Google Pigeon, the latest change to Google’s algorithms, recently came into effect in the UK. Pigeon is particularly important for SMEs to pay attention to, as it chiefly affects local search results.
The goal of Google Pigeon is to improve the quality and relevancy of local search queries. This is the section of the search engine results page (SERP) that appears almost at the top – just under the adverts and sponsored entries. Three to seven businesses are listed with their contact details alongside a map showing where each of these companies is based.
Pigeon had its problems when it was first implemented in the US, and despite the delay in its arrival in the UK it remains far from perfect. For example, if we search for ‘football clubs in York’, the second local result we find is for an engineering company, in addition to a tennis club and another sports organisation that doesn’t offer football facilities.
We expect Google to continue to make tweaks in the coming months to improve the accuracy of these listings.
What does this mean for businesses?
Pigeon definitely helps to promote local businesses, but you must ensure that your online presence is up to scratch in order to make it into that lofty list of businesses. Check that the address on your website and in online directories is correct. If you have multiple branches or offices, set different location pages for each of them and optimise them with the location in the title tag. Don’t use a single page to list dozens of different company addresses.
Google Pigeon opens a wealth of new opportunities for SMEs. If you’d like to find out more about how to use digital marketing and SEO to your advantage, get in touch with Crowdbait. We’re a content marketing agency in York. We’ve helped dozens of small companies climb the ranks of Google – give us a call or email info@crowdbait.co.uk to get started.