Per BrightLocal.com, Google confirmed its biggest local search algorithm update in five years.
"Many local businesses have noticed huge fluctuations in their local search rankings over the last few weeks, with Google now confirming an important update to the local algorithm," the article says. "Rolling out between (Nov. 30) and (Dec. 8), this update has been named ‘Vicinity’ by Sterling Sky. This is the largest change to the local algorithm since Possum in 2016 and has caused widespread ranking disruption.
"Google confirmed the update in a tweet on December 16th."
Google, via BrightLocal.com, said the update "is named after the fact that it seems to primarily target proximity as a ranking factor.
"Although proximity has long been an important signal for local search results, it’s also been the case that businesses can optimize to successfully rank far from their actual business location.
"Through the Vicinity update, Google now appears to be clamping down on this, which will naturally make local search results more relevant to the user. In terms of the benefit to businesses, this gives them a greater chance to rank well in relevant local searches, as they’ll be competing less with businesses that are further away."
Read more about this update, which also includes a local pack update, here.
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