Citation Inconsistency Is No.1 Issue Affecting Local Ranking

Internet marketing professionals are constantly trying to keep up with updates and changes to search engine algorithms, and there is good reason for this. Within the periodic changes to the algorithms that Google and other top search engines use lie the secrets to garnering the best rankings, and some businesses try to reposition their marketing campaigns to boost rankings. Stretching your marketing dollar is understandably a top priority, and with this in mind, many were aptly interested in a poll administered to top Internet marketing professionals on the Pigeon update from Google. The results indicate that the top issue that is impacting local rankings is citation inconsistency. A closer look at the results can be beneficial and eye-opening.

The Good and the Bad
According to the survey, almost two-thirds of industry professionals surveyed believe that the changes implemented through Pigeon have benefited searchers. However, on the other hand, more than half of the survey respondents indicated that the changes were not beneficial to businesses. Pigeon essentially has created a tighter search radius for results. The search radius is based on the searcher's geographic location rather than on the city as a whole. In addition, there is a general feeling that the results are churning up excess spam, which is bad for both searchers and businesses alike.

How Businesses Have Been Dealing with the Changes
The latest Pigeon update to the Google search algorithm is certainly not the first change that Google has made, and many have come to expect to make periodic revisions to their marketing efforts to accommodate the algorithm changes. At the time of the survey almost 60 percent had already made change or had plans to change their Internet search strategy due to Pigeon. One-third of the respondents did not have plans to make changes. The Pigeon update has given more power to organic search rankings and has decreased some of the power associated with links and domain authority. This has resulted in the need for some, but not all, businesses to make revisions to continue to enjoy solid rankings.

The Strategy behind Google Updates
Google is in the business of helping its searchers locate the information on the web that they are looking for. The company is well aware that it must cater to a degree to its advertisers in order to garner a profit, but it also understands that its true power lies in the number of users who consistently turn to Google to find the information they are looking for. Many businesses have tried to skirt the system and have tried to boost their rankings with Google for their benefit, but this is not always in the best interest of the searchers. Because of this, many of the updates that Google has made have been aimed at trying to improve the search function so that those websites that do not actually and organically garner the rankings they are getting are hurt. The most recent update has also been aimed at trying to make searches on mobile devices more effective for users. Essentially, the businesses that are trying to outsmart the system are hurt while those that offer true value to searchers have benefited.

If you are a business owner or an Internet marketer working on behalf of your clients, you may be wondering what you can do to boost results for your website. Because Google continues to make updates that benefit the searchers, you may need to refine your website and external efforts so that your rankings are more naturally derived. This may result in fewer click-throughs, but the quality of the traffic that your website receives should be improved. If you are thinking about making marketing changes, take time to consider how you can improve your website and organic marketing efforts to draw superior traffic to your website. Ultimately, these efforts will be beneficial for both your business and your search engine rankings with Google.

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