Google has confirmed that changes to the local results algorithm were rolled out this month, in an update called the ‘November 2021 local search update’.
The algorithm update for local results began at the end of November and finished rolling out on December 8th. The update involved “rebalancing” the ranking factors used by Google to generate local search results.
The news about the algorithm update was released on Google’s Search Central Twitter with the following tweet:
Our November 2021 local search update has concluded. It began Nov 30 and ran through Dec 8. It involved a rebalancing of various factors we consider in generating local search results. General guidance for businesses remains the same as covered here: https://t.co/uyXFfmUEIR
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) December 16, 2021
The guidance released by Google is to continue to follow the local search engine optimisation (SEO) best practices, which it has linked to in the tweet.
The ranking factors that you need to consider for ranking in local search results are:
– Relevance – how relevant your business’ Google Business Profile is to what the searcher has entered into Google
– Distance – how far you are from the location the searcher has entered into Google
– Prominence – how well your business is known
Google has never released the exact weighting of each of the ranking factors, and so by making sure that you meet the criteria for each factor, your business should do well in local search results. Making sure that you’re updating your Google Business Listing and that you’re regularly posting on the platform, along with ensuring that all the information featured in your listing is correct, will help you to get better visibility in local search.
At Engage Web, we can help your business to improve its listing in local search. This is especially useful if you’re a local business and want to target customers in your local area to increase your website traffic, sales and leads. To find out more about our search engine optimisation services, get in touch with our team today.
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