So it’s been two months since
Google let a new update quietly fly the coop. Colloquially referred to as
Pigeon, it is an update to the local algorithm results Google uses to display
search data. Though Google usually names its major updates after birds, this
one went quietly and unnamed, like an owl in the night. That being said, this
was a big one! Discovery of the update’s intricacies have allowed businesses to
realize benefits applicable to multiple levels of their supply chains. Whether
in regards to their marketing spend or new supplier pursuit, Pigeon has
revealed convenience in many unexpected forms.
The good people at Search
Engine Land dubbed it “Pigeon” for its focus on local search results. Google
said the update was a stopgap measure intended to bring local search results
into better synchronicity with traditional organic search results. During a
creative/digital agency search in the research phase, for example, this search
capacity can present a firm with candidates equipped to provide local support
but who also are qualified to meet the exclusive needs of the business. In the
sourcing process, Pigeon would prove an asset in identifying suppliers who have
the necessary core competencies and cultural make-up, while being local enough
to produce an effortless partnership.
From the other side of the
equation, a supplier can utilize Pigeon to improve their search rank and become
more readily sought for a sourcing engagement. Since Yelp, Tripadvisor, Zagat,
and Yellow Pages are trusted sources of business listings, these outlets can
tie into local search placement if a business is registered. Pigeon recognizes
their expertise at providing quality, local results, and shows its avian
gratitude by positioning their database pages higher in the search results.
Search engine enthusiasts and
Google-watchers of all stripes quickly observed that websites were experiencing
differing impacts depending on the industry in question. Some industries, like
hospitality, food, and education, reported significant (up to 30%) growth in
Google Places results. But some areas experienced a very significant reduction
in referrals, with Google Places results for jobs related searches down a
whopping 68%. Real estate, cinema, and insurance results also took a hit.
One thing that’s important to
mention is that, as of this writing, the Pigeon update only applies to the
United States. Previous US-only launches have often been expanded to the rest
of the world market after extensive US-market testing.
For this reason, Pigeon may
have a negative impact on global suppliers due to the fact that although they
may be qualified and offer competitive rates, if they are not the most local,
they will be affected in terms of ranking. Since many businesses will not be
fluent in these search changes immediately, organizations can miss out on
opportunities to capitalize on nearshoring without further investigation
outside of a Google search.
Why Pigeon? Why now?
As previously mentioned, with
Pigeon, Google intended to bring local search results more in line with regular
Google searches. This was in some ways just going back to Google’s original
intent as a search company: to determine a way to calculate a page’s value
based on how much it’s appreciated around the web at large. This concept has
been Google’s game since, well, forever.
This concept brings hope to
local, small businesses who are unable to fork out the marketing budget towards
paid keywords as a global corporation would. If their webpage is generating
organic traffic through SEO, there is no longer a need to allocate marketing
spend towards Google’s paid options, and resources can be redistributed to
other areas. If realized, this can set the stage for a considerable savings.
Before Pigeon, Google allowed
its local search results to be driven chiefly by proximity to the searcher. This worked to
give you results that were truly local, but like anyone who has used Yelp in
the middle of nowhere, sometimes hyperlocal results are the same as bad
results. Pigeon just made the search results a bit more discerning based on the
quality of the links they retrieved,
as well as the proximity. This served to bring the local search engine more in
line with Google’s traditional goals as a company.
This focus on higher-quality
results is great from a procurement perspective, ensuring that buyers are
better able to find the highest-quality local suppliers, instead of just the ones
that are the closest to the city center.
What did it do?
Though numbers are still
being analyzed, this turn toward local databases seems to have made it easier
to find quality local results. The new results are also paradoxically more
dependent on traditional SEO signals than they used to be, which means that
some older, less professional operations might take an SEO hit. This is another
factor that contributed to ascendance of databases like Yelp and Tripadvisor,
with their highly-tuned SEO.
Who was affected?
As always, it can be
difficult to see how much you’ve been affected by a Google update, if at all.
Pigeon is intended to affect local search results, so if your business is
web-only, you shouldn't see any changes.
To see how you’ve been affected,
check your analytics logs for changes in statistics after July 24th. Google’s
algorithm changes tend to evidence themselves instantaneously with sharp jumps
or drops immediately after rollout, followed by an equally-abrupt levelling off
at the new value. If your results don’t show this feature, breath easy! You’re
probably not affected.
I’ve been affected. Now what?
As bears repeating with all
Google updates, Pigeon was aimed at increasing the value of results to Google
searchers, not the businesses affected. The logic remains the same:
higher-quality results are going to be rewarded. The basic logic remains
unchanged, which means that SEO best-practices are pretty similar to their
pre-Pigeon status.
Just continue to use standard
white hat SEO practices: write for humans,
not robots. Pay attention to your keyword spread and density, and make your URL
structure transparent. Now, more than ever, it’s also important to make sure your
business is listed on local results databases in order to take advantage of a
potential new business relationship. Now is the time to sign up for Yelp and
get listed on Zagat and Tripadvisor. In addition to driving web traffic,
recognition of the update’s complexities can help you further optimize your
business’ supply chain and remain competitive.
Brought to you by: Nick Rojas - Nick is a
business journalist who uses his experience consulting for Small and Medium
Enterprises as an asset when writing. Follow him on Twitter @NickARojas.
Image Courtesy of Shutterstock
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