Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

[cliclocal]

Major change (for the better) in Local Rankings in the past 24 hours...

Have any of you guys noticed a change in the Map Ranking results over the past 24 hours? Almost 90% of our clients took a MAJOR jump in their rankings on the Google Map. Clients that we have been puzzled by for months (should be ranked - have more reviews, more citations & better content but were not) suddenly hold spot A or B spots positions. Clients that we just outside their main city...but were the big players in their market now hold strong rankings in the main market (E.G. Our client in North Little Rock who could never rank for Little Rock Plumber now holds spot A or client in Gardendale would never rank for Birmingham Plumber now holds Spot A for Birmingham Plumber).


Let me know if you guys are seeing similar on your end...

 

[Eric Rohrback]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Crazy stuff guys... I posted this on the HubShout forum (company I work for) to see what some of my clients are seeing. Hopefully I'll start getting more input from what others are seeing, so we can get a larger sample size of queries that got effected by this.

I saw major changes in dentist results (multiple areas of the country), as well as Realtors (like it was mentioned before). It's going to be a rough conversation with real estate clients to tell them... "oh hey, guess what? Yeah... Google took away your local listing from the search results. Sorry..."

This is what i'm expecting their reaction to be = ........

 

[ridgerunner]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

I don't know about the rest of you.

This morning I'm seeing the following

Ads followed by Map Pack then the Organic listings.

Which on my screen means a #1 Organic ranking is not showing above the fold.

 

[Eric Rohrback]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Can someone check Service Area Business results vs Brick and Mortar businesses? That might be interesting to examine

 

[Linda Buquet]

Re: Major change (for the better) in Local Rankings in the past 24 hours...

Have any of you guys noticed a change in the Map Ranking results over the past 24 hours? Almost 90% of our clients took a MAJOR jump in their rankings on the Google Map...

Hi Cliclocal, we already have a big thread going about the algo change.

Merging your post into the main thread so we don't have a split convo and have people see part of the news in one post and miss the other.

Thanks for sharing your results and glad you are seeing good changes.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Just got a great tip via Joy Hawkins.

If you want to compare new SERPs with the old results - Canada has not changed yet.

So check these links and you'll see the difference.

NEW CURRENT RESULTS
https://www.google.com/search?q=Los...#gl=us&q=Los+Angeles+Personal+Injury+Attorney

VS. OLD RESULTS (Using Google.ca)
https://www.google.ca/search?num=100&q=Los+Angeles+personal++injury+attorney

I can confirm that is exactly the old result cuz I track screenshots of that one.

THANKS JOY!

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

HEY ALL, just woke up over here in SoCal so am getting ready to do some more checking around.

I know last night right before I hit the hay at midnight, Mike posted so here is his post:

<a href="http://blumenthals.com/blog/2014/07/25/google-updates-local-algo-with-more-web-based-signals-turmoil-in-serps/">Google Updates Local Algo with More Web Based Signals ? Turmoil in SERPS | Understanding Google Places & Local Search</a>

Have not had time to read all the comments yet, going to try to make the rounds now.

 

[Former Member]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

It's been very positive on our end. It seems like the areas have expanded as we have entered the pack in 4 outside towns and have remained in the top spot for our city. Lots of shuffling. Most of it makes sense and places the real businesses up front. There are a few instances where duplicates are showing within the same 7 pack though.

 

[DanLeibson]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

I have seen a huge shift in local results that used to return 7 packs now returning 3 packs. Anyone else seeing this? I'm curious if it's isolated to the verticals I am looking at or is more or less across the board.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Thanks for sharing Dan!

I posted 2 examples up in post #15.

Chesapeake dentist used to always be a 7 pack. Now it's a 3 pack.

Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist dropped from being a 7 pack to a 3 pack.

But I've not had time to check more.

 

[DanLeibson]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

In the moving vertical several head terms that are implicitly located shifted from 7 packs to 3. This is all over the country from what I have seen. Things like "movers' "moving company" etc.

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Barry did a new post at Search Engine Roundtable.

<a href="http://www.seroundtable.com/google-local-search-algorithm-updated-18904.html">Google Launches New Local Search Algorithm That Impacts Maps Results</a>

 

[CaseyMeraz]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

I have seen a lot of major changes with this algo update. Some good and some very bad. There are also a lot of new anomalies I noticed as well including:

Not Displaying Local Results:
DUI Lawyers
Realtors

New Results: I am seeing results that never ranked pop up all of the sudden.

Spammy Listings: I am seeing a lot of spammy listings show up. Specifically where users don't have their G+ page pointed to their website, bur rather to a major industry site instead.

You can read more of my preliminary analysis from last night. Please forgive any misspellings, etc. here: July 2014 Local Search Update Preliminary Analysis | Ethical SEO Consulting

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Thanks for sharing Casey. I saw your link on G+ and have been trying to get over to read it.

 

[Dustybones]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Thanks for posting this Linda....

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Thanks for answering the question how to change location settings Justin!

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Update: Algo still in flux!

Just posted a 3rd Seattle Chiro screenshot to show comparison.

See how the rankings are shifting here.

 

[Majestic1]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

I have been following this forum here for a while and decided to join after recent changes. I have been noticing some flux the past few weeks with different morning results vs afternoon and in the evening on some different client sites in regards to the 7 pack. I could not really find any info on that..My theory was either testing or data center shifts..

But for this update, one thing I noticed, if you change your search tools to a smaller city, you are getting a mixed result of different cities or sometimes the 7 pack is only displaying the major city results.. so like criminal attorney peoria az only pulled phoenix results. I cant believe that in Peoria Az there is not one criminal attorney.


Based on IP search, not the main keyword, but relatively large.. A phoenix ip search not showing 1 phoenix local based business in the 7 pack.
For example

change your search tools to phoenix and search garage door service, here is the link
https://www.google.com/#q=garage+door+service

not one of the business in the 7 pack is a phoenix based business based on address. i know some of these businesses have phoenix addresses, but I am purely going off of what the 7 pack shows.

I am sure they will dial it back a little over the next few weeks like normal, but it will be interesting to see how things shake up.

These were just a few things I noticed..

One last thought, its probably Googles way of getting more businesses to spend on PPC, just like Panda and Penguin... Had to add that little poke in there..

 

[Carolyn]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

In the Austin area - realtors effected - just natural SERP

dentists - not
chiropractors - not
roofing companies - not

 

[Linda Buquet]

re: Major Google Local Algo Update - Google "Pigeon" Update Shakes it Up!

Welcome Majestic! Thanks for posting!

Thanks Carolyn.

Search Engine Land did an update to their post and dubbed this the Pigeon Update.

So I changed the title of the post here.

<a href="http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778">Google "Pigeon" Updates Local Search Algorithm With Stronger Ties To Web Search Signal</a>