What is Google Pigeon? [Algorithm Updates] Learn SEO

Updated by Chima Mmeje — November 21, 2024.

GOOGLE PIGEON INITIAL RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 20, 2013

The release of Pigeon resulted in one of the greatest shakeups of Google’s local and local organic results to date. This update was given its moniker by Search Engine Land, an industry publication that received direct intelligence from Google about the intent of Pigeon.

Pigeon was designed to tie Google's local search algorithm closer to their web algorithm and to improve ranking parameters based on distance and location. By integrating Google’s local search algorithm with its web search algorithm, Pigeon created a more unified and comprehensive search experience. This marked a pivotal shift in Google’s approach to local search, placing a stronger emphasis on location and distance as key factors in determining search rankings.

The local SEO community reported daily changes to local and local-organic rankings for weeks following the Pigeon rollout, including widespread replacement of the older 7-pack style of local results with packs featuring just 3 listings. Google used this information to improve it's algorithm and users began receiving search results that were not only more relevant but also more closely tied to their physical location.

The Google Pigeon update has had a profound impact on local businesses, especially those with a robust online presence. With the update, businesses that maintain accurate and up-to-date information are more likely to appear in local search results, while those with inconsistent or outdated information may see a drop in visibility.

To remain competitive in local search, businesses must prioritize local SEO strategies. This includes building strong local backlinks, ensuring their website is mobile-friendly, and providing high-quality content. Additionally, improving their online reputation through positive reviews can significantly increase their chances of appearing in the coveted 3-pack local results. The Pigeon update underscores the importance of a well-rounded online presence for local businesses aiming to capture local search traffic.

Let’s take a look at some of the major changes that took place as part of the Pigeon update:

1. One of Google’s stated purposes for the Pigeon update was to connect their local algorithm more deeply to their traditional web algorithm to take full advantage of the hundreds of ranking signals that go into the web algorithm. These new ties to the web algorithm further emphasized the need for local businesses to have a strong organic web presence in order to compete for local rankings. The Google Pigeon update significantly enhanced Google's ability to understand and deliver accurate results for local search queries.

    

2. At the same time, Pigeon was slated as featuring improvements to Google’s ability to calculate a local businesses’ distance and location. In many cases, it appeared that the search radius had been narrowed, favoring businesses that were closest to the physical location of the searcher. For example, when searching for a query like “pizza san francisco,” a user in the North Beach area of San Francisco would receive local results narrowed to that neighborhood instead of city-wide results. The full extent of Pigeon’s impacts on the local packs  were quite challenging to document since ranking fluctuations were rampant for weeks following the update, with some local SEOs theorizing that Google may have been A/B testing different results sets.

   With map boundaries redrawn to a narrower radius (either as part of the Pigeon update or as a result of a concurrent A/B test) post-Pigeon, many business found themselves suddenly outside of the packs in which they were previously ranking. Fast forward several years and Google has become remarkably expert at divining metrics like the distance between a searcher and a business, and Pigeon may be seen most clearly as a step along that path. 

    

3. One of the most notable outcomes of Pigeon was the loss of 7-pack local results (Google’s sets of 7 local business listings that were commonly shown when a search engine query had a local intent, such as “pizza chicago” or “attorney in denver”). Over the course of time, Google has steadily decreased the number of local business listings it displays in its local results packs, initially starting with 10 listings and, in 2015, switching to just 3 listings per pack in nearly all cases. Pigeon rolled out one year before the mass switch to 3-packs, and may be seen in hindsight as a step toward full adoption of these downsized packs. This reduction of pack size left many businesses outside of the local results, struggling as never before for local visibility.

4. As with many Google updates, the Pigeon update appeared to result in a temporary increase of spam listings making their way into the packs, emphasizing the local algorithm’s critical weaknesses as well as the need for the public to voluntarily report violations of Google’s guidelines. One particularly frustrating aspect of Pigeon surrounded Google’s ongoing and as-of-yet unresolved inability to differentiate between legitimate business names and ones that have been edited to contain exact match keywords. Local packs featuring spammy business names proliferated, pushing guideline-compliant businesses out of the packs.

The Google Pigeon update significantly reshaped local search rankings by placing a greater emphasis on location and distance. The update narrowed the search radius, favoring businesses that are closest to the user’s physical location. This change resulted in more relevant local search results for users but also made it more challenging for businesses to achieve local visibility. To adapt to these changes, local businesses must optimize their website and online presence for local search. This includes improving the accuracy of their citations, removing duplicate listings, and gaining favorable reviews. By focusing on these areas, businesses can enhance their local search rankings and better compete in the post-Pigeon landscape.

Pigeon represents a challenge to local business owners in that, rather than chiefly penalizing bad practices, it redefined Google’s stance on relevance, taking into account some factors over which businesses have little or no control.

For example, a business can’t control the radius Google draws around the point of a searcher to yield local pack results. Even if a restaurant on the west side of a city offers the finest dining, it may be out of luck in terms of pack rankings if the human searcher happens to be located on the east side of town. Aspects like these can’t be managed by the business, but fortunately, other factors can be managed for success in a post-Pigeon landscape, including:

• Emphasis on traditional, organic signals - Intelligent link building, publishing exceptional website content and growing Domain Authority all support high local and local organic rankings. The Pigeon update aligns local search results more closely with traditional organic search norms, emphasizing the importance of core ranking signals such as backlinks and content quality.
• Emphasis on hyperlocal content - Creating text, video, and image content that associates your business with a specific neighborhood or local region will strengthen your authority as a resource for a narrowed search radius.
• Emphasis on local SEO basics - Competing in the 3-pack environment relies on getting everything right on a basic local SEO checklist. Actions to take include improving the accuracy and breadth of your citations, removing duplicate listings, gaining favorable reviews, and many more fundamental tasks. Large brands should pay particular attention to these foundational to-dos; overlooking proper execution could be holding them back in the local rankings for their hundreds or thousands of locations.
• Spam reporting - When Google fails to police its own local results, you can lend a hand. First, be sure you know Google’s guidelines to the letter, and then take steps to level the playing field for all local businesses by reporting any violations you encounter. Google may not always act on your reports, but it’s worth the effort of trying, especially if demoting a spammer may free up a higher spot for your business. Of course, never report a business just because it’s owned by a competitor. Only report those listings that are violating Google’s guidelines.

• Pigeon was initially released in the US, but was subsequently rolled out in the UK, Canada, and Australia on December 22, 2014.
• Pigeon was described by industry experts as the largest local algorithm event since the 2012 Venice update.
• The Google Pigeon update improved synchronization between local search results and Google's web search, ensuring users receive consistent local search results whether they are using Google's web search or Google Maps.

Keep learning

• Pigeon Advice from Top Local SEOs and a Pigeon-Proofing Checklist
• Local Centroids are Now Individual Users: How Can We Optimize for Their Searches?
• How Not To Do Local SEO In A Post-Pigeon Era
• How to Create Authentic Hyperlocal Content At Scale
• Google’s Pigeon Update Solves Yelp Problem, Boosts Local Directories