As search is getting more and more local, Google has released a new feature that adds descriptive words to local search results. In an attempt to help the searcher better understand what the place is known for, Google will display a few of the most popular words that surround the place on other places online, including user reviews.
Think of it like a tag cloud. If you’re looking for a “coffee shop” and you see that one place in particular is tagged “great coffee”, “pastries”, “free wi-fi” and more, you’ll instantly have a pretty good idea of what other users have experienced at the place in question.
I’m curious how Google is obtaining these user-generated descriptions, but if they’re accurate, this could make search results way more helpful.