Everything You Need To Know About Google’s Local Algorithm, Pigeon
Pigeon, Google's new local search ranking algorithm that was rolled out in July 2014.
Pigeon Rolled Out On July 24
On July 24, Google pushed out a new local search algorithm.
The Algorithm Affects Search Results Within Both Google Maps Search & Google Web Search
Searching Google and searching Google Maps has often provided a very different set of results. This changed after the rollout of Pigeon. The algorithm connects web search and map search in a more cohesive way.
Local Results Are More Closely Tied To Traditional Web Ranking Signals
Revised local results resulting from the new Pigeon algorithm are “similar to the page rankings of the Google web search,” as a report from Volume Nine explained.
The Update Provides More Accurate Results For Yelp-Specific Queries
Yelp took issue with Google in mid-2014 for apparently disregarding the major local review site in its search results. The compay accused Google of pushing its own reviews ahead of Yelp’s, even when the searcher asked specifically for “yelp” in their query.
The Update Also Gives Greater Search Result Recognition To Other Local Directories
Yelp isn’t the only local review site that got a boost. Sites like Urbanspoon, OpenTable, TripAdvisor, Zagat, Kayak, etc. received higher visibility within the search results following the release of Pigeon.
Maps Bow Has Improved Distance & Location Ranking Parameters
According to Search Engine Land, “Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters.” While it’s not totally clear what the “distance and location ranking parameters” are, it seems likely that increased specificity will affect dense neighborhoods, also known as “informal space.”
Prior to Pigeon, local results from these dense spaces were hard to parse. Now, with Pigeon’s increased specificity, the algorithm is more accurate. But what does this accuracy entail? I offer the following conjectures:
The algorithm will return better results for queries that use both the conventional term for a local neighborhood and the colloquial term for the same neighborhood.
A neighborhood can be known by several different names, depending on who you’re talking to. A map-reading stranger may visit a new area and call it “Uptown,” just like his map tells him. But a local may think, “‘Uptown’? Never heard of it. We call this area ‘Trackville.'” Two names. One place. Which one is right? With the algorithm update, both are right.
The algorithm will provide local results for areas that are slightly outside of a searched-for local neighborhood.
Let’s say you’re in a city neighborhood looking for a coffee shop. You happen to be right near the “border” of another local neighborhood as defined by the maps.
You don’t care what the map’s neighborhood demarcation says; you just want a latte. So, even if you Google “Soho coffee,” Google might provide a search result that is a short distance away in Little Italy, outside of the official realm of Soho. Depending on where you are in Soho, Little Italy might actually be closer anyway.
This is the kind of non-specific specificity and location-based intuitiveness that Pigeon seems to be focused on. Shotland put it like this: “Google, in its infinite algorithmic wisdom, sees a small search area, like a neighborhood, and wants to give the searcher results from outside the hood in order to give a more robust set.”
The algorithm will give greater weight to local businesses that have neighborhood-focused keywords and citations.
Due to the hyperlocal tightening of the algorithm, I think that local businesses will begin to rank better if they have optimized their social profiles, citations, and Google+ profiles in such a way to reflect their specific location in a neighborhood of a city or region, not just the name of that city or region. Hyperlocal search is more important now.
On July 24, Google pushed out a new local search algorithm.
The Algorithm Affects Search Results Within Both Google Maps Search & Google Web Search
Searching Google and searching Google Maps has often provided a very different set of results. This changed after the rollout of Pigeon. The algorithm connects web search and map search in a more cohesive way.
Local Results Are More Closely Tied To Traditional Web Ranking Signals
Revised local results resulting from the new Pigeon algorithm are “similar to the page rankings of the Google web search,” as a report from Volume Nine explained.
The Update Provides More Accurate Results For Yelp-Specific Queries
Yelp took issue with Google in mid-2014 for apparently disregarding the major local review site in its search results. The compay accused Google of pushing its own reviews ahead of Yelp’s, even when the searcher asked specifically for “yelp” in their query.
The Update Also Gives Greater Search Result Recognition To Other Local Directories
Yelp isn’t the only local review site that got a boost. Sites like Urbanspoon, OpenTable, TripAdvisor, Zagat, Kayak, etc. received higher visibility within the search results following the release of Pigeon.
Maps Bow Has Improved Distance & Location Ranking Parameters
According to Search Engine Land, “Google said that this new algorithm improves their distance and location ranking parameters.” While it’s not totally clear what the “distance and location ranking parameters” are, it seems likely that increased specificity will affect dense neighborhoods, also known as “informal space.”
Prior to Pigeon, local results from these dense spaces were hard to parse. Now, with Pigeon’s increased specificity, the algorithm is more accurate. But what does this accuracy entail? I offer the following conjectures:
The algorithm will return better results for queries that use both the conventional term for a local neighborhood and the colloquial term for the same neighborhood.
A neighborhood can be known by several different names, depending on who you’re talking to. A map-reading stranger may visit a new area and call it “Uptown,” just like his map tells him. But a local may think, “‘Uptown’? Never heard of it. We call this area ‘Trackville.'” Two names. One place. Which one is right? With the algorithm update, both are right.
The algorithm will provide local results for areas that are slightly outside of a searched-for local neighborhood.
Let’s say you’re in a city neighborhood looking for a coffee shop. You happen to be right near the “border” of another local neighborhood as defined by the maps.
You don’t care what the map’s neighborhood demarcation says; you just want a latte. So, even if you Google “Soho coffee,” Google might provide a search result that is a short distance away in Little Italy, outside of the official realm of Soho. Depending on where you are in Soho, Little Italy might actually be closer anyway.
This is the kind of non-specific specificity and location-based intuitiveness that Pigeon seems to be focused on. Shotland put it like this: “Google, in its infinite algorithmic wisdom, sees a small search area, like a neighborhood, and wants to give the searcher results from outside the hood in order to give a more robust set.”
The algorithm will give greater weight to local businesses that have neighborhood-focused keywords and citations.
Due to the hyperlocal tightening of the algorithm, I think that local businesses will begin to rank better if they have optimized their social profiles, citations, and Google+ profiles in such a way to reflect their specific location in a neighborhood of a city or region, not just the name of that city or region. Hyperlocal search is more important now.
Many Local Results Changed With Mixed Results
Some businesses saw their rankings increase after Pigeon rolled out. Some, by contrast, watched their listing disappear.
Some businesses saw their rankings increase after Pigeon rolled out. Some, by contrast, watched their listing disappear.
Some Specific Business Types Experienced Reduced Rankings
Based on the flood of comments in Search Engine Land, and some spadework by Darren Shaw, several business types seem to have experienced a hit from Pigeon.
Based on the flood of comments in Search Engine Land, and some spadework by Darren Shaw, several business types seem to have experienced a hit from Pigeon.
One of the most notable results from Pigeon was the decline in local packs.
Some Spammy Results Appeared In Search Results
Early after the algo change, complaints surfaced of spammy results taking top positions in the search results. Even Expedia’s headquarters turned into a hotel after Pigeon was released.
The Update Has Not Been Released Worldwide
The launch of Pigeon on July 4, 2014, was a U.S.-only release. In late December, it was rolled out to United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. It has not been released elsewhere as of the time of this writing.
(Source: SearchEngineLand)
Everything You Need To Know About Google’s Local Algorithm, Pigeon
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