Dec 18 Google+ Local Algo Update? EMD Comes back strong?

[Matt]

Last night I noticed a few clients have pretty big ranking swings both up and down (for different clients) in google places.

It seems that EMD got a HUGE boost in places as the ones that jumped up were ALL exact match. The few that dropped down were not EMD and were replaced in ranking by EMD.

That was the only thing I could tell was different.

I also found that a lot of DUPLICATES came back last night even ones that are claimed and deleted from google maps in the dashboard.

Anyone else see this?

Suggestions on how to best handle?

Thanks,

Matt

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Matt,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for starting off with a bang!

The only way we know about updates or shuffles is when someone like you, starts sharing what they are seeing. Otherwise everyone can think it's just a fluke or just their listings.

So this 'sounds' like something could be up if you are seeing it across multiple clients. I'm totally swamped and have not had time to be in the G forum much this week which is normally where I start to see patterns develop if anything is up.

When I get time I'll try to scan and see if I notice more than usual reports of ranking drops or dupes.

Today I did notice a previous client that's back with me for consulting drop to the B spot. He's been #1 for over 2 years. The guy that leapfrogged him IS an EMD. So that kinda supports what you are seeing but that's just one case, so not enough to call it an update.

Anyone else seeing any changes?

 

[Linda Buquet]

I also found that a lot of DUPLICATES came back last night even ones that are claimed and deleted from google maps in the dashboard.

Oh forgot to mention, not a good idea to handle dupes this way any more. AND depending on the type of dupe Google often will no longer delete from maps EVEN IF you delete in dash.

Were these professional dupes or just garden variety scraped dupes?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re the ranking shifts, one of our members Michael Borgelt has a ranking tool, so sees tons of ranking across the board. I'll ask him to weigh in if he's noticed any major changes.

 

[MiriamEllis]

It seems that EMD got a HUGE boost

Now, this would be hugely crazy if Google boosted EMDs for Local Businesses while hammering them for virtual ones.

I'd love to know more about theories on this. Matt, thank you so much for starting this thread.

 

[mborgelt]

Hey all! I LOVE these types of questions. To answer Matt's question....yes last night there was significant changes in the rankings for the keywords that we track. We saw a lot more more movement than we normally see in our daily review.

In regards to EMD's, I can not answer that yet. The EMDs that I have or clients that I manage did not see major movement but that doesn't mean Google didn't release the strangle hold it had on poor EMD's. I personally never saw my/clients EMD's fall. I think if you had an EMD with poor content it got hit and hit hard. If you had an EMD with high quality content it still ranked...and I do think it can help your rankings overall.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Yes I've seen EMD on top for the most part in the top 3 spots in competitive markets all along, they never dropped when the whole EMD thing flard up, but all seemed to be very strong sites all the way around. I think it was just thin or spammy EMDs that got hit.

Interesting to hear you did see lots of shuffle Michael. Thanks so much for jumping right in to confirm.

Sounds like something may be up. We just need to figure out WHAT!

 

[Matt]

Hi Michael,

Our client's EMD domains always ranked well, actually above the maps 95% of the time if not top on the map. The map listings are what changed drastically. I have one client that shares an address so we had him at #1 organically but getting that map listing to rank was killing us. But at midnight last night the #1 organic above the map turned into #1 on the map. We had a few similar ones.

Then a few non EMD ranking #1 drop. 1 as bad as 1 to 15 in a SUPER competitive area. The listings now in the map are most all EMD and poor quality content like you said.

So it seems at least for the moment G is giving the POWER back to EMD no matter the content.

Anyone tested EMD 301 to the original domain for the purpose of ranking in g places using EMD or getting double listing g places and organic?

Thanks,

M

 

[Matt]

garden variety scraped dupes

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Oh forgot to mention, not a good idea to handle dupes this way any more. AND depending on the type of dupe Google often will no longer delete from maps EVEN IF you delete in dash.

Were these professional dupes or just garden variety scraped dupes?

In the last year I don't think Google has been deleting dupes from the Maps, rather just removing it from the public eye, except those searchable in Map Maker. Claiming a duplicate is essentially a sure fire way for Google to suspend all your listings.

True duplicates (not professionals that were improperly mangled by bots/others) should be edited in Map Maker to reflect the most accurate data for the feature. Basically the Superior and Inferior features in Map Maker should look the same. Duplicates likely show up due to different trusted data sources. Once the duplicates match the data of the Superior GMM feature that that Superior GMM is the one linked to the Places/G+L page then there shouldn't be any issues. The major issues with duplicates is when somone claims a feature that previously existed as another feature but has since changed (professional listing -> business listing -> other professional listing).

 

[Pankaj Kumar]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for sharing your experience here.
For the EMD update I have not seen this with any of my clients.

I will surely share if found any such case.

Pankaj Kumar

 

[SEODiva]

Wow, thanks, I thot I was going crazy..My client who has been in position 1 - 3 for the past year in G+ totally disappeared..for no reason..so I do hope he bounces back. The listing still exists just not in the 7 pack on page one..Unsure what to do, any suggestions will be welcome.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi SEOdiva and welcome.

If you want us to take a look at that listing to see if we can spot any issues, please post a thread down in the help section with a link and pertinent details. Sounds like the listing disconnected from blended and I have a list of issues that can cause that, but could not guess without investigating further.