The Possum Update

Launched in September 2016, the Possum Update was a significant algorithm change that primarily affected local search results and Google Maps. This update was designed to diversify local results and prevent spam, although Google never officially confirmed its existence or name.

 

Fallouts and Highlights from the Update

The Possum Update caused considerable fluctuations in local search rankings, with many businesses experiencing significant changes in their local pack and Google Maps visibility.

One of the most notable impacts was on businesses located just outside of physical city limits. Prior to Possum, these businesses often struggled to rank for city-based searