Google Possum Update

How the Google Possum Update volition alter Local SEO

Google has shaken upward how local search works, pregnant that businesses that aren’t geographically inwards the urban core centres directly accept to a greater extent than of a jeopardy of appearing inwards the Map Pack than they did previously.
The search engine has too placed greater importance on a user’s physical location, too businesses that part the same address are directly beingness filtered.

Everything yous postulate to know well-nigh Google’s ‘Possum’ algorithm update

Wondering what's upward alongside local search rankings lately? Columnist Joy Hawkins has the scoop on a recent local algorithm update that local SEO experts are calling 'Possum.'
For those of yous wondering what "Possum" is, it’s the mention nosotros inwards the local search community decided to laissez passer on the massive Local algorithm update that happened September 1, 2016.
Phil Rozek suggested the name, pointing out that it is plumbing equipment since many trace of piece of job organization owners recollect their Google My Business listings are gone, when inwards fact they are not. They accept simply been filtered — they’re playing possum.

What was the Update?

All the bear witness seems to yell for this item update alone impacted ranking inwards the 3-pack too Local Finder (AKA the local results or Google Maps results). There is beak of unopen to other update that happened correct after, which impacted organic results.
I believe the top dog role of the update was to diversify the local results too too foreclose spam from ranking equally well.
Based on the dozens of ranking reports I’ve analyzed, I would tell this is the biggest update nosotros accept seen inwards Local since Pigeon inwards 2014. One of the top dog things that updated was Google’s filter that applies to the local results.

The Specifics

1. Businesses that autumn exterior of the physical urban core limits saw a huge spike inwards ranking.
2. Google is directly filtering based on address too affiliation.
3. The physical location of the searcher is to a greater extent than of import than it was before.
4. Search results vary to a greater extent than based on slight variations of the keyword searched.
5. The local filter seems to survive running to a greater extent than independently from the organic filter.

Summary

In summary, nosotros are nonetheless seeing a lot of fluctuation, which is making me recollect Google is nonetheless A/B testing diverse ranking signals. Ranking trackers similar Algoroo are nonetheless showing a lot of fluctuation inwards the search results. It’s possible that unopen to of the things they changed could revert dorsum equally well.
So far, the filter seems to survive asset steady, but I’m nonetheless evaluating to a greater extent than too to a greater extent than cases to come across additional patterns.

Source: Search Engine Land

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