Presentation from the 2015 Local Search Association (LSA) Conference in LA, April 20-22.

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Local Search at Google: The Long View of
Major Algorithmic and UX Trends
DAVID MIHM
DIRECTOR OF LOCAL STRATEGY, MOZ
LOCAL SEARCH ASSOCIATION
LOS ANGELES, CA
APRIL 20 2015

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What local search means to Google1
Key algorithmic updates
Long-haul Local tactics
What I’ll Be Talking About
Local Search at Google: The Long View
2
4
Recap5
Key search experience updates3

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Traditional vision of local search

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Google’s vision of local search

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Image: Joi Ito, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Schmidt-Brin-Page-20080520.jpg
$ $ $

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frequency + engagement + purchase intent =
Mobile.
25% 75%50%

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“ $ ?” “ ?”

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The foundation for all of this is
ALREADY HERE.

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Key algorithmic updates

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Image Credits
http://searchengineland.com/google-panda-4-0-go-press-release-sites-192789
http://searchengineland.com/google-releases-first-penguin-update-year-206169
http://searchengineland.com/did-hummingbird-just-kill-your-local-seo-strategy-175276
http://searchengineland.com/pigeon-search-engine-lands-name-new-google-local-search-update-197932
February 2011
Thin content
High ad-to-content ratio
April 2012
Low quality links
Keyword stuffing
August 2013
Conversational search
Brand favoritism
Un-blending
July 2014
Vertical pack loss
Brand-location
User as centroid

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Image Credits
http://searchengineland.com/google-panda-4-0-go-press-release-sites-192789
http://searchengineland.com/google-releases-first-penguin-update-year-206169
http://searchengineland.com/did-hummingbird-just-kill-your-local-seo-strategy-175276
http://searchengineland.com/pigeon-search-engine-lands-name-new-google-local-search-update-197932
February 2011
Thin content
High ad-to-content ratio
April 2012
Low quality links
Keyword stuffing
August 2013
Conversational search
Brand favoritism
Un-blending
July 2014
Vertical pack loss
Brand-location
User as centroid
http://moz.com/blog/understand-and-rock-the-google-venice-update
Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/67611651@N03/15210054312/
August 2012
Better location detection
Localized organic results
More relevant pack results

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April 2015
Mobile optimization becomes essential (?)
http://screenwerk.com/2015/04/14/mopocalypse-is-right-around-the-corner/

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A closer look at Pigeon

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Google told us that the new local
search algorithm ties deeper into their
web search capabilities, including the
hundreds of ranking signals they use in
web search along with search features
such as Knowledge Graph, spelling
correction, synonyms and more.
In addition, Google said that this new
algorithm improves their distance and
location ranking parameters.
http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778
TL;DR
Web ranking
signals
Knowledge Graph
Distance : location

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What
Mozcast
Says

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Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14
Breakdown of Changes Among Geo-Modified Terms
 Many of these are
real estate related

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 Lots of gains among branded
terms
Mozcast: 7/23/14 vs 9/11/14
Breakdown of Changes Among Geo-Modified Terms

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Distance : Location

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“Convenience Store”
Tighter radius to location of search
for generic phrases.

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Wider radius to location of search
for geomodified phrases.
“Convenience Store Portland”

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The Brand Effect

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Photo credit: P. Slawinski
http://pslawinski.smugmug.com/

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1.Search results in search results
2.Well-optimized regional-vertical directories
3.Less blending
http://moz.com/blog/local-hummingbird-results

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“Brands are how you sort out the
cesspool of the Internet.”
--Eric Schmidt, Oct. 2008

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“This is what you’re
left with when you try
to do that in Local.”
--David Mihm, Oct. 2014
"Père-Lachaise - Divison 90 - Lahovary 09" by Antonin Mercié. Wikimedia Commons.
{ pigeon poo }

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Why does this…
http://searchengineland.com/expedia-becomes-new-york-city-hotel-googles-pigeon-local-update-198339

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…and this…
http://blumenthals.com/blog/2014/07/31/google-pigeon-poo/

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…and this…

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Chris Silver Smith
http://searchengineland.com/optimizing-business-internet-yellow-pages-directories-202414
…and this…

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Chris Silver Smith
http://searchengineland.com/optimizing-business-internet-yellow-pages-directories-202414
…and this…

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(From my
December 2013
post)
…and this…

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…happen?
BRAND preference.
Web signals, i.e. links, have NEVER been good at
identifying worthy local businesses.
Directories’ internal links are more powerful than all
but a handful of inbound links to local businesses.

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/13332827114/

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/throk/4193589986

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Key search experience updates

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Knowledge Graph

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August 2013

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Somewhat recent

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http://blumenthals.com/blog/2007/12/22/local-authoritative-onebox-im-feeling-lucky-or-not/ December 2007 (!)

