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Google Mobile Update WON'T Affect Local Pack Listings

by Catalyst eMarketing
9 replies
Just broke this story over at the Local Search Forum, but wanted to share here as well.

Straight from Google's mouth - the pack is safe!

Google's Mobile Friendly Ranking Signal Will Not Affect Local Pack Listings - The SEM Post

Makes sense and I agree with Jenstar!

What do you think?
#affect #google #listings #local #mobile #pack #update
  • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
    I THINK that it doesn't make sense and I PREDICT that its only a matter of time.

    Google worries about their users' experience. Sooner or later legitimate mobile users will start to complain about following local pack listings to jacked up sites. Business owners who invested in mobile sites will start to complain if they don't benefit from the investment. They will use pseudonyms or friends to undermine their competition who DON'T have mobile sites. Local SEO's or site developers will do the same thing.

    Its only a matter of time!

    Chris
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    • Profile picture of the author Catalyst eMarketing
      True and then there's the fact that Pigeon is more about organic ranking factors. So if your organic ranking goes down normally your pack ranking does too.

      Plus often the left and right hands of Google don't really jive. So I think we'll have to see when it all shakes out.

      Gary from Google also just said on Twitter when asked about other parts of Google search being effected:

      "yep, just the "10 blue links" are, but of course teams who own the other features may also use mobile friendliness on their own."
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      Linda Buquet :: Google+ Local Specialist and Google Top Contributor
      ADVANCED Google+ Local Training :: Also offering White Label Local SEO
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
        LOL... it's always in the details. It always seems to me that there is Google and then a bunch of other Googles none of which are wholly in alignment.
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    LOL... that's funny. I think I made a comment on your forum Linda, or maybe it was somewhere here on a thread you created about how I doubt it effects the local pack results, at least at first.

    Always seems to me that any kind of algorithm update doesn't really effect the pack listings very much at all.
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    • Profile picture of the author mak25
      I was wondering about that myself. It doesn't make sense to me. On a mobile search for a particular business the first thiing to show is that business' Google Business Listing. So if you tap on the website button, that business' desktop site will show up? That goes against what they're trying to accomplish IMO.
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by mak25 View Post

        I was wondering about that myself. It doesn't make sense to me. On a mobile search for a particular business the first thiing to show is that business' Google Business Listing. So if you tap on the website button, that business' desktop site will show up? That goes against what they're trying to accomplish IMO.
        I think that if it were going to impact local results that they simply wouldn't display the website, just the google + page. Minimal effort required to change the algorithm impacting the pack, instead of changing how they rank it would just not display the website.

        Those were my thoughts on it at least.
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        • Profile picture of the author Catalyst eMarketing
          Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

          LOL... that's funny. I think I made a comment on your forum Linda, or maybe it was somewhere here on a thread you created about how I doubt it effects the local pack results, at least at first.

          Always seems to me that any kind of algorithm update doesn't really effect the pack listings very much at all.
          Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

          I think that if it were going to impact local results that they simply wouldn't display the website, just the google + page. Minimal effort required to change the algorithm impacting the pack, instead of changing how they rank it would just not display the website.

          Those were my thoughts on it at least.
          Yep Nathan you commented at the post at my forum.

          I just added to it with a debate between Gary from Google & Andrew Shotland about whether this will affect local.

          Andrew did a post about how he thinks the mobile algo WILL affect the pack and reasons why. One of the main being that since the pack is partly controlled by organic ranking, if your organic ranking drops your pack ranking should too. I agree with that.

          Gary still insists this mobile update is totally separate and won't affect local.
          He and Andrew went back and forth a bit.

          See full Twitter convo here.

          Not saying it's true for sure. Sometimes the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing over there.
          I guess we'll find out soon enough!
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          Linda Buquet :: Google+ Local Specialist and Google Top Contributor
          ADVANCED Google+ Local Training :: Also offering White Label Local SEO
          Latest Google Local News, Tips & Tricks

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  • Profile picture of the author NateOlsen
    Of course if you are not mobile friendly its going to effect pack results! Why wouldn't it? With local search being at all time high numbers on mobile devices and with user experience in mind and as said by others organic rank being a factor then there is no way it isn't and not going to effect local.

    Almost always if Google says this will not effect "whatever" you can almost be certain that is exactly what it's going to effect!
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