Google Possum Matters for Local SEO

With a new update known as Google Possum, nuanced information is added to local searches, providing advantages for businesses working with top digital marketing agencies who have optimized their websites for local SEO. As a filter and ranking signal for local listings, Possum’s primary role is to take the user’s physical location into account as a part of the results for each search. The local business that optimizes to provide the best user experience and that holds the most relevancy, wins a slot in the covetted prime real estate slots at the top of Google’s SERPs. In order to compete with local competition at the Google Possum level, you will want to consider the following in your local SEO strategy.

Geolocation Matters

As Google’s ability to collect data and track user locations becomes more sophisticated, this information can be used to provide very specific search results that include businesses in both the immediate and outlying areas. This means that users will see different search engine results based on their physical locations, and this can result in your business benefiting from targeted results for mobile users in your area.

Possum’s filters are configured to include businesses that are nearby, not just those within a specific zip code or city name. If your business is located just outside a big city, you should now see your business given more priority in the local area listings. The combination of both local and organic ranking signals means that search users are provided with locally relevant results for their immediate locations.

Taking Advantage of Possum’s New Features

As a business that benefits from a convenient location and the opportunity to attract mobile customers, it is imperative to optimize your website to take advantage of Possum’s unique abilities to identify local search results. As with all of Google’s algorithms, high-quality content, photos and video should be paired with accurate business listing information and targeted keywords.

Optimizing your website for mobile device users is no longer merely an option; it is essential to ensure that your website and business listing will be seen, especially by mobile users on the go. Ignoring this important part of website construction and SEO practices can affect your business success and your bottom line if potential customers do not see your listing in Google’s search results.

Increasing the Local Visibility of Your Business

Listing your business in local directories and encouraging your customers to offer their comments in Google reviews will help your business stand out as desirable and unique. Identifying and focusing on the special services or conveniences your business provides will help your listing stand out.

Local citations are an important way to add validity to your business, and a complete citation includes the business name, address and phone number. This information is favored by Google Possum and should always appear on your website, and it should be included in directories and other listings as well. Local business guides, business organizations and industry-specific resources with high domain authority are excellent resources to ensure that your business name and contact information is widely available online.

Image by Moz

Long-Tail Keywords Work

Long-tail keyword phrases that include location-specific language will make Google Possum smile and can also boost your website in the local search results as filtered by Google. Because Possum includes business listings for outlying areas, you can benefit from using keywords that include the name of the largest city in your vicinity. If you make changes to your keywords, keep an eye on your search engine results; adding the state name or the zip code may help to focus on the audience in your local area.

Understanding Address Filters

The Google Possum update is also filtering out duplicate address listings in the search engine results, much like it does duplicate phone numbers or domain names. This can be advantageous when it comes to narrowing results that are relevant to the user, but it can also filter out business listings with the same address. Ensuring that your business has a unique name and address – especially if you are located in a building with many business suites – means you can avoid the disadvantage of overly filtered results.

How Google Possum Can Help Small Businesses

Past search algorithms have seemingly favored larger businesses located within the city’s center, dominating the search results with centrally located addresses and corporate websites. This means small businesses on the outskirts of a city may not have enjoyed many benefits from local search optimization in the past. However, Google Possum helps to isolate and identify search results that meet the user’s specific needs and allows smaller business with less central locations to rank at the top of the search results.

Quality and Local Appeal

Managing your brand and creating high-quality content that appeals to ranking signals and local consumers are the keys to performing well with local SEO. Understanding how Google’s updates can affect your business and online presence means you can ensure that your website has the right features for Possum’s filters and the opportunity to gain a high ranking in the Google search engine results.