Most Recent Local Ranking Factors Report?

[mikepetersonwi]

I've always enjoyed reading what others have to say with regard to Local ranking factors. I've especially enjoyed the survey results most recently published by Whitespark (2020 Local Search Ranking Factors | Whitespark).

My question is, where do I look for the most recent survey results? If there hasn't been anything updated since then, are there other resources, reports, or studies that can confirm what was last reported is still somewhat accurate?

Thanks in advance.

 

[JoyHawkins]

I'm tagging @whitespark as they are working on publishing the 2021 version.

 

[whitespark]

Working on it right now! We're completely overhauling the design and layout this year, so it's taking some extra time.

 

[mikepetersonwi]

Thanks Darren. Looking forward to it.

 

[CaribouFondue]

Looking for a 2022 update on this if anyone has one to share.

 

[seaniaaa]

@JoyHawkins @whitespark is there a new update coming anytime soon?

 

[whitespark]

Hey there! I've gotten into an unfortunate timing with the LSRF where I publish it at the END of the year in November/December, and then January rolls around and it feels outdated already because it's "last years" version.

I am currently working on getting the updated survey prepared and out to participants in next couple of weeks. I want to get all the results in, the data crunched, and have it ready to publish early January. This way the 2023 LSRF is actually for the whole year, not just the end of the year. I'm skipping 2022 so that I can adjust this cadence.

 

[seaniaaa]

Hey there! I've gotten into an unfortunate timing with the LSRF where I publish it at the END of the year in November/December, and then January rolls around and it feels outdated already because it's "last years" version.

I am currently working on getting the updated survey prepared and out to participants in next couple of weeks. I want to get all the results in, the data crunched, and have it ready to publish early January. This way the 2023 LSRF is actually for the whole year, not just the end of the year. I'm skipping 2022 so that I can adjust this cadence.

Ahh I get that. Smart move. Please post a link to participate when you get it all set!

 

[CaribouFondue]

Hey there! I've gotten into an unfortunate timing with the LSRF where I publish it at the END of the year in November/December, and then January rolls around and it feels outdated already because it's "last years" version.

I am currently working on getting the updated survey prepared and out to participants in next couple of weeks. I want to get all the results in, the data crunched, and have it ready to publish early January. This way the 2023 LSRF is actually for the whole year, not just the end of the year. I'm skipping 2022 so that I can adjust this cadence.

Definitely the right move from an SEO standpoint for all the people searching for "[the latest year] local ranking factors" like I just was, and found nothing of value but garbage SEO articles. well that's not entirely true, this one was kind of useful: Local Search Like It’s 2022 (Not Like It’s 2012) although based on the url slug he's just edited it for two years in a row without actually making a new post, so the info could be fairly outdated.

 

[Orlando Sydney]

Hey there! I've gotten into an unfortunate timing with the LSRF where I publish it at the END of the year in November/December, and then January rolls around and it feels outdated already because it's "last years" version.

I am currently working on getting the updated survey prepared and out to participants in next couple of weeks. I want to get all the results in, the data crunched, and have it ready to publish early January. This way the 2023 LSRF is actually for the whole year, not just the end of the year. I'm skipping 2022 so that I can adjust this cadence.

Good stuff. So you don't have a skipped year you could average? the two and call it an estimate etc.

Keen to see what the feedback is on key words in reviews are. I've had experience to the contrary of a recent post.

 

[keyserholiday]

Good stuff. So you don't have a skipped year you could average? the two and call it an estimate etc.

Keen to see what the feedback is on key words in reviews are. I've had experience to the contrary of a recent post.

Reviews and NAP don’t hold the same weight as they used to. If it’s know the review study that you are referring too, then you can take that data to the bank. If you would like to refute it, then I would be open to reading your study on it. I want to set the standards on how the study needs to be conducted. You can’t use an exact match GBP of the terms you want to target. If you are targeting a geographic term, it can’t be part of the business name nor can the industry or similar keywords be used. The business has to be established with a minimum of 20 reviews prior to the new reviews being added with the target keywords. I want to see a Brightlocal and PlacesScout before and after study. No other work can be done, it must only be reviews. Do you accept my challenge?

