Local businesses have scrambling to make heads or tails of one of Google’s newest search engine algorithm changes.

Codenamed “Pigeon”, this specific change is implemented to make local search more closely tied to organic rankings. But what does this mean for local business exactly and whom is it impacting? Let’s take a look at the data.

Which businesses are benefiting from Google Pigeon?

• Hospitality (28.40%)
• Food (19.34%)
• Education (13.22%)
• Spas (4.64%)
• Shops (4.32%)
• Law (3.55%)
• Medical (1.83%)
• Transportation (1.31%)
• Fitness (1.12%)

Which businesses are losing out from Google Pigeon?

• Job (-67.68%)
• Real Estate (-63.45%)
• Movies (-35.89%)
• Insurance (-10.88%)
• Finance (-6.21%)
• Furniture (-5.64%)
• Government (-0.07%)

How to Use Local SEO to Optimize Businesses for Google Pigeon.

There’s no telling how far Google will take geo-location in their future search engine algorithm updates. However, you can be sure that they will be working hard to increase the number of organic search results for more relevant, timely, and accurate data.

To help increase your search engine rankings to stand out and get found online, be sure to continue these SEO best practices:

1. List your business on Google My Business
2. Update your business listing on Yelp
3. Create a local business online marketing strategy
4. Use traditional SEO best practice foundation white-hat tactics
5. Get engaging on social media networks
6. Optimize and update all your online listings regularly

You may be a virtual business and think that local SEO is not going to impact you. Alas, my friend, you would be dead wrong. Even if you do business around the world from cafes, you always need to tell Google about how your business does business – including where your target market is located. Hiding your business in local is like building a fancy house, putting out the welcome mat, and never building a road to your front door.

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