How Google’s update may impact your revenue
In November 2021 Google launched one of the largest updates to its search algorithm, which may have affected your local search results. In this short article I’ll give an overview of the changes we have seen, and how they may affect your web search results.
What are local search results?
Say you want to find a local bakery. If you search for “bread” on Google then you’ll get generic search results such as bread recipes or the history of bread:
However, if you search for “bread near me”, then Google will show the top 3 bakeries in your proximity:
Most of the traffic generated from this search will go to the companies in this “3-pack” of local search results. Do you see the “More places” button at the bottom of the image? Few people click on it to find more search results!
Why should you care?
Local search results are important if you offer a local service either from your location, or by technicians going out to install or repair something, such as an automatic door or security system.
Here is an article that shows you how you can
optimize your
Google Business Profile and get discovered by new customers, stand out from competitors, and generate more business.
Often, clients will contact you directly from the information on Google Business Profile (GBP) without ever visiting your website. We know that, because we install a call tracking number on their GBP. It’s very common that more than half the phone calls come directly from that number!
That’s right, more than 50% of the phone calls our customers get are generated from their Google Business Profile, not from their website!
That is, if their company is shown in the local search results… That’s why much of our effort goes to getting our customers into the “3-pack” and keeping them there. We track local search results with a diagram that shows the ranking in a grid around the office location, like this one for our client Horton Automatics of Ontario for the search term “automatic door repair”:
The Google “Vicinity” update
In the last 5 years some companies have been able to rank much further from their location than others. They have been able to overcome the ‘proximity factor’.
The latest update by Google is called the “Vicinity Update”, because it puts a much higher value on proximity, and makes it more difficult for a company to rank high in a large area. Many businesses that were dominating local search results in a wide region have seen a decline in their Google ranking.
This is especially true for companies that have used keyword-rich company names, e.g. a lawyer with "Injury law" in the business name. This dental office photographed by my friend Dan Gershonson of High Caliber Branding have probably seen a substantial drop in their local search results:
The latest Google update is an opportunity for your business
Many companies are still not using their Google Business Profile for lead generation. This is especially true for large and well-established B2B field service companies. They often have a well-established name in the industry and locations throughout the country. However, they often don’t take advantage of the opportunities to rank their local offices well in a Google search.
The good news is that the recent Google update presents these companies with a timely opportunity to establish a local search position for their locations. The Vicinity update has somewhat levelled the playing field by removing the possibility to easily rank outside of your local area.
Are you interested to find how you can generate more revenue by improving your local search results? Book a meeting with me now and I’ll show you how you can improve the local ranking of your business.
In the meantime you can get your free local search report with the link in the top of this page, under the heading “GET YOUR FREE SEO REPORT”. Just type in your business name and click on “Get your report”.
Do you have any questions on the above, or would you like to share your experience? Just email ideas@mawazo.ca or call +1 (833) 503-0807.
At Mawazo Marketing we work with owners of B2B companies who want to accelerate their business. We help them with a concrete digital growth plan, a website that saves operational cost, and a digital marketing system that generates leads. For qualifying clients we offer a 5x ROI guarantee: if we don't reach the objective, then we pay back the difference. Book a Free Strategy Session to find out more.
