Did Google Do An Update? Our Competitors and We Are Not Showing Up...

[gray0620]

Hello.

We recently ranked number one for our local and key keyword in the local map pack, along with several of our competitors. However, after searching these same queries over the last week, it appears our business, along with our competitors is not showing up in the 3-pack. Is this an error by google that will self-correct, or is this an update or punishment by google?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[keyserholiday]

I have been hearing chatter of a ranking update on several different forums. I’ll ask @rustybrick if he’s hearing or seeing anything.

 

[Jonathan Sousa]

I reported the same with some examples in this thread: Local Pack removal for Branded Searches.

Google certainly changed something in February.

 

[rustybrick]

Not hearing anything specific on the local side... Not yet at least.

 

[rustybrick]

So anyone else seeing major local pack changes? If so, any charts showing when?

 

[JS Girard]

Hello.

We recently ranked number one for our local and key keyword in the local map pack, along with several of our competitors. However, after searching these same queries over the last week, it appears our business, along with our competitors is not showing up in the 3-pack. Is this an error by google that will self-correct, or is this an update or punishment by google?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

I can't be sure since I don't know what keywords are involved, but could a reevaluation of search intent be responsible? Things I've seen in the past include

• Google switching spray painting queries in French from service-seeking to product seeking. The result was paint companies being replaced by hardware store selling spray painting equipment, then rolling that back in a later update
• Google switching book keeping (Fr: tenue de livres) from an accounting query to a generic query, so that it showed mostly bookstores.
• Google flip-flopping on the meaning of "CPA" in french. It can either mean chartered professional accountant (Comptable Professionnel Agréé) or a figure skating club (Club de Patinage Artistique)

Changes like that are not local algorithm changes, but directly impact local searches and are often associated with core updates. However, without knowing what exact queries are involved and what the new businesses showing up are, it's impossible to tell whether that is what's going on here.