The Vicinity Algorithm Update: Is anyone seeing major shifts in local rankings? With reviews being at the focus?

[sixthcitysarah]

Hi all,

I was hoping to see if anyone else has been seeing changes in the local pack over the past week?

My team and I have been seeing tons of new businesses, that were not in the local pack before, all ranking ahead of others. And the only thing they have in common is a high level of reviews.

Keyword stuffers are still ranking up there as well, but the newcomers with high reviews don't even have their main category as the most relevant to the search. (Ex: Website Designers are ranking for SEO terms above all other Internet Marketing Providers/Marketing Agencies that used to rank)

I know Google released another product reviews update on Dec 1, but in the past, I don't believe it was ever noted to impact local as well.

Curious on everyone's thoughts!

 

[JoyHawkins]

Yeah, I'm seeing some major differences in a few that I just spot checked. It looks like changes happened around December 6th so they might not stick. Some of them are drastically different.

Like, look at this SERP on December 2nd vs today:

 

[sixthcitysarah]

Yeah, I'm seeing some major differences in a few that I just spot checked. It looks like changes happened around December 6th so they might not stick. Some of them are drastically different.

Like, look at this SERP on December 2nd vs today:

Really interesting too for that to see the shift with the "Their website mentions: [your exact query]" to all the others as well.

 

[0001q0X]

What is it with some law firms and the myth that setting your hours as "open 24/hours" is helpful? I wonder where it came from.

 

[JoyHawkins]

A lot of them use call answering services that answer 24-hrs a day which is why they want their hours displayed like that.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@sixthcitysarah, nothing major, but yes, I do see some changes that appear only a few days old. (And those are only for a couple of clients, both of whom are lawyers.)

 

[dakotawilliams]

@sixthcitysarah legal industry here - we're seeing some sizable changes that seemed to get picked up when our rank tracker ran yesterday, December 7. I see the same thing as you where some new businesses that weren't ranking before have jumped into the top 3. What's strange is that some of the new ranking businesses have a low number of reviews (less than 10) for such a competitive industry in a major city like Chicago

 

[JoyHawkins]

I wanted to clarify that the industries we're seeing this in are also lawyers, particularly personal injury lawyers.

 

[JoyHawkins]

Here's another example where the 3pack is literally completely different than it was before. Searching from 90010:

Before (Nov 27):
After (Dec 9):

 

[sixthcitysarah]

Here's another example where the 3pack is literally completely different than it was before. Searching from 90010:

Before (Nov 27):
After (Dec 9):

@JoyHawkins I'm not familiar with that area but based on the maps it looks like it got more zoomed in on the area? as before it was more spread out?

 

[sixthcitysarah]

@sixthcitysarah legal industry here - we're seeing some sizable changes that seemed to get picked up when our rank tracker ran yesterday, December 7. I see the same thing as you where some new businesses that weren't ranking before have jumped into the top 3. What's strange is that some of the new ranking businesses have a low number of reviews (less than 10) for such a competitive industry in a major city like Chicago

@dakotawilliams that's super interesting, I have definitely seen that before for businesses with no reviews but the new businesses I am seeing ranking for SEO/marketing terms all have a high average rating and over 20 reviews

 

[dakotawilliams]

@dakotawilliams that's super interesting, I have definitely seen that before for businesses with no reviews but the new businesses I am seeing ranking for SEO/marketing terms all have a high average rating and over 20 reviews

Well at least it sounds like there could be some logic to the changes to the local pack for SEO/marketing terms! lol

 

[sixthcitysarah]

Well at least it sounds like there could be some logic to the changes to the local pack for SEO/marketing terms! lol

somewhat but not really, most of the people now ranking are web design companies that (for whatever reason) have the highest review data, and don't even really offer what the search is about 🙃

 

[AndySimpson]

Here's another example where the 3pack is literally completely different than it was before. Searching from 90010:

Before (Nov 27):
After (Dec 9):

Good old Wilshire Blvd, the "go-to" location for PI firms in Los Angles? 😏

...and yes, seeing some fluctuation for PIs

 

[rgblocal]

Seeing an odd mix of hyper optimized - niche Google site linked from listing, business name registered with keywords, etc) - and some otherwise 'blank' listings creep up, with few/no reviews, but long history.

 

[Rob]

HVAC [SAB] Industry here. Completely knocked me out of the pack after holding my ranks for years.

 

[JWDM]

It definitely shook up personal injury. I have had clients in the top 2 for the last few years going to 8 and 13. The top results that are showing do not make any sense. I am hoping for a correction soon.

 

[sixthcitysarah]

Ya I am still not seeing any leveling out from whatever this is, even a week or so later!

 

[Rob]

Same, and the business that took our place should not be knocking us out. I'm starting to wonder if we simply got knocked down because no physical office so we have to hide the address. Yet were still showing up in local pack in surrounding areas.

 

[sixthcitysarah]

Same, and the business that took our place should not be knocking us out. I'm starting to wonder if we simply got knocked down because no physical office so we have to hide the address. Yet were still showing up in local pack in surrounding areas.

Are the other businesses using keywords or have more reviews/better ratings than your listing?