I actually spotted this back on the 19th, but wasn’t entirely sure if it was new or not.
However, it seems others began noticing it within the last couple of days.
The purple ad tag stands out quite a bit. Google has tested various colors of their “ad” tag, most recently with green.
These are accessed not through Google’s local map pack, which also started showing ads, but through the Google Maps website instead.
They are appearing on both mobile and desktop, although not for all users. Here is how it normally appears, with the yellow ad tag and regular red markers.
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Jennifer Slegg
Founder & Editor at The SEM Post
Jennifer Slegg is a longtime speaker and expert in search engine marketing, working in the industry for almost 20 years. When she isn't sitting at her desk writing and working, she can be found grabbing a latte at her local Starbucks or planning her next trip to Disneyland.
She regularly speaks at Pubcon, SMX, State of Search, Brighton SEO and more, and has been presenting at conferences for over a decade.
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