Google Local Search Algorithm Update: A Pigeon for Local Businesses

Google released an update to their Local Search Algorithm last week. Search Engine Land coined this update “Pigeon” and noted that this update is expected to have a significant impact on local businesses. SEOs are already noticing telling changes in google local search organic results according to Search Engine Roundtable, and also with local directory listings such as Yelp.

Google’s goal of this update is to improve local search results by tying together authoritative local business websites with their Google Maps results. Google Maps added a scroll bar to its search results just days before the Pigeon update was released and SEOs can already see an improvement in the pairing of local searches with Google Maps results. The image below shows a search for “hardware store Chicago”. You can see the scroll bar Google added to the map search results, along with a list of local Chicago hardware stores and their locations plotted on the map.

While many businesses will notice an increase in organic web site referrals from Google, some will also, of course, see a decrease. Be sure to check your local rankings (if you are an agency representing local businesses or a local business yourself).

Pigeon and the Google-Yelp Fix

Local search and Yelp go hand-in-hand and fortunately, Search Engine Land has been performing an in-depth analysis of the impact of Pigeon on local search rankings. According to Matt McGee of Search Engine Land, “One thing appears to be clear: Local directory sites are getting better visibility in Google’s search results.”

Local directory sites, such as Yelp, have had trouble in the past with Google’s algorithm. Yelp has even accused Google of manipulating search results to have Google+ related information appear higher than Yelp results for queries containing the search term “Yelp” specifically. Yelp released a report with the results for the query “gary danko yelp” (see image below) and pointed out that despite the query containing the word “yelp” Google produced the Gary Danko website as the first result along with sitelinks to Google reviews and the Google+ page.

(Screen shot from Search Engine Land)

Just a few short weeks ago if you were trying to find the Yelp review of a restaurant, store, or other local establishment, the Yelp review would rarely show up at the top. This issue, Google’s “Yelp problem,” seems to be resolved with the new Piegon update. In the screen shot below you can see my query for “hardware store Chicago yelp” and you can see that the top five results are all Yelp pages. Problem solved.

If you are an agency representing local businesses, or a local business yourself, let us know the changes you have noticed as a result of the Pigeon update in the comments section below!

Google Local Search Algorithm Update: A Pigeon for Local Businesses