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March 2009Image courtesy Mike Blumenthal, blumenthals.com

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http://searchengineland.com/google-glass-diary-part-4-local-search-navigation-160785 Evolution of the Auth. OneBox

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http://searchengineland.com/google-glass-diary-part-4-local-search-navigation-160785 Evolution of the Auth. OneBox

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Sentiment

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October 2009

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October 2009

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Hat tip: Michael Cottam
October 2010

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May 2013

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June 2014 (?)

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Transaction

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July 2011

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http://searchengineland.com/google-tests-new-car-leads-product-126070
June 2012

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http://searchengineland.com/google-tests-new-car-leads-product-126070
October 2013

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http://searchengineland.com/google-tests-new-car-leads-product-126070
October 2013

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Closing the Loop

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June 2009

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June 2010 Patent Filed

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February 2014

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November 2014
Image courtesy Mike Blumenthal, blumenthals.com

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Image courtesy Mike Blumenthal, blumenthals.com
December 2014

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May 2015
http://www.wsj.com/articles/to-revive-wallet-google-tries-to-wrangle-unruly-partners-1424392928

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“ $ ?” “ ?”

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www.inc.com/dennis-crowley/founders-forum-evolution-predictive-personalized-technology.html
How do you survive
in the world of
predictive, card-
driven search?

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Long-haul Local tactics

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Help Google generate knowledge
cards for your locations
Site Architecture
Structured Data
Optimize your knowledge cards
for CTR and conversion
Photos and Snippets
Reviews
Barnacle onto publishers
Brand Tactics

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Site Architecture
• Crawlable, traditional directories
• Unique page for each location
Home
Stores
• Optimize for conversions
• Title: “Brand – Keyword(s) in City, ST”
• Full “NAP” for each location in Schema
• Rich content
Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL
Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, IL
Domino’s Pizza
1415 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 871-3030
Get Driving
Directions
Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside!
Open Daily
1030 am – 130 am
PLACE AN ORDER
(From the Manager)
Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL
Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, IL
Domino’s Pizza
1415 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 871-3030
Get Driving
Directions
Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside!
Open Daily
1030 am – 130 am
PLACE AN ORDER
(From the Manager)
Domino’s Pizza – Delivery, … Chicago, IL
Domino’s Pizza – Chicago, IL
Domino’s Pizza
1415 W Irving Park Rd
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 871-3030
Get Driving
Directions
Welcome to Domino’s Chicago Northside!
Open Daily
1030 am – 130 am
PLACE AN ORDER
(From the Manager)
Help Google generate knowledge cards

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Help Google generate knowledge cards

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Structured Data
Google My Business
https://www.google.com/local/manage/
Help Google generate knowledge cards

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Google My Business
is only part of the
equation.
Source: Google Patent Application 60658214
“Generating Structured Information”
Structured Data
Help Google generate knowledge cards

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What this:
really looks like…

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Interesting Post-Pigeon Data Point

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Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion
http://www.localseoguide.com/new-google-mobile-local-results/
Photos

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Reviews: (Another) Interesting Post-Pigeon Data Point
Optimize your knowledge cards for CTR and conversion

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Barnacle onto publishers
h/t Will Scott and Justin Sanger for the term “Barnacle” in Local

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Help Google generate knowledge
cards for your locations
Site Architecture
Structured Data
Optimize your knowledge cards
for CTR and conversion
Photos and Snippets
Reviews
Barnacle onto publishers
Brand Tactics Publisher Tactics
Site architecture
Milk internal link equity for all it’s worth
Develop a Google Now strategy
Will also help with personalized search
Diversify your product offering
Alternative traffic acquisition
Google Display Network
Loyalty
Hard work

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Site Architecture

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Diversify Your Product Offering: One Idea

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Diversify Your Product Offering: One Idea
 

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Alternative Traffic Acquisition

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Build Loyalty

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Work Hard.

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Recap

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Recap
Proximity is shifting dramatically towards searcher.
Content, authority can pull-in geomodifying searchers
where the radius is wider.

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Recap
Brand signals are on the rise.
This rewards national brands with strong Local SEO.
1. Site architecture
2. Structured data
(Branded anchor text, Branded searches, Clickthrough rate)

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Recap
Reviews continue to grow in importance.
Google seems to be using review content to assess
categorical relevance.

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Recap
Google is thinking way before the website.
Rankings and on-site conversions are now just
directional indicators of success.
Need a a broader overall business impact assessment
than web analytics provides.

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Recap
Publishers are currently enjoying an “Indian Summer”
of organic search traffic before a “Permanent Winter”
of Knowledge Card results.
Partnering with Google on Now is your best option.
Diversify your product offering and wean yourself off of
Google organic referrals as quickly as possible.

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https://medium.com/backchannel/how-google-search-dealt-with-mobile-33bc09852dc9
THE Must-Read of 2015

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Thank you!
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