If you work in Local SEO, chances are you've been fielding tons of questions from clients since Google rolled out the Pigeon update in late July. Need a little extra support providing sound advice in what are still the early days of this development that has caused both organic and local ranking shakeups? Here's your chance to learn what six of the finest Local SEOs on the map are telling their own clients and readers about Pigeon, followed up by a checklist aimed at helping you Pigeon-proof your local presence. Read closely, and I believe you'll find some gems of wisdom from these generous pros!
Mike Blumenthal says...
With Pigeon, it's important to understand that several things happened at once and you need to understand which of those things happened so that you can respond appropriately.
One major change was a shifting of the calculations for distance around a search. Typically, but not always, Google reduced the search radius.
If you are no longer included in the search radius you have several choices (besides opening another office). The one that makes the most sense is learn what geographic areas you are showing in and emphasize those AND find the less competitive categorical searches where you can compete to get some visibility. "Jewelry Appraisals" might not be as lucrative as "Jewelry" in a given market, but if you can dominate the search, it can lead to long term sustainable client acquisition. Figure out what these phrases are and be sure that you have both the right site content AND the right categories at places like YP.com and elsewhere.
The other change was a reordering of search results with some listings losing rank even though they are still within the new search radius.
If you lost rank but are still within the search radius then you need to do the things that Google is looking for. When in doubt, go back to the basics of internet marketing and be sure that you are participating in activities that make your business more visible on-line - becoming more citation worthy and linkable in your local market. In essence become newsworthy in your local market.
Mary Bowling says...
This is the gist of what I have found myself saying repeatedly over the past few weeks to clients:
1. Just because obvious spam is being rewarded in the SERPs, don't think that you should spam, too. If you're concerned about spam in the local packs that affect you, report it. The more people you can get to report it, the more likely it is to be examined and, hopefully, demoted.
2. Brands with their own directories of locations (or store finders) should do whatever is needed to boost their potential for ranking well, which will help both the brand website and the individual locations. The website needs to be structured to push PageRank down to all of the location listings. The directory section must be thoroughly crawlable and well-optimized at every level. The location listings themselves must have plenty of unique, location-specific content that visitors find interesting and valuable.
3. Make certain you are in the directories that are ranking in or above the local packs for the terms you'd like to rank for. Regardless of your feelings toward Yelp, most businesses need to maintain accurate and complete listings there, preferably accompanied by good reviews.
4. To appear in the shrunken local packs, you must now rank in the top 3 positions, which are usually influenced by organic rankings. So keep working on your organic rankings via valuable, well-optimized content and incoming links from other good websites.
Linda Buquet says...
My advice? The Pigeon has flown the coup, but has not landed yet! There is too much flux for any of us to make sense of yet. I've been sharing tracking screenshots at the Local Search Forum and we have 200 Pigeon analysis posts so far. All I can say is that hopefully by the time this bird is tested and/or trained it will settle into something equitable for users and business owners alike. So no solid advice can be given now, except to keep working on best practice strategies, which will always help in the end.
A couple of unique and more recent observations:
1. After doing lots of Pigeon analysis, I'm almost positive that Google is testing at least 3 versions of Pigeon on different datacenters and rotating results - maybe for AB testing. I say this, in part, because all the Google datacenter IPs I can find are still showing the old pre-Pigeon results and many of the tools I use that send me screenshots or ordered pack results are still showing the old algo ranking order as well. Classic Google maps is showing the old ranking order too, because it's using a different datacenter than Google search. Here is a detailed post with all my observations and screenshots to back them up:
Pigeon Analysis - New Insights about this Crazy Google Local Algo & the Constant Flux
So that would account for the crazy constant flux we are seeing. Depends on which of the rotating datacenters you hit. I repeat - the Pigeon has not landed!
