per posts.
Currently, the card carousel is an experiment involving only a few dozen local businesses that Google has approached. The intent of this new feature is to allow businesses to communicate directly in search results. The content is also shareable directly from within the carousel. All of the information featured in these results are custom content and is not being drawn from Google my Business or any other feeds. These local business cards will appear next to the Knowledge Panel which features that business.
This feature could be quite significant for local SEO as it allows for local business to control their own content and information, including the businesses products and services, in a way the Knowledge Panel doesn’t allow. As of right now we are unsure if Google will continue to roll this feature out to only local businesses or involve national & larger enterprises as well.