My SMX East presentation on the Google Pigeon update that affected Local SEO.

1. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Hi. We do SEO for big sites and little ones. I’m
going to take off for a while, so please do me
a favor….

2. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Don’t
Let the
Pigeon
Drive
You Crazy!
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com

3. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Got it? O.K.
Let’s review…

4. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!

5. The Great Real Estate Panic of
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
2014!

6. Real Estate GWT Impressions
24 Sites (BoomTownROI.com)
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

7. 20000
18000
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
Seasonality?
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Real Estate GWT Clicks
24 Sites (BoomTownROI.com)
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

8. Real Estate Vertical GA Organic Traffic
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
24 sites (BoomTownROI.com)
0
Or GWT
sucks?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

9. Real Estate Pigeon Results
• Head term rankings down
• Long-tail rankings/traffic up
• Leads through the roof!
• Tech, content & links still
work
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!

10. Roofing Vertical GWT Impressions
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
40 Sites
0
Seasonality!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

11. 7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
Ummm…the
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Roofing Vertical GWT Clicks
40 Sites
0
usual
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

12. Roofing Vertical GA Organic Traffic
19000
18500
18000
17500
17000
16500
16000
15500
15000
14500
14000
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
40 Sites
13500
Definitely
seasonality
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

13. 45000
40000
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
10000
5000
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Moving Company GWT
Impressions
17 Locations
0
Rankings Up
! Then
Down…
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

14. Moving Company GWT Clicks
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
17 Locations
0
Whatever…
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

15. Moving Company GA Organic
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Search
17 Locations
0
Seasonality
…
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

16. Roofing/Moving Conclusions
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Nothing…really…changed

17. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
What About Directories?

18. 700,000
2,500,000
600,000
2,000,000
500,000
1,500,000
400,000
300,000
1,000,000
200,000
500,000
100,000
U.S. Local Directory Google Traffic
U.S. Local Directory Google Traffic
20 Sites
10 Sites
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Here’s What…
-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
-
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

19. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
More Data
• Big Local Directory:
– “We’re down about 5%”
• Fortune 500 Brand:
– “Organic Down 6%, PPC Traffic Up 25%!
Hmmmmm…”

20. And of Course Plenty of SPAM
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!

21. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Escort Spam

22. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Lawyers Dallas

23. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Lowe’s

24. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Weird Pack Triggers

25. Key Learning: Don’t Let The Pigeon
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
Drive You Crazy!
8/26/14 (sorry!)
9/19/14

26. Thank You For Your Kind Attention
Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
http://www.twitter.com/localseoguide
https://plus.google.com/+AndrewShotland
http://www.applemapsmarketing.com
http://www.mowillems.com/

27. Words and pictures by andrew shotland localseoguide.com
(OK, maybe mo willems did the good parts…)
SMX
East ‘14!
I’m back! You didn’t let the pigeon drive
you crazy did you?
Great!
Thanks a lot!