While the jury is still out as to whether or not Google’s Pigeon update has been deployed, there are several pieces of evidence to suggest that some changes have occurred. Most notably, local SERPs appear to be sorted much differently than they were just a few weeks ago, leaving many to believe that the changes Penguin brings to the table have already been unveiled. While many past updates have completely shaken up the search ranking game, Pigeon appears – if it is already deployed – to be much more subtle than previous updates. Still, many want to know what exactly can be done to fix any problems that may arise. Below, we’ll discuss some adjustments to your SEO strategy that may prove beneficial in the long-run.

Yelp + Google Business = Local Success

Local SERPs appear to be the main focus of the most recent set of updates (which may or may not be the awaited Pigeon release), but the future of local search is moving in a review-oriented direction. Sites such as Yelp and Google Business are now absolutely dominating local SERPs when compared to just a couple of months ago, which means that pinging for SEO has now changed considerably when dealing with local audiences. We recommend fully establishing profiles on both of these platforms and making sure to update them accordingly. From hours and directions to engagement with reviewers and attempts to resolve issues, maintaining an active presence on Yelp and Google Business may make the difference between first place in the SERPS or the second page.

Watch Your Maps

Another critical part of local search, maps are now becoming more fine-tuned than ever before. In order to remain at your best in this subset of local search, you’ll want to engage in a few simple acts. First, ensure that your business is verified through Google so that it will be displayed on all maps as a point of interest (this includes outside of search). Next, create a different page for each local instance of your business that exists; this will allow for maximum saturation on Maps. Finally, make sure that you do not duplicate content on each location’s page, for this will lead to penalties for all of your local websites. By providing unique details and value to readers for each instance, you’ll be sure to have maximum reach on Maps and any local map-related searches.

Take Advantage of Carousel

It appears that Google’s local carousel feature was not impacted by the potential Pigeon update, so you’ll be able to double-down on any investment you already have in this feature. Google extracts carousel information from Google Business and Zagat (another reason to cover the details outlined in the first tip). Results displayed at the local level through the carousel feature are done based on relevance rather than any other feature, so this can really be your best way to shine to a select audience. Just always be sure that you are in a mindset of pinging for SEO; the amount of engagement for your business through carousel will correlate to how highly people think of your business and the photos displayed.