Three Tips For How Local Business Can Fly High In Search Results With Google’s Pigeon

When people think of pigeons, the first thought that typically comes to mind are birds roaming through city parks, eating scraps of bread crumbs off the ground. However, in the world of Digital Marketing and Search Engine Optimization, Pigeon is the latest addition to the continuously growing Google Zoo filled with Pandas and Penguins.

Unlike Google’s other algorithm updates that target malicious and spammy websites, Pigeon identifies and connects on-the-go consumers with local businesses in their immediate community in a much more effective and efficient manner.

Pigeon is designed to make local searches more accessible to the end user by eliminating companies from top search results that do not actually have a physical presence near the user’s immediate location. As for the layout of search result pages, Pigeon affects the 7 pack, Google carousel and directories that are displayed through organic listings.

Just as a reference, the “7 pack” refers to the first seven search results that appear on a search engine result page (SERP). Because of Pigeon, the first seven local results are now pushed back to three. This particular change is significant for local businesses that depend on quality foot traffic, as it increases the competitiveness for being discovered on the first page of Google.
Now, in order to rank within the top three positions, Pigeon analyzes the distance and domain authority of a local business’s website to determine the legitimacy and value of being included in these exclusive positions.

For instance, if you perform a general search in Google for cafes, you will find local coffee shops that are relatively close to your specific location. So companies who have their name, address and phone number (NAP) updated on their website and other related directories have a much better chance of landing in the top three search local search listings.

Local businesses that have great reviews and are in directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor and UrbanSpoon are also more likely to be seen on the Google carousel than a business with negative reviews. Using the café search example, you will find that the top rated cafes are displayed in the Google carousel opposed to ones that have outdated information and are seen as unworthy of the end user’s time.

Overall, Pigeon is designed to help businesses that are listed in local directories, by ranking them higher on Google over companies who have an address listed on their “Contact Us” page, but do not actually have a physical location.

Three Tips For Flying High With Pigeon

If you are a small business owner contained to a specific property and you notice a decrease in traffic, here are some tips to follow

1. NAP: Create a Google Plus page and make sure your Google pin location is accurate. Join relevant directories and make sure your NAP is consistent with all of your website’s contact information. Strive to receive rave reviews from your customers in the directories you exist within, as this will increase your local online presence.

2. Mobile: It is beneficial for your website to be mobile-friendly, since a majority of searches are performed by on-the-go consumers using their smart phones or tablets. Having a responsive mobile site allows your company to attract more local customers with the Pigeon update, as well as through the concept of semantic search.

3. On-page Optimization: Make sure you have great content on your website that is optimized for the city and state you are located within. Strategically adjusting your title tags, URL structure and Header Tags so that they are considerate of what you do and where you are located goes a long way in building authority around your services and reach.

Only time will tell how the Pigeon update will affect your business. Leave a comment if you have noticed changes to your local rankings.

By: Micah Parker

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