 

[Orlando Sydney]

Reviews and NAP don’t hold the same weight as they used to. If it’s know the review study that you are referring too, then you can take that data to the bank. If you would like to refute it, then I would be open to reading your study on it. I want to set the standards on how the study needs to be conducted. You can’t use an exact match GBP of the terms you want to target. If you are targeting a geographic term, it can’t be part of the business name nor can the industry or similar keywords be used. The business has to be established with a minimum of 20 reviews prior to the new reviews being added with the target keywords. I want to see a Brightlocal and PlacesScout before and after study. No other work can be done, it must only be reviews. Do you accept my challenge?

"Reviews and NAP don’t hold the same weight as they used to." that could now be the case. But hasn't been my experience most of this year. But with only a few reviews a month it will be a while before my perceptions change.

I'd also prefer the business name not to have so much weighting on it as well. That could have changed last few weeks or so.

I read your comments like there's been a very recent update to the weight on Names and Review words?

 

[keyserholiday]

"Reviews and NAP don’t hold the same weight as they used to." that could now be the case. But hasn't been my experience most of this year. But with only a few reviews a month it will be a while before my perceptions change.

I'd also prefer the business name not to have so much weighting on it as well. That could have changed last few weeks or so.

I read your comments like there's been a very recent update to the weight on Names and Review words?

When I said NAP I was meaning NAP consistency. People put too much stock in NAP consistency and citation clean-up services. Does it matter if your name, address, and phone number are wrong on a small citation platform that nobody uses or visits? No. Will Google penalize your rankings over it? No. People should focus on the main ones, GBP, Yelp, FB, Yahoo, Bing, and Apple Maps is eligible. I wasn't talking about keywords in the business name.

My comments weren't about a new update, it was more about how people are believing old outdated myths.

 

[Orlando Sydney]

When I said NAP I was meaning NAP consistency. People put too much stock in NAP consistency and citation clean-up services. Does it matter if your name, address, and phone number are wrong on a small citation platform that nobody uses or visits? No. Will Google penalize your rankings over it? No. People should focus on the main ones, GBP, Yelp, FB, Yahoo, Bing, and Apple Maps is eligible. I wasn't talking about keywords in the business name.

My comments weren't about a new update, it was more about how people are believing old outdated myths.

Cool, thank you.
Edit;
"GBP, Yelp, FB, Yahoo, Bing, and Apple Maps"

What's on Yahoo we should consider?

 

[keyserholiday]

Cool, thank you.
Edit;
"GBP, Yelp, FB, Yahoo, Bing, and Apple Maps"

What's on Yahoo we should consider?

Yahoo is still a core citation.

 

[seaniaaa]

Reviews and NAP don’t hold the same weight as they used to. If it’s know the review study that you are referring too, then you can take that data to the bank. If you would like to refute it, then I would be open to reading your study on it. I want to set the standards on how the study needs to be conducted. You can’t use an exact match GBP of the terms you want to target. If you are targeting a geographic term, it can’t be part of the business name nor can the industry or similar keywords be used. The business has to be established with a minimum of 20 reviews prior to the new reviews being added with the target keywords. I want to see a Brightlocal and PlacesScout before and after study. No other work can be done, it must only be reviews. Do you accept my challenge?

Coming in hot I see lol

 

[keyserholiday]

Coming in hot I see lol

Just wait until I publish my post on reviews. I am finishing it up now.

 

[Claudia]

Just wait until I publish my post on reviews. I am finishing it up now.

I am looking forward to seeing it. The new blog Does the Number of Google Reviews Impact Ranking? [Case Study] - Sterling Sky Inc really got me thinking.

 

[keyserholiday]

Coming in hot I see lol

Here is my post.

 

[Claudia]

Thanks for sharing, good read.