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

[Linda Buquet]

WHOA! 5 hours later another big shakeup.

Just did yet another ranking update screen shot on Seattle Chiropractor.

More major movement and some interesting changes noted in post #5 above. I've never seen SERPs change so much and so often like this before.

(Yes I'm always double checking search location now and all screenshots were set to Seattle.)

 

[JoshuaMackens]

Tonight I got curious about Pigeon. I haven't really concentrated on it since it came out.

So I started digging and a lot of the listings make sense from my extremely small analysis.

I took a look at roofers in Nashville, Dallas as well as chiropractors in Seattle.

#1) How are you telling what is pre-pigeon SERPS vs post-pigeon ranking SERPS. I may be seeing the pre-pigeon.

#2) Does anyone have any SERPS they would mind sharing that they feel like are wonky? Please list the exact keyword phrase as well as the first 7 websites that show up in maps for you.

#3) Linda, I checked out the Seattle Chiropractic SERP. Here were my results:

1. seattlefamilychiro.com 2. fremontchiropractic.com 3. seattlechiropractor.com 4. eastlakechiro.com 5.seattlephysicalmedicine.com 6. flourishchiropracticspa.com 7.myseattlechiropractors.com

Is that what you're seeing as well?

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Also, make sure you're using Chrome Incognito when giving SERPS. I've noticed since Pigeon Google has been doing way more personalization and I've even seen reverse personalization. That's right. My clients won't show up for me but they will for others I randomly gchat or Facebook chat in my area. When I incognito, I see the exact same results they do.

Anyways, ctrl+shift in Chrome for Incog.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

#1) How are you telling what is pre-pigeon SERPS vs post-pigeon ranking SERPS. I may be seeing the pre-pigeon.

Hi Joshua,

I don't believe the update has hit Canada yet. So to get an idea of what the SERP's looked like pre-pigeon, search with google.ca

 

[Linda Buquet]

Colan is right about .Ca last I checked.

But something I discovered last week and have not had time to share yet, is that all the different datacenters I've found still show the OLD algo. I have a ton of them, but am only sharing one so doors don't get slammed shut.

http://74.125.224.97/#q=seattle+chiropractor

You can just copy the IP above and add your KWs or copy the whole string and replace your KWs w/ + sign.

So if you check that SERP above, using that IP it almost exactly matches my PRE-pigeon screenshot here.

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(Oops sorry, the red text at top is misleading now. I added that the day Pigeon hit and meant from 6/22 - til Pigeon hit, those had been the results.)

David Lee and Matt Brown were in PRE-pigeon for a long time. NEVER since pigeon hit, unless you search via .CA or one of those old IPs. ALSO all tracking software that sends me screenshots of the SERPs are showing me the old PRE results too.

So what I think is happening and the reason the SERPs are switching back and forth so much - is I think there are 3 or so new versions of the algo or one algo with a few different elements... but they are sitting on a 3 or so new datacenters and Google is switching datacenters back and forth doing AB testing or something.

We had a Huntington Beach Chiro here saying one day she's B and the next she's totally gone. Then I just helped a guy on the G forum that said Google is rotating his SERPS. One day he's A, the next B or C. The next A.

I think she's rotating datacenters that different versions of the algo are on.

That's my latest theory anyway.

TECHY HELP NEEDED - I've searched and searched - does anyone know any way to tell the IP of the Google datacenter you hit as you search??? I've tried ping and nslookup, but they give me old IPs that have the old algo. I want to know, if I hit regular G search right now and get the Pigeon algo, what IP am I hitting???

 

[Dave]

WHOA! 5 hours later another big shakeup.

Just did yet another ranking update screen shot on Seattle Chiropractor.

More major movement and some interesting changes noted in post #5 above. I've never seen SERPs change so much and so often like this before.

(Yes I'm always double checking search location now and all screenshots were set to Seattle.)

Linda: the above post is from 8/7. Well last week I was looking at some restaurant search phrases in a couple of cities.

Dang. I saw changes in the carousel rankings and mobile rankings every day. Enormous fr*gging flux.

On an historical note...back around 2005, '06 etc, when google made big changes in algo's in the main index...there were at times a full month of flux. In later years this evened out so the "month or so" of rankings dancings" was converted to a virtual instant change. The flux I saw last week reminded me of around 2005/2006 and earlier.

Just sayin.

 

[Linda Buquet]

See this new post for actionable advice.

<a href="http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/22174-pigeon-algo-advice-top-experts-checklist.html">Pigeon Algo: Advice from Top Experts and a Checklist</a>