Did you know that late last year Google pulled out a new update to the local search and map pack results? If you weren’t aware, don’t beat yourself up, we are here to tell you all about it, and believe me, you will want to know!
Popularly called the Vicinity Update, less popular establishments and small businesses started ranking higher and taking the spot of larger well-known businesses that were further in distance. The result? A rebalanced playing field that benefits local businesses and potentially strengthens their local SEO services and strategy.
While this Vicinity Update shook up local rankings, some important aspects of relevance declined, but ultimately this Google update is good for small businesses and those with secondary locations.
Amongst the industries that saw a significant positive impact were:
- Dentists
- Insurance Offices
- Home Services
- Lawyers
If you’re curious about your ranking, grid tracking can show local ranking based on distance.
While the impact of the Vicinity Update was more obvious for certain small businesses and practices, businesses who benefited from this update remain consistent. These businesses:
- Have secondary locations as prominent businesses, meaning, primary locations that were once at the top of the search results took a hit, but newer, secondary locations began to rank better.
- Have competitors with keywords in their business name, but don’t include keywords in their business name.
At American Creative, we are your business’ trusted ally when it comes to local SEO services. By getting to know you and your business personally, our team strategizes with you to create a plan of attack that will increase your online presence, brand awareness, and clientele. Focusing heavily on keyword research and creating SEO optimized content, we understand what’s working in the SEO world, and strategize accordingly. Contact us today to learn more about our local SEO services for your business!
