Pigeon Droppings and Onpage Performance

Pigeon Droppings & Onpage Performance

Adam Dorfman

SIM Partners

SVP - Product & Technology

@phixed

searchmarketingexpo.com

@phixed #SMX #23D


@phixed #SMX #23D


@phixed #SMX #23D

http://www.dipity.com/phixed/Google-Local-Updates/ http://www.dipity.com/phixed/Google-Local-Updates/

http://www.dipity.com/phixed/Google-Local-Updates/



The Path to Pigeon































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Case Study Time! Image: http://giphy.com/gifs/happy-party-excited-nNrkgR4Z7RHDW

http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/pigeons.jpg









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Sample Size: 5,000 Location Pages

Image: http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/pigeons.jpg




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• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23

Data Collection Timeline




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• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23

• Pigeon: 7/24





@phixed #SMX #23D

• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23

• Pigeon: 7/24

• Post Pigeon: 7/25 - 8/7






@phixed #SMX #23D

• Pre Pigeon: 7/11 - 7/23

• Pigeon: 7/24

• Post Pigeon: 7/25 - 8/7

• Today: 12/18 – 12/31 Image: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080429-pigeon-picture.html


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080429-pigeon-picture.html







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INTRODUCING


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Image: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png

http://blogs-images.forbes.com/peterubel/files/2013/01/pigeon.png





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“The goal of many of our ranking changes is to help

searchers find sites that provide a great user

experience and fulfill their information needs. We also

want the “good guys” making great sites for users, not

just algorithms, to see their effort rewarded.”

Matt Cutts http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2012/04/another-step-to-

reward-high-quality.html





http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2012/04/another-step-to-reward-high-quality.html












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Pre Pigeon vs Post Pigeon

Traffic

-5.71%


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Traffic

-5.71%

Conversions

-5.97%


@phixed #SMX #23D Image: http://www.reddit.com/r/reactiongifs/comments/1mz8qk/when_the_bank_clerk_tells_me_my_account_balance/

http://www.reddit.com/r/reactiongifs/comments/1mz8qk/when_the_bank_clerk_tells_me_my_account_balance/


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Pre Pigeon vs Today

Traffic

-6.32%


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Pre Pigeon vs Today

Traffic

-6.32%

Conversions

-2.25%


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Image: http://giphy.com/gifs/funny-cartoon-teacher-QSmTTINa5qVQ4


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What to Measure?


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1. Business Detail

2. Offsite Factor

3. Onsite Factor


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Here’s What We Weren’t Looking For


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Number of Words on a Location Page


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“Google said that this new algorithm improves their

distance and location ranking parameters.”

Barry Schwartz http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-

search-ranking-algorithm-197778





http://searchengineland.com/google-makes-significant-changes-local-search-ranking-algorithm-197778



















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Miles From City Center – Pre Pigeon vs Post Pigeon

-1.4

-1.2

-1

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0 5 10 15 20 25

Small Population Medium Population Large Population


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Miles From City Center – Pre Pigeon vs Today

-1.4

-1.2

-1.0

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0 5 10 15 20 25

Small Population Medium Population Large Population


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Locations in small towns were hit hardest when Pigeon first was

released but that has since evened out

Google is pushing the urbanization of suburbs

Google is showing a preference for unique business locations

that are on the edges of large cities

Post-Pigeon ongoing clean up is starting to make a difference in

quality of traffic


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“Thus far the big fix we are seeing to defeating

spammy results in the local packs is to get links,

which unfortunately is going to lead to a whole new

wave of local link SPAM, because it appears to be

working, for the moment.”

Andrew Shotland http://moz.com/blog/pigeon-advice-from-local-seos





http://moz.com/blog/pigeon-advice-from-local-seos











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Mozscape External Equity

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

1.125 1.375 1.625 1.875 2.125 2.375 2.625 2.875 3.125 3.375 3.625 3.875 4.125 4.375 4.625 4.875 5.125 5.375 5.625

Ch

an

ge

Mozscape External Equity Score



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Mozscape External Equity

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

1.125 1.375 1.625 1.875 2.125 2.375 2.625 2.875 3.125 3.375 3.625 3.875 4.125 4.375 4.625 4.875 5.125 5.375 5.625

Ch

an

ge

Mozscape External Equity Score

Pre Pigeon vs Post Pigeon Pre Pigeon vs Today


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Mozscape Page Authority

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

36.5 37.5 38.5 39.5 40.5 41.5 42.5 43.5 44.5 45.5 46.5 47.5 48.5 49.5 50.5 51.5 52.5 53.5 54.5 55.5 56.5 57.5 58.5 59.5 60.5 61.5

Ch

an

ge




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-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

36.5 37.5 38.5 39.5 40.5 41.5 42.5 43.5 44.5 45.5 46.5 47.5 48.5 49.5 50.5 51.5 52.5 53.5 54.5 55.5 56.5 57.5 58.5 59.5 60.5 61.5

Ch

an

ge




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Page authority (usually) matters

Internal >>> External

Domain strength has grown in importance


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@phixed #SMX #23D


“Don’t underestimate how powerful on-page

optimization can be for local and local-organic

results.”

Adam Dorfman (Post Venice Update to Current Day)






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-35.0%

-30.0%

-25.0%

-20.0%

-15.0%

-10.0%

-5.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

1 2 3 4 5

Pct.

Ch

an

ge

Number of Zip Codes Listed on a Location Page

Number of Zip Codes Displayed



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-35.0%

-30.0%

-25.0%

-20.0%

-15.0%

-10.0%

-5.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

1 2 3 4 5

Pct.

Ch

an

ge

Number of Zip Codes Listed on a Location Page

Number of Zip Codes Displayed


Aim for 3 zip codes listed

on your location pages or

website!


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-35.0%

-30.0%

-25.0%

-20.0%

-15.0%

-10.0%

-5.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Pct.

Ch

an

ge

Neighborhoods/Surrounding Suburbs/Landmarks/etc Listed per Location Page

Number of Areas Served



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-35.0%

-30.0%

-25.0%

-20.0%

-15.0%

-10.0%

-5.0%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Pct.

Ch

an

ge

Neighborhoods/Surrounding Suburbs/Landmarks/etc Listed per Location Page

Number of Areas Served


Add 3 hyperlocal

locations served in

addition to your

businesses’ city!


@phixed #SMX #23D


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On page optimization still matters

Over-optimization is being targeted

Keep experimenting


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Signals of Pigeon were apparent in hindsight

Pigeon update ≠ Improved SERPs

Where your business is still matters

Attach your business to strong domains

Don’t over optimize your website


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Some days you are the pigeon…


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Some days you are the pigeon…

Some days you are the statue.


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Marketing

Pigeon Droppings and Onpage Performance