Google Possum Algorithm released September 1, 2016, Possum, which significantly altered the way local search results would show up. It was meant to serve users much better results that are more relevant and appropriate by filtering duplicate listings and giving a boost to businesses not showing up in local search until then. Let’s get a better understanding of what Possum is and how it affects your local SEO.
What is the Google Possum Algorithm Update?
How Does Google Possum Algorithm Work?
The name given to what happened by the SEO community was the Google Possum Algorithm, an update that had to deal with the local search algorithm. The said algorithm is responsible for showing what kind of local businesses pop up in Google Maps and within the local pack or, rather, the map and list of three businesses showing at the top of search results for local queries. This update aimed at diversifying the results that show in the local pack and making spamming-type tactics more difficult to achieve ranking.
Possum instituted a couple of key changes in how local search results were determined, which included but were not limited to the following:
1.Location of the Searcher: Possum made the location from where the person is searching more important. If they were closer to a business, that business would be more likely to show within the local pack. This furthered the emphasis toward proximity in local search results.
2.Address Filtering: Before, businesses that had similar addresses-think businesses in the same building-can’t show in the local pack. On the other hand, Possum filtered out those duplicate listings even when the address wasn’t quite the same. Since then, more businesses were able to show in the Local Pack who had similar locations.
3.City Limits: Possum also helped businesses that were located just outside city limits. Hitherto, such businesses hardly ranked in searches which included the city name. After Possum, they started gaining traction in the local search and could compete with businesses within the city limits.
4.Diversity in Search Results: Possum made local search results more dynamic and slight changes to search queries yielded different results. For example, adding/removing a keyword or rearranging the words could give different local pack results. That would mean business needed to optimize for more variations of keywords to be able to get proper visibility.
Impact of Google Possum on Local SEO
The Possum update wrought a variety of changes which businesses need to factor into their local SEO:
1. More Competition: Increased Exposure to Local Pack made it easier for more businesses to be in the local pack, which increased the competition. Therefore, to maintain their lead, a business needs to keep doing the good work in local SEO, such as optimizing its GMB profile, encouraging positive reviews, and maintaining consistency of NAP across the web.
2. Focus on Proximity: As proximity becomes much more important, businesses will have to target the right audience in their area. This might mean using local keywords and keeping their GMB profile complete and updated correctly.
3. Keyword Phrases Diversification: Since even a small difference in wording of search queries may return significantly different search results, it is crucial that businesses optimize for a variety of keyword phrases. This may require the development of content to address the different ways one could seek out local services.
4. Address Considerations: If a business is in a building or at an address that others are also using, make sure there are distinguishing phone numbers, suite numbers, or other identifiers to avoid getting filtered out by Possum.
Why the Possum Still Matters
Even though it was introduced in 2016, Possum is still one of the leading ways in which local SEO works. Helping explain how Google accomplishes such a task in local search results filtration and ranking will help any business get ahead online and stand out amidst the noisy world of local searches.
Conclusion
Google’s Possum algorithm update marked one of the major changes in how local results are determined. While it touched on proximity, filtering out duplicates, and helping businesses outside city limits, Possum completely changed how local SEO works. Any business desiring success in local search, therefore, needs to be up-to-date with these types of updates, like Possum, and always work toward fine-tuning their local SEO approach so that it can be current and ahead of the competition in their local markets.