2. Duplicate discovery has changed and Pigeon is now hiding lots of dupes. Those dupes can still rank and mess you up but are just harder to find. (h/t to Joy Hawkins for this discovery.) The old map search for phone # may only surface 1 listing even though there are 6. There is a long post about the various ways to search now, including a couple new ways at my forum. So if you deal with doctors, dentists, attorneys, just be aware that if your standard method of dupe discovery shows 0 additional listings – it does not mean they are not out there. They are just in hiding! (Plus Pigeon is handling dupes differently too, but I think going into that will make this too long.)
Phil Rozek says...
You have to figure out which strain of Pigeon Flu has got you down.
Is Google showing only 3-packs, and now your #5 ranking doesn't get you on page one? Don't panic and change your strategy; you're on the right track.
Have you been knocked out of the 7-pack by spammy results? Not much you can do, but Google will probably fix it anyway. Hang tight and work on your non-Google Places visibility efforts.
Lost your rankings in the big city? Well, your first priority always should have been to be King or Queen of your immediate area first and foremost. (And if that doesn't bring you enough phone calls, then you
need to earn more reviews and make your site stickier.)
In my experience, Pigeon is a wake-up peck.
Andrew Shotland says...
Our best advice to clients is to keep calm and carry on. We are still seeing a lot of changes in the local SERPs on almost a daily basis. So adjusting tactics while the game board is still moving seems ill-advised. In cases where things are really broken - and we've seen a bit of that (e.g. multi-location brands that have a 100-mile-away location ranking for <brand>+<city> queries even though they have a location in the searched city) - we are definitely hitting Google My Biz Support and making sure there's nothing screwy on the NAP side that could be causing this.
Thus far the big fix we are seeing to defeating spammy results in the local packs is to get links, which unfortunately is going to lead to a whole new wave of local link SPAM, because it appears to be working, for the moment.
My best advice to clients would be to do "real local SEO sh*t". Lots of local SEOs, especially at large firms, have focused on the local part of the algorithm to the exclusion of localized organic search. The Pigeon update, with its fusing of the local and organic ranking factors, appears to push us back to basic SEO tactics. Get good, local, links. Create quality content. Eliminate technical issues on your website and Google My Business page. Do this and you will be ahead of the vast majority of local businesses in the turd covered post-pigeon landscape.
Nyagoslav Zhekov says...
I do believe it is very early to comment on an update that appears to be as impactful as "Pigeon" (I really dislike the name, and I don't think it fits too well), partly because I do not even think the SERPs have settled down yet, and partly because very little targeted testing and research has been done to date.
The only thing we know for sure is what Google shared ( indirectly):
"Google has released a new algorithm to provide a [sic]more useful, relevant and accurate local search results that are tied more closely to traditional web search ranking signals."
"…Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters."
The first part could be interpreted as Google now giving more value to the "traditional" organic ranking factors (website-related ranking factors). This could be seen as a sort of a "follow-up" on Venice, which significantly impacted the type of local SERPs (major shift from "pure" to "blended" SERPs). Pigeon had significant impact on the display of local "packs" in the local SERPs, too (23.4% drop in local packs display).
The second part of Google's "announcement" could be interpreted as an attempt to further "localize" the search results, wherever it might make sense. There have been observations of "tightening" of the radius of the displayed local search results, and experts generally agree that the update had a serious impact on the hyper-local search results.
What a business owner should do? My advice – do what you have been doing up to now. A strong, end-to-end, local SEO campaign, without cutting corners, and without stressing on one aspect while neglecting the rest, is the most sustainable way to win in the long term, and practically the only way not to have to worry every time Google update their algorithms."
My 6-point Pigeon-proofing checklist for local businesses
Stay alert. Experts agree that the dust has not settled on this update, so this would not be the right time to react with a complete 180 in your marketing strategy. Stay tuned in to local blogs and fora and monitor the SERPs on a regular basis to watch things progress in the coming weeks and months. Based on past experience, I would not be at all surprised to see Google continue to turn dials up and down with this update. Don't panic like a birdbrain and start making major changes, but do keep up-to-date!
If your radius has shrunken for your core terms, you may need to consider focusing more effort on less competitive terms to try to make up the difference. Among other things, this could include changing a category on your Google My Business page, building new content that proves your relationship to these topics and earning new reviews and links that cement your presence in reference to these somewhat lesser terms.
