We we will be diving deep into Google’s Pigeon algorithm update. What is it? Why was it released? How does it relate to other major algorithm updates Google has released over the last few years? What are some of the primary indicators of what types of businesses and sites benefited from this update? How have the SERPs shifted? What do other local search experts think about this change? How does this impact the future of local search? How many reaction gifs can one presentation possibly contain? All of these questions and more will be answered during this session.

1. Pigeon Overview &
Findings
Adam Dorfman, SIM Partners
@phixed
Download This:

2. @phixed
The journey to Pigeon
What are we seeing?
Image: http://themetapicture.com/pigeons/
Agenda

3. Image: http://giphy.com/gifs/wxLLfzOyG6tyw @phixed

4. @phixed
http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html

5. Image: http://giphy.com/gifs/wxLLfzOyG6tyw @phixed

6. The Path to Pigeon
http://www.dipity.com/phixed/Google-Local-Updates/ @phixed

7. The Path to Pigeon
http://www.dipity.com/phixed/Google-Local-Updates/ @phixed

8. http://searchengineland.com/using-past-predict-future-local-search-206472 @phixed

9. http://giphy.com/gifs/sheldon-cooper-tbbt-what-iSso-uhracep: pening-NQXSitWWkTlCM @phixed

10. 23.4% Drop in Local Pack Results
@phixed http://moz.com/blog/the-month-google-shook-the-serps
http://www.whitespark.ca/blog/post/37-23-percent-drop-in-local-packs

11. http://moz.com/blog/the-month-google-shook-the-serps @phixed

12. http://moz.com/blog/the-month-google-shook-the-serps @phixed

13. http://www.brightedge.com/blog/industry-specific-impact-google-pigeon-update/ @phixed

14. https://flic.kr/p/c7QDUN @phixed

15. “Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney”
@phixed http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/21058-google-pigeon-collateral-
damage-what-you-can.html

16. “Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney”
@phixed http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/21058-google-pigeon-collateral-
damage-what-you-can.html

17. @phixed http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/21058-google-pigeon-collateral-
damage-what-you-can.html

18. As of 11/16/14
@phixed http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/21058-google-pigeon-collateral-
damage-what-you-can.html

19. @phixed http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/21058-google-pigeon-collateral-
damage-what-you-can.html
As of 11/16/14

20. @phixed
Local, Authoritative One-box Poop

21. Local, Authoritative One-box Poop
Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14
Generic terms that GAINED Local Authoritative OneBoxes
@phixed
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

22. @phixed
Local, Authoritative One-box Poop
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

23. @phixed
Local, Authoritative One-box Poop
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

24. @phixed

25. @phixed

26. @phixed
Sample Size: 5,000 Location Pages
Image: http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/pigeons.jpg

27. @phixed
Data Collection Timeline
• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23
Image: http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/pigeons.jpg

28. @phixed
Data Collection Timeline
• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23
• Pigeon: 7/24
Image: http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/pigeons.jpg

29. @phixed
Data Collection Timeline
• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23
• Pigeon: 7/24
• Post Pigeon: 7/25 - 8/7
Image: http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/pigeons.jpg

30. INTRODUCING
Source: @phixed

31. @phixed
P
Image: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png

32. “The goal of many of our ranking changes is to help
searchers find sites that provide a great user
experience and fulfill their information needs. We also
want the “good guys” making great sites for users, not
just algorithms, to see their effort rewarded.”
Matt Cutts
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2012/04/another-step-to-reward-
high-quality.html
Image: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

33. @phixed
Traffic
-5.71%

34. @phixed
Traffic
-5.71%
Conversions
-5.97%

35. Image: http://www.reddit.com/r/reactiongifs/comments/1mz8qk/when_the_bank_clerk_tells_me_my_account_balance/ @phixed

36. What to Measure?
Source: @phixed

37. 1. Business Detail
Source: @phixed

38. 1. Business Detail
2. Offsite Factor
Source: @phixed

39. 1. Business Detail
2. Offsite Factor
3. Onsite Factor
Source: @phixed

40. Image: http://giphy.com/gifs/2GyM94FX0df9u @phixed

41. Image: http://fuckyeahreactions.tumblr.com/post/86789894859 @phixed

42. Here’s What We Weren’t Looking For
Source: @phixed

43. @phixed
Number of Words on a Location Page
23%
11%
0%
-11%
-23%
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 2400 2600 2800 3000

44. “Google said that this new algorithm improves their
distance and location ranking parameters.”
Barry Schwartz
http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-
ranking-algorithm-197778
Image: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

45. @phixed
Distance From City Center - All

46. Distance from City Center - Population < 10,000
@phixed
RESULTS
0%
-4%
-7%
-11%
-14%
-18%
More Single
Packs, Less 7
Packs
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75

