Google SERP UI in December

[enoch]

For retailers (or commercial queries), it seems like PPC ads, product ads and google shopping links were allocated more pixel real estate in December than in previous years, and the amount of pixel real estate allocated to organic listings declined further.  I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge on when these changes were rolled out.

[KaneJamison]

Not an exact answer, but it's been my experience that those changes have a launch date that is usually picked up by Search Engine Land or the other SE blogs, and it's rolled out to different users at different times. I get different results on different PCs while signed into the same Google account, so some of it must be done by IP or split-testing.

[generalzod]

Google definitely do split testing. Like Kane said, I've also had differing results from the same account, plus they also bring in changes then withdraw them again a few days later!

I'd say that if its there 2 weeks later, it's probably there to stay and SEOs are going to be talking about it at SEO roundtable / SEL etc.

See how it pans out before jumping to any conclusions.