If your 7-packs have shrunken to 3-packs, striving to build greater organic authority may help you more than purely local signals like citations and reviews. No mystery here – make your website as clean, fast, usable and rich in information as you possibly can, and brainstorm for those ideas that will set you apart from more sluggish or boring competitors, making your business link-and-shareworthy.
If more spam seems to be rearing its ugly head in your important SERPs, report it! You have several vehicles for doing so. In Google Mapmaker, search for a spammy business, click the 'edit' link and then the 'report this' link. Provide as much detail as you can, documenting and proving that the listing contains spam. Or, while signed into your G+ account, find the spammy Google+ Local page, click the downward pointing in the row of icons beneath the business NAP, choose the report/block option and then fully describe the issue. If you notice widespread spamming, you might want to consider reporting it via a thread at the Google And Your Business help forum in hopes of getting the attention of Top Contributors and/or staffers.
Because Pigeon appears to be giving more emphasis to local business directories for more searches now, it is more important than ever to have clean, consistent citations across the board. Do your most important keyword searches and see which directories are appearing high in the SERPs for these terms. Be sure you've got a fully-filled out listing on these directories and that the data on it is good and correct.
Local SEO strives to build a web-based mirror-image of local business communities – but don't forget that it is only a reflection of the offline world. Citation building, content development, link earning, review acquisition – these are all incredibly important tasks, but they do not take the place of the service you offer and relationships you are building in the real world with face-to-face customers and associates.
Becoming 'a name' in your neighbors' households by dint of your excellence should always be your #1 priority. So, give that better-than-expected customer service, launch that new in-store campaign, join that local business association and go to those local events and seminars! Become a vital local resource to your neighbors and you'll be standing in a strong place, no matter what updates may come your way.
Andrew Shotland's advice was my favorite. I think he makes a good point about this new wave of local link spam. I've seen it too, and it does appear to be highly effective. Local SEO is a new gold rush of get rich quick link spammers at the moment.. Link building pre-April 2012 all over again.
Hi Nicholas!
Glad to hear Andrew's thoughts rang true with you. He is one smart dude!
Excellent post Miriam! I like that you got all the expert opinions in one place. Thanks so much for including me.
And your checklist is right on, so I'm sure it will be helpful for all.
Hey Linda!
I so appreciated your participation and I hope people will check out all of the discussions going on at your forum about Pigeon. There's always something to learn there!
I love Linda's advice. Google doing AB Testing only makes sense. I am assuming they are hearing the cries of all of the SEOs out there an taking steps to reward businesses that are doing the right things. I think staying patient is the key.
I think Rand said it best when he said to focus on building your brand and not links. This way you don't have to worry about being attacked by all of the animals at the Google zoo.
I'm 100% agree with You and Rand, My thinking is same as your, I'm always using White hat techniques. I'm not getting any Update Penalty for any client because i'm always waiting for Result not just like Result in Few Month or Few weeks.
White Hat SEO and Branding Will take Time but that will give you Log term benefits and Security..
Branding is the Best option to promote locally.
It's funny how the impact and takeaways from these Google updates break down to the same core principles. I've been fortunate to only be on the positive impact end of the Pigeon spectrum, so from my group of local clients it's been pretty basic:
- Consistent, non-dupe NAPs (particularly in niche/local sites)
- Local, long(er)-form, on-site content (keyword research important here!)
- Basic SEO on-site optimization
- And some relevant, in-content links from a high-authority local site.
The last bullet point is obviously the hardest, but we were able to establish that relationship using the client's REAL business connections and past clients.
Just my two cents. :)
Hi Brady,
That is interesting, isn't it, how good practices consistently stand the test of time? I like your breakdown:)
Valid Checklist points Miriam! Love the idea of Experts’ opinions or views on a topic. I am mostly impressed by the idea of “Mike Blumenthal” suggesting possible ways to overcome the situation of not being found in specific search radius. There were also useful points to hit map entry in Google SERP. Being out of 7 Pack will surely result in less queries so for geographical market, these steps are going to be really helpful.
