Google has confirmed an algorithm update to local search results after SEO started reporting significant changes in Google Maps and the local pack of results from 30 November. The official Google Search Central Twitter account retroactively confirmed the update on Wednesday, calling the November 2021 local search update.
As SEOs had suspected, the update began rolling out on 30 November and Google confirmed the update was completed on 8 December. The confirmation described the update as “a rebalancing of various factors we consider in generating local search results” while linking to existing documentation for improving local search rankings.
Here’s what we know (and don’t) about the latest Google algorithm update.
Google confirms November 2021 local search update
SEOs started reporting volatility in the local SERPs on 30 November and Search Engine Roundtable published a report discussing the fluctuations, which appeared to peak on 4 December. Chatter on Local Search Forum discussed “major differences” in local rankings with competitor companies showing for searches they previously had no visibility for.
Anyone seeing local pack ranking changes over the last week? https://t.co/Z9tgapoL1l
— Joy Hawkins (@JoyanneHawkins) December 8, 2021
Google finally stepped on 16 December to confirm and update had rolled out via the Google Search Central Twitter account, which finished rolling out more than a week previous on 8 December.
Our November 2021 local search update has concluded. It began Nov 30 and ran through Dec 8. It involved a rebalancing of various factors we consider in generating local search results. General guidance for businesses remains the same as covered here: https://t.co/uyXFfmUEIR
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) December 16, 2021
Unsurprisingly, many SEOs were less than appreciative of the retroactive announcement, eight days after the update finished rolling out, although some of the feedback was more measured than others.
Danny Sullivan took to Twitter later in the day to offer some more clarity about the unusual messaging surrounding the update. First, he started with the obvious by stating that Google runs “a lot of updates all the time” and not all of them are announced – something we know all too well.
However, he also suggested Google intended to announce the November 2021 local search update but somehow failed to.
We have a lot of updates all the time and don't announce them all. We do try to announce those that are likely to be noticeable. That was a miss in this case; we'll work to do better going forward.
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) December 16, 2021
On the plus side, Sullivan pledged that Google will work to do better on this in the future, which everyone in the industry will undoubtedly hold in to for future updates.
Another update in the festive build-up
Danny Sullivan says Google is running updates all the time but SEOs and companies have had to deal with unusually volatile SERPs this year and we’ve had plenty of major updates during the build-up to Christmas.
The November 2021 local search update directly followed the November 2021 core update, which finished rolling out on 30 November, and the December product reviews update, which started rolling out on 1 December.
Overlapping updates has been a key theme in 2021, making it difficult to attribute changes in the SERPs to specific updates and identify the ranking factors being affected.
Timing matters with algorithm updates and overlapping changes makes a difficult job almost impossible, especially for companies that don’t have the data systems required to analyse major changes in the SERPs.
Many SEOs have also criticised Google’s timing of this, and other major algorithm updates, during the run-up to Christmas. This is the most important time of the year for many businesses and search volatility can rob companies of crucial revenue at the worst possible moment, which is particularly difficult to take when performance falls short of expectations.
This is true for any algorithm update but local search update hit smaller businesses the worst, many of which may never recover from one Christmas underperformance.
Was this announcement missed because google didn’t think the update would be drastic right before Christmas? Small business can’t really adjust before Christmas. The businesses now randomly ranking aren’t ready for the calls. So far it’s been a very BAD USER EXPERIENCE.
— jade (@jadelauren234) December 18, 2021
Jade Lauren raises two important points in the Tweet above: first, that small businesses often struggle to adapt to changes just before Christmas but, also, that companies suddenly ranking and generating an influx of leads probably aren’t prepared to handle them at the last moment.
What can you do about the November 2021 local search update?
If you’ve been affected by the November 2021 local search update, the unfortunate news is that you probably don’t have enough time to recover before Christmas. Google did link to some general advice in its late announcement but it only includes the generic local search guidance we should all be following anyway.
Update your business info for better visibility
The key advice is to keep your business information up-to-date and accurate to maximise visibility by managing your Google Business Profile.
Google specifies five key steps to take and manage over time:
- Enter complete data: Make sure that you’ve entered complete business information in Business Profile so that users know what you do, where you are and when they can visit.
- Verify your locations: Verify your business locations so that they’re more likely to show in local search results across Google products, like Maps and Search.
- Keep your hours accurate: Update your opening hours regularly, including when you open and close, and special hours for holidays and events.
- Manage & respond to reviews: Respond to reviews that users leave about your business. When you reply to reviews, it shows that you value your customers and their feedback.
- Add photos: To showcase your goods and services, and to tell the story of your business, add photos to your Business Profile.
For more information on how to follow these steps, take a look at the official guidance provided by Google.
How does Google determine local rankings?
It also helps to understand how Google determines local rankings – not only to understand how and why your business shows in the local SERPs but, also, because these are the key factors commonly adjusted in algorithm updates.
There are three key factors:
- Relevance refers to how well a local Business Profile matches what someone is searching for. Add complete and detailed business information to help Google better understand your business and match your profile to relevant searches.
- Distance considers how far each potential search result is from the location term used in a search. If a user doesn’t specify a location in their search, we’ll calculate distance based on what we do know about their location.
- Prominence refers to how well known a business is. Some places are more prominent in the offline world, and search results try to reflect this in local ranking. For example, famous museums, landmark hotels or well-known shop brands are also likely to be prominent in local search results.
Again, you can find more information about these signals on this official Google Business Profile documentation page.
Need help with Google algorithm updates?
If you need help dealing with Google algorithm updates, our SEO team can help you optimise your pages, recover your search presence and protect your website from future updates. Call us on 0161 870 2580 to speak with our search marketing team today or fill out the form on our contact page to arrange a callback.