Wondering what happened to local business results on September 1? Google's Possum update on September 1, 2016 was the biggest update we have seen in local in years. See how big of a change we saw and what other features GMB is working on these days.

1. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS &
POSSUM IN 2016
Joy Hawkins, LocalU Advanced 2016

2. WHAT WAS POSSUM?
•An (unconfirmed) algorithm update on sept
1, 2016 that had a substantial impact on
what businesses rank in the 3-pack.
•Not to be confused with the core (organic-
related) algorithm update on Sept 13-14 or
penguin 4.0 on Sept 23.
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

3. HOW MUCH CHANGED?
•1307 businesses
•14,242 keywords
•Compared Sept 7 with Aug 31
•Only tracked changes in the Local Finder
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

4. WHAT IS THE LOCAL FINDER?
• Lists the local (google maps) listings for a given query
• The top 3 in this list are generally what you see as the
3-pack
• See who is next on the list by clicking the more results
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

5. HOW MUCH CHANGED?
9%
11%
15%
36%
15%
14%
Number of Keywords
Popped Into Local Finder
Increased 3+ Positions
Increased 1-2 Positions
No Change
Decreased 1-2 Positions
Decreased 3+ Positions
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

6. Significant
Change, 34%
Slight
Change, 30%
No Change,
36%
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

7. 64% of keywords saw some type of
change
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

8. @joyannehawkins #LocalU

10. @joyannehawkins #LocalU

12. - Unverified
- No Reviews
- No Inside Tour
- A couple reviews
from the web
- No popular times
- 1 category
- Address is old
address (listing is
older)
- Verified
- 144 reviews
- Inside tour
- Hundreds of
reviews from
the web
- Popular times
- 2 categories
- Address is
new address
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

13. MARK, YOU HAVE MORE PROBLEMS…
All list the old
address!
http://searchengineland.com/cannot-ignore-practitioner-
listings-gmb-case-study-253314

14. WHAT DID POSSUM DO?
Changed the way the filter for the local finder works
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

15. WHAT DOES THE LOCAL FILTER DO?
Filters out listings for a specific search query based on:
1. Their spam score
2. Their similarity to the listings also ranking in the Local Finder
• http://searchengineland.com/google-
filtering-business-local-search-results-
258044
• http://searchengineland.com/everything-
need-know-googles-possum-algorithm-
update-258900
@joyannehawkins

16. CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE FILTERED

17. WHAT LISTING GOT YOU TO GET FILTERED?
Tip: Listings in the Local Finder often rotate! Set up daily tracking with screenshots
FILTERED OUT…
@joyannehawkins #LocalUc

18. GATHER POTENTIAL THREATS
Method 1:
MapMaker
Advanced Browse
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

19. 1. Search address on Google Maps
2. Zoom in so you can see the building and a few buildings near it.
3. Right-click on the map, click “search nearby”
4. Type in the business category (Ex: Personal Injury Lawyer)
5. The map will be annoying and zoom back out. Zoom back in so it only shows the
buildings you want.
6. Click the blue “search this area” that now shows at the top of the map.
Method 2:
Google Maps

21. ALL ABOUT THE MOVED FEATURE
• Takes an listing and forwards it (302) to another listing on Maps
• The MapMaker listing gets marked permanently closed and becomes
unsearchable
• The listing vanishes from the search results
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

22. • You can move a practitioner listing to a practice
listing if the person no longer works there
(retired, deceased, joined another firm etc.)
• You can move a listing for an old location to the
new one
• The listing you are moving must be unverified.
• Listings for old branding can be moved if info is
similar enough
• You can never move a practitioner listing to a
different practitioner listing.
THE RULES…
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

23. NEW GOOGLE MY BUSINESS FEATURES
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

24. EDITORIAL SUMMARIES
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

25. @joyannehawkins #LocalU
POSTING ON SEARCH (BETA)

26. @joyannehawkins #LocalU
ATTRIBUTES
Tip: Edit these on mobile using the account you verified your listing in
ONLY ON MOBILE

27. @joyannehawkins #LocalU
REVIEWS FROM THE WEB
Tip: Not seeing these? Link out to your review sites on your website (“View our reviews on…”)
– Tim Capper

28. ADVANCED VERIFICATION (BETA)
@joyannehawkins #LocalU
• Locksmiths & Plumbers in San Diego
• You don’t pass by Nov 10, your listing is removed
• Includes things like license registration, Social Security number validity, a
recorded video interview etc.
• Google’s solution to the spam problem
http://blumenthals.com/blog/2016/10/04/goo
gle-testing-advanced-verification-process-
for-plumbers-locksmiths/

29. IS SPAM ANNOYING YOU?
http://www.joyannehawkins.com/ultima
te-guide-fighting-spam-google-maps/

30. #STOPCRAPONTHEMAP
@joyannehawkins #LocalU

31. plus.google.com/+joyhawkins
twitter.com/joyannehawkins
joy@imprezziomarketing.com
www.joyannehawkins.com