Hi Shyam,
If you found some good tips here, then my hopes are realized. I am so thankful to each of the awesome Local SEOs who took the time to offer education in this post. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Nice post but I found the update didn't really make much of a splash for me especially when you look at it in some of the Google algo tracking software (*like Mozcast & Algroo etc.) Curious what the larger changes of this update will be or if its like hummingbird and more affects how Google works more than a penalty frenzy etc. At least we're now prepared thanks!
Hi Chris,
Good questions! I think that it may take a bit longer with this one to see more of a big picture because, as so many of the Local SEOs in the post mention, the dust hasn't settled yet:) I have a strong feeling that this bird is still in mid-air :)
This is nice update for local business and domestic sites
I like the flow of this piece - professional opinions followed by a list break down. This is very helpful!
I was hoping this would be advice from an actual pigeon
Just some local tips ... the local chamber of commerce and local business owner groups are often a great place to develop relationships and help each other out not only in SEO, but local awareness. If you are a small business with a small business budget, pair up with 3 - 4 other businesses and do something bigger. It'll be more likely to get news attention and those local links / citations we all need.
I agree with experts that pigeon is not finally settled but we saw wave with this update. Monitoring ranking & traffic change on few of accounts however would definitely stick with basics of SEO + Local + Web.
Thanks for an awesome post at a most pertinent time! Across almost all 20 local business accounts we operate there was a noticeable decrease in traffic for the websites with limited Google+ Reviews. As I did not notice any of the contributors take this into account I believe it is important to mention. In addition, we have noticed the importance of solid site architecture and keyword consistency for your "Vertical": Title, H1, H2, Meta (for clickthrus).
Lastly, I would like to point out that in a pre-pigeon world we noticed a copious amount of EMD's in the results...unfortunately, this has not changed. To combat this, we have seen great success with well architectured local landing pages that are integrated throughout your site. In addition, we have seen success with what we call a "Hub" or properly integrating your local pages together on one page. Take into account "connectivity" as well when you are writing your local landing pages. If you are talking about being a 'plumber in San Juan' make sure your site is correctly linking to content, partners, suppliers, and other pertinent local data that is relevant to your industry.
Just some thoughts :)
Great analysis and bullet points! Pigeon is a great opportunity for SEOs to have their clients jump ahead of the 'lazier' competition.
What?? There was another update???
Lol. Didn't even notice it.
Google is making continuously changes. In this era, everyone (SEO'er+Clients) have to be updated on regular basis.
This post was nicely written Miliam. I think no one can guess in this marketing field about what would come up next. We just put our full efforts so that we can provide best results. But overall we all are depend on Google, which makes this industry more successful as well mysterious.
Heard about penguin update is coming up next. It might be biggest ever in the Google's history. Waiting for the moment :)
I really like the posts at unbounce.com for my websites [link removed] landing pages ideas and local SEO.
"4. To appear in the shrunken local packs, you must now rank in the top 3 positions, which are usually influenced by organic rankings. So keep working on your organic rankings via valuable, well-optimized content and incoming links from other good websites."
The top 3 positions in the 3-pack maps are influenced more by G+ page description & anchor text than organic ranking.
Just being #1 in organic WILL NOT make you #1 in maps. So improving your organic ranking in order to improve your map placement probably isn't the best strategy to accomplish that move.
Map pack placement is influenced by lots factors that have little to do with domain authority of the base URL on the map listing and a couple minimal factors that deal with domain authority. (I own the #1 organic in my vertical in Dallas & map pack placement moves regardless -- sometimes I'm up top, sometimes I'm not -- G+ reviews and responding to reviews play a MUCH larger factor on map pack placement than your organic ranking.)
Hi Miriam,
Much has been said by all these professionals. Now it is a question of applying their advice. Only it's not as easy :(
Pigeon evolved too.
