Google announced today that it is adding a new carousel feature for local search results on the top of some search results pages. It looks essentially like the recently redesigned Knowledge Graph carousel, but includes local businesses and their Zagat scores. Google says in a Google+ post:
Give it a go—type or say “mexican restaurants,” or try any similar search for restaurants, bars or hotels. Click on one of the places in the carousel to get more details on it, including its overall review-based score, address and photos. If you want to see more places, click the arrow at the right of the carousel. And you can zoom in on the map that appears below the carousel to restrict your search to only places in a specific area.
While some iPad and Nexus tablet users have seen this new look since December, we’re excited to expand to desktop. The interactive “carousel” is rolling out in English in the U.S.—we’ll add more features and languages over time.
The feature could be good for local businesses that don’t necessarily rank at the top of local results, as it features more on the page, and encourages users to scroll through them.