Since Google’s launching of Panda, the first in a series of highly structured update algorithms used by the search engine for reviewing ranking pages, it has been steady in releasing updates. After releasing the Penguin update algorithm, Google went into hibernation with regards to introducing revised updates. However, in the past few years, Google has yet again become active on the ‘search engine page ranking’ (SERPs) front by shaking up the rank and file of its update algorithms. For instance, the world’s top-notch search engine has offered national or local businesses a good reason to cheer up by releasing ‘Possum’. The release of Possum is undoubtedly Google’s biggest shakeup or overhaul of its local SEO algorithm in the last three years.
This update will go a long way in enabling businesses and firms to revamp their local SEO campaigns in a manner that enables their online commercial platforms or interfaces to attract a greater volume of traffic thereby improving search engine ranking. The update has been aptly titled Possum as the algorithm plays hide and seek with e-commerce sites making promoters feel that their portals have been given the boot when they fail to spot the same on the SERPs. What remains invisible to business site owners and administrators is that the algorithm is playing possum i.e. the localized search ranking tool has subjected the sites to filtration.
Google’s rejuvenated local search engine rating algorithm, Possum intelligently decides, using a slew of permutations and combinations, on which SERP your site will show up or surface at all. So chances are that the site may not always show up whenever any user goes searching for the product or service you’re promoting with a particular keyword or set of keywords. Your portal may not be visible to users in case you’ve numerous similar ‘Google My Business’ web page listings across the industry or sector you’re involved in. Possum will have a bearing on the local SEO strategies of the following situations of enterprises.
1. Businesses sharing an identical or similar address
Let’s suppose you’re a practicing cardiologist or criminal lawyer with your chamber on the 10th storey of a particular building. Like you, there are 4 other professional lawyers or cardiologists having their offices in the same building. Every time a net surfer or user searches for cardiologists or criminal lawyers in the area your chamber is situated, it may happen that your site may not be there on the search result pages on each search drive. Possum ensures that your portal is only visible during searches with a distinct or specific keyword or keywords.
2. Businesses situated on the periphery of a city
Previously, your site wouldn’t surface on the web browser if someone looked for ‘bakeries in Hacienda Heights’ simply because your shop was just on the boundary of the locality. With Possum now operating at full throttle, your site will become a little more ubiquitous during local SEO searches.
3. Sister concerns or affiliate businesses
If you own more than one franchisee of McDonald’s in a city or town, Possum will see to it that any one location is visible during a randomized search. This could be because although the names of the businesses and locations vary, the proprietor is the one and the same.
How Does Possum Stack Up Against Local Concerns or Businesses
If your site is not noticeable across the board during searches, there’s reason to be alarmed as it could be that Google is making the Possum update algorithm go through a testing phase. Just because the site is invisible as of now doesn’t imply it’ll be so in the long run. On your end, you should fine-tune your local SEO canvassing strategy.