Thank you Miriam - can you or any of the readers speak to the types of categories of businesses that have been affected by Pidgeon? For my SEO Training Classes, we used to have map listings when you did a local search like "seo training dallas" - now no more. I am looking to see if anyone has done specific research on this.
[link removed by editor]
Hi Beth! We generally steer questions about specific sites/issues to the Q&A section of our site, where a bunch of industry experts can take a look and help you figure out what's going on with your site. Best of luck figuring things out! =)
Skipped some of the quotes. :) But the checklist is spot on taking into account the little knowledge we have about this algo. I think as time goes and dust settles, there will be a few more items on the checklist.
Thanks, I've been wondering what effects the pigeon update has had on local businesses and searching from mobile phones in various locations....
Hi Dr. Mark!
One thing that has been commented on regarding Pigeon and mobile appears to be that more directories now appear to be showing on mobile devices than previously. Not sure I love that but interesting to note.
Mike B's advice is great not just for local SEO but for SEO in general...find longer tails that you can dominate and live there! Don't bang your head against a wall chasing short tail, ultra competitive keywords. Great article and write up!
Mike is definitely a wizard! Totally agree :)
Great article. Love that it's not a overly long piece, but quick concise and to the point broken down by the top experts in the field. Got a little something from all of them. Thanks!
Hi Steven! Glad you found this an easy and good read. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know.
Great advice, I would also add if your in the United States is, join the Better Business Bureau, in the words of Ran Fishkin they are a CURATED Directory. Google knows they do background checks on their businesses. There is actually a human being who reads the complaints who come in the door.. It is a great citation and gives a great geo-targeted inbound link as well.
Thanks for sharing that tip, Norman! And thanks for taking the time read this post. Glad you liked it!
Handful checklist Miriam. Branding locally is the most important step for any company. Thank you for sharing the checklist!
My pleasure, Sagar! Thanks for letting me know this was helpful to you.
This is a Must read checklist! Local citations really plays a huge role among the neighborhoods and I have'nt known about the up-to-date news about the concern of Pigeon update! Thanks for the great insights!! Hopefully I learned something today.
Hi Isabella,
Glad you think this is a must-read. Hope you will share with your colleagues and clients :)
Superb checklist yet again MOZ team...! How come you are so bang on target every time. Thanks for sharing your insights @Miriam and all the contributors mentioned in it.
Glad this was spot on for you, Rank Watch!
The check list is perfect and the view points from everyone is also a great asset to better SEO. From all these new changes that have been coming for the last few years it really just seems that having content which makes a reader interested on top of having precise information about your businesses is what drives local search. With that said creativity is key for making content that works from a local bakery, auto shop, or larger e commerce firm, it all can be written to Entice the click for conversion.
That's a nice way of putting that, Tim! I enjoyed your comment.
Great checklist Miriam. Finally the word of mouth of your local business is the best way to transfer your "brand" in the Local SEO. Thanks!
Hi Ruben!
Word of mouth is definitely important. Where I live, there are certain businesses that have become 'the places' to go. Need your water well serviced? Shopping for books? Want shoes? Want Chinese food? The community knows who they love and new neighbors soon find out! Really vital to provide awesome goods and services and become a local brand.
Hi Miriam,
Great check list.Thank you for writing this useful informative post.The check list is totally perfect .Really you got all the expert opinions in one place.
Nice collection of feedback and advice. Have not seen any detrimental effects in Australia yet, but I am sure its coming. Proofing yourself against it is good advice for non US countries who have not been affected yet.
I see local seo is very useful to increase the number of hits on website
People on Mobile helps most to improve the hits on website for the Local SEO.
Glad these tips resonated with you, Joseph! I thought everyone who contributed had gems to share with us.
Good Article
Thanks For sharing such a good Article.
I like only Mary Bowling's Review on Update, because i faced that things and i got result improvement. I'm also agree with your points and those are very useful for result recover. Thanks Miriam
Thanks for sharing...
Hope you enjoyed it, C. Halil!
Great article, very informative.
adding up all the "says" and make it a good piece of content?