Google’s Biggest Local Search Update in Five Years: How Will WordPress Be Affected?

by Vipe Team in WordPress SEO; Published on 08.01.2022

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At the end of last year, many local companies saw significant changes in their local search rankings. The reason? A brand new update of Google’s local algorithm that has been confirmed by the tech giant via a tweet from December 16th:

Our November 2021 local search update has concluded. It began Nov 30 and ran through Dec 8. It involved a rebalancing of various factors we consider in generating local search results. General guidance for businesses remains the same as covered here: https://t.co/uyXFfmUEIR
— Google Search Central (@googlesearchc) December 16, 2021

Our WordPress Agency for Development was curious to find out that the update that rolled out between November 30th and December 8th 2021 was named “Vicinity” by Sterling Sky.

This is the most significant update to the local algorithm since “Possum” in 2016, and naturally, it has wreaked havoc on rankings.

This is why, in today’s article, our WordPress development agency is going to tell you everything you need to know about the latest Google local search update, so you can understand better how it can affect your online business once you’ve completed the process of WordPress website development.

So, without further ado, let’s go and see what this “Vicinity” update is all about!

What’s New in Google’s Latest Local Search Algorithm Update?

If you’re wondering where Google’s latest local search algorithm update got its name from, our WordPress development company can explain.

The name of this update comes from the fact that it appears to prioritize proximity as a ranking criterion. Hence, the word “Vicinity” seems to be very appropriate for this context.

While proximity has consistently been a key indication for local search results, companies have also had the opportunity to use optimization strategies to help them rank farther away from their physical business location.

At its core, the “Vicinity” update was rolled out to combat these optimization tricks, thus making local search results more relevant to the user. Now, companies have a better chance of ranking high in relevant local searches since they will be competing with fewer businesses that are no way near them.

Our WordPress Agency for Development was interested to discover that according to Sterling Sky’s study, the potential benefit of adding keywords to the business name of a Google Business Profile (GBP) listing has reduced after the modification.

Businesses that include keywords (in an inappropriate manner) in their names have witnessed a significant decline in search ranks.

What this means is that, now, organizations that have continuously respected Google’s guidelines on keyword stuffing, as well as those that have committed efforts in eliminating name spam practices, will gain significant benefits from the new update.

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Our WordPress development agency has been monitoring the response to the update, and many local search specialists seem to be really happy with it. Experts agree that this update has the potential to dial down the impact of keyword stuffing in business names.

For instance, many professionals have witnessed a massive gain in map exposure for businesses that have previously been outrun by competitor listings that were keyword crammed.

This is definitely a step in the right direction, as companies that are more relevant to local searches have suddenly risen in prominence, and their rivals have dropped in rankings.

Before “Vicinity”, There Was the “Possum” Update

Our WordPress development company is definitely not exaggerating when we’re saying that “Vicinity” is the biggest Google local search update in five years.

In fact, “Possum” was the last major update to the local search algorithm before the rollout of “Vicinity” at the end of 2021.

“Possum” was introduced in 2016 with the goal to enhance the filtration of results in the Local Pack and Local Finder.

This meant that if numerous companies of a similar sort operated out of the same building, the majority of them would be excluded from the search results.

Local SEOs, as well as professional WordPress developers, speculated at the time that “Possum” was putting greater focus on proximity as a local ranking criterion.

There were also theories that this update aimed to reduce the impact of a website’s organic authority on Local Pack/Finder rankings.

The Redesign of Google Local Pack

Our WordPress Agency for Development noticed that the “Vicinity” update came out at the same time as Google changed the look of the Local Pack.

As a consequence of the change, all Local Pack results will now display a list of three results on the left and a map on the right.

This is pretty huge news, as since 2015, the former style, which included three results below a map, has been the standard.

Many local SEOs reported significant modifications in rankings and traffic after seeing the new Local Pack design in early December 2021. Some ascribed it to the makeover, while others speculated about a possible algorithm upgrade.