47. @phixed
Distance from City Center - Population 10,001-
100,000
Narrowing of search radius
RESULTS
5%
3%
0%
-3%
-5%
in suburban areas
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75

48. @phixed
Distance from City Center - Population >
100,000
RESULTS
3%
0%
-3%
-6%
-9%
-13%
Distance from centroid
matters less in large
markets… until it does
0 5 10 15 20 25

49. @phixed
Type of query matters!
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

50. @phixed
Type of query matters!
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

51. @phixed
Type of query matters!
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

52. @phixed
Type of query matters!
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm

53. Image: http://www.reactiongifs.com/what-does-that-mean/ @phixed

54. @phixed
Locations in small towns were hit hardest, possibly due to a
decrease in local packs and/or a shift to 1 & 3 packs

55. @phixed
Locations in small towns were hit hardest, possibly due to a
decrease in local packs and/or a shift to 1 & 3 packs
Google is pushing the urbanization of suburbs

56. @phixed
Locations in small towns were hit hardest, possibly due to a
decrease in local packs and/or a shift to 1 & 3 packs
Google is pushing the urbanization of suburbs
A slight preference for locations just outside of urban centers in
large markets, but a sharp drop for any past 20 miles

57. @phixed
Locations in small towns were hit hardest, possibly due to a
decrease in local packs and/or a shift to 1 & 3 packs
Google is pushing the urbanization of suburbs
A slight preference for locations just outside of urban centers in
large markets, but a sharp drop for any past 20 miles
Queries with a geographic modifier are returning results with
larger radii

58. Source: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

59. “Thus far the big fix we are seeing to defeating
spammy results in the local packs is to get links,
which unfortunately is going to lead to a whole new
wave of local link SPAM, because it appears to be
working, for the moment.”
Andrew Shotland
http://moz.com/blog/pigeon-advice-from-local-seos
Source: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

60. @phixed
Mozscape External Equity

61. @phixed
Mozscape Page Authority

62. Ranking Shifts
Post Pigeon Pre Pigeon
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm @phixed

63. Ranking Shifts
Post Pigeon Pre Pigeon
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm @phixed

64. Ranking Shifts
Pre-Pigeon (Google.ca – h/t Joy Hawkins) Post-Pigeon
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm @phixed

65. Ranking Shifts
Post Pigeon Pre Pigeon
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm @phixed

66. Ranking Shifts
Post Pigeon Pre Pigeon
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm @phixed

67. Ranking Shifts
Post Pigeon Pre Pigeon
http://www.slideshare.net/SearchMarketingExpo/dissecting-the-pigeon-update-by-david-mihm @phixed

68. Image: http://www.reactiongifs.com/what-does-that-mean/ @phixed

69. @phixed
Page authority (usually) matters

70. @phixed
Page authority (usually) matters
Internal >>> External

71. @phixed
Page authority (usually) matters
Internal >>> External
Domain strength is growing in importance

72. Source: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

73. “Don’t underestimate how powerful on-page
optimization can be for local and local-organic
results.”
Adam Dorfman (Post Venice Update to Current Day)
Source: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

74. @phixed
Number of Zip Codes Displayed

75. @phixed
Number of Areas Served

76. Image: http://www.reactiongifs.com/what-does-that-mean/ @phixed

77. @phixed
On page optimization still matters

78. @phixed
On page optimization still matters
Over-optimization is being targeted

79. @phixed
On page optimization still matters
Over-optimization is being targeted
Keep experimenting

80. Source: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png @phixed

81. @phixed

82. @phixed
Takeaways
Signals of Pigeon were apparent in hindsight

83. @phixed
Takeaways
Signals of Pigeon were apparent in hindsight
Pigeon update ≠ Improved SERPs

84. @phixed
Takeaways
Signals of Pigeon were apparent in hindsight
Pigeon update ≠ Improved SERPs
Where your business is still matters

85. @phixed
Takeaways
Signals of Pigeon were apparent in hindsight
Pigeon update ≠ Improved SERPs
Where your business is still matters
Attach your business to strong domains

86. @phixed
Takeaways
Signals of Pigeon were apparent in hindsight
Pigeon update ≠ Improved SERPs
Where your business is still matters
Attach your business to strong domains
Don’t over optimize your website

87. @phixed
Finally
https://flic.kr/p/7SmKDx

88. @phixed
Finally
Some days you are the pigeon…
https://flic.kr/p/7SmKDx

89. @phixed
Finally
Some days you are the pigeon…
Some days you are the statue.
https://flic.kr/p/7SmKDx

90. Thank You!
Adam Dorfman
adorfman@simpartners.com
www.simpartners.com
@phixed