News

Google Pigeon update is a local search update aiming to provide a more useful, relevant and accurate local search results that are tied more closely to traditional web search ranking signals.

This update will impact local search results rankings and even some local businesses may notice an increase or decrease in web site referrals, leads and business from the change due impetus on their local searches. This algorithm is currently rolled out for US English results only on 26th July'14 to provide a more useful & relevant experience for searchers seeking local results.

The impact of the tweaks that are made at the backend by Google, and clearly visible at the frontend; where they have designed the algorithm to offer accurate search results for local businesses. And Google wishes to do so by generating more local business focused search results without doing any favoritism towards Google Places listing.

Why has Google Unleashed this Update?

Well, although the actual reason has not yet been published by the search engine giant; however, there are a few speculations which are making sense. Among them the most prominent one was what we all know as "Yelp problem". Where Yelp being business listing website, when users used to search "Gary Danko yelp" (Gary Danko is a well known restaurant of San Francisco, California) they used to get official Gary Danko website, as well as multiple Google+ listing updates. Regardless the search term, Google was manipulating the results and putting their links ahead of the other directories.

But, after Pigeon Update, this "Problem" has been attended, and now if you search "Gary Danko Yelp", you are likely to get Yelp's listing. Apart from Yelp, this update is to believed to benefit other eateries and attraction directory sites like Urbanspoon and TripAdvisor.

The Update Snapshots:

• Google’s new update meant for local search results and directories, and improves Google’s map distance and location ranking parameters.
• Users have noticed improvements in search terms for local directories.
• As per the user’s feedback this update has been ‘good’ so far for local businesses.

• This has effected only Google US (English) results. 

With its regular algorithm updates, Google always endeavors to aid the end users to get the best results against their search queries. And the latest one adds new feather in the cap.