Our WordPress development agency read in a statement by Google regarding the redesign that the tech giant is constantly researching methods to provide people with the most useful content that they’re seeking.

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It remains to be seen if “Vicinity”, which is being rolled out alongside the new Local Pack, will give a better search experience for local customers and more search traffic for local companies. Remember that these things are an essential part of any online business that has chosen a professional WordPress website development.

The Impact “Vicinity” Will Have On Local Business Owners

“General guidance for businesses remains the same”, Google wrote in their tweet announcing the update. They also linked to specific guidelines that could be used by business owners to improve their local rankings.

The algorithm’s results continue to be determined by relevance, distance, and prominence, according to the guidelines. This means that there really is no significant change in that regard.

However, our WordPress development company believes it’s important to take note of the recommendations that Google put out. According to these suggestions, local businesses should do the following if they want to improve their exposure:

Add images;
Keep opening hours up to date;
Respond to reviews;
Verify locations;
Enter comprehensive information and complete data.

Once you’ve completed your WordPress website development, you’ll quickly find out that one of your most crucial jobs is keeping up with Google’s never-ending algorithm updates.

This may seem like a daunting task but, to make things a tad easier, we want you to remember something: it’s pretty safe to assume that the user experience will always be at the forefront of any modifications Google rolls out. Of course, this applies to the local search algorithm too.

To achieve long-term local search success, we advise local companies to be adaptive, as the digital landscape requires greater flexibility than any other field. When you finalize your WordPress website development, it is best to strictly follow Google’s guidelines because they can help you stay on top of the competition.

Why Is the “Vicinity” Update Important for Your WordPress Website?

And so, our WordPress Agency for Development believes that any update of Google’s algorithm can have a huge impact on your WordPress website. This is obviously related to the fact that Google is the most popular search engine in the world, which gives your website an amazing opportunity to be found through organic search, thus increasing your conversion rates.

In terms of local search, you should know that Google has given too much weight to keywords in the business name for a really long time. Because they have had such a substantial influence on ranking, companies frequently include them, despite the fact that it violates Google’s guidelines.

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Our WordPress development agency has noticed that this bad keyword practice has resulted in fake listings that show up on Google’s results instead of actual companies. The good news is that with the “Vicinity” update, newer businesses that strive to adhere to Google’s guidelines should have a far better chance of ranking.

Use Google’s Local Search Update to the Advantage of Your WordPress Website!

With all that being said, it is pretty clear that Google’s latest local search update (that is the biggest one in five years) is very significant for all site owners, and especially for those targeting their local markets.

All in all, our WordPress development company is happy with the latest update, as the algorithm change is now helping smaller, less established companies that are closer to the customer to rank higher than larger, more established businesses whose headquarters are farther away.

The newest local search update has already “rebalanced” the algorithm’s components and has boosted the proximity factor while several relevancy criteria have decreased.

Some industries are feeling the brunt of the consequences more than others. In this context, it’s crucial to note that unless you’re conducting grid monitoring to check how far away from your workplace you rank, you won’t likely notice the impact of this algorithm change.

Our WordPress Agency for Development reminds you that the biggest winners in this update are companies that don’t have keywords in their business names. The secondary locations for prominent businesses have also seen a boost in rankings with the latest update.

The losers, on the other hand, are companies with keywords in the business name and businesses that ranked really far from their actual work location.

Has the “Vicinity” update had an impact on your WordPress website yet? Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section down below!

Do you want to rank high for local searches? If the answer is “Yes”, then what you need is a website of the highest possible quality. Vipe Studio can help with that.

We offer a world-class WordPress website development service that can skyrocket your online presence to incredible heights. Our WordPress developers are incredibly skilled in creating efficient sites that can cater to the needs of even the largest organizations. So, don’t hesitate and contact us today. We’re awaiting your inquiry!