Review of Google’s Possum Algo Update with Joy Hawkins

Local SEO rockstar, Joy Hawkins and I discuss Possum – the unfortunately named Google algo update impacting local SERP results.  While we have seen Possum as a win for most of our clients – Possum seems to impact businesses in shared locations with multiple providers in the same categories.  This includes practitioner listings.  Listen along for more details and get a surprise opportunity to hear me defending FindLaw!

UPDATE: “the unfortunately named…..” – turns out this was coined by…… wait for it….. Joy and Darren (among others).  Nothing like insulting your guest.  My coworkers are enjoying my foot in mouth a little too much.

This is the biggest change in local since Pigeon back in 2014

3 Responses to “Review of Google’s Possum Algo Update with Joy Hawkins”

  1. Great article and analysis over at Search Engine Land regarding this update.

    I sublease a music studio at a location in NYC. The address is listed by the main organization who holds the lease. Our business/website was ranking number one in Local for various music lesson related keywords but our business page has since been disabled/suspended after the update.

    Unless we provide proof of signage our page will not be re-instated. I tried explaining to the Google My Business call center operator (most likely India based) that not all sublease agreements allow for signage and that all utilities are included in the rent.

    As a large proportion of our traffic/leads came from that Local position Google have effectively killed our business over night.

    Yet again another small business destroyed by Google’s aggressive algorithm updates.