The Pigeon Update Google brought significant changes for local search. Google confirmed to Search Engine Land, that an update for the local search has taken place, but provided only general statements about the changes. The changes affect the local search results in
the Web search and in Google Maps. The local search ranking factors were associated with the lower ranking of Web search. Hundreds of signals from the Web search have now influence on the local ranking. Where recognizable, it’s not primarily about the fight Web spam Pigeon update as at the Panda and Penguin updates. It is more of a global expansion of ranking algorithms for local search. Parameters for the determination of the distance and the local ranking were improved. Additives to search as Knowledge Graph, synonyms and spelling correction should also affect the ranking of local search. Initial observations from the USA suggest local directories have got this update a boost forward. Due to the increased use of Web search ranking signals of the local directories are obviously consolidate. That means, for individual companies it could be difficult to achieve a good ranking in local search. The trend of Web searches, especially companies that are found are not afraid to go to great lengths for the ranking seems to be continuing in local search. First on this Thursday, July 24, 2014 became known to be effective Pigeon update only in US-English hit lists. Users found significant changes in the local ranking to specify exactly without, as the new ranking acts. Incidentally, the Pigeon-update is not related to the once postulated by Google PigeonRank. The Pigeon Rank was only an April Fool’s joke. The Pigeon update is a real algorithmic change of local
rankings, which got its name from Search Engine Land, because it was no internal name for the update by Google. Pigeons (pigeon) tend to fly back home. For the practical evaluation of the impact of the updates it still seems too early. End of the previous week still showed significant fluctuations, which make it almost impossible to estimate which have gained or lost weight factors for the local ranking.
