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.

Search Optics Inc is a leader in digital marketing solutions for

the automotive industry. Automotive digital marketing services

from Search Optics include custom websites, search engine

optimization, paid search & mobile solutions. If you are looking

for automotive digital marketing and automotive marketing,

Search Optics is probably one of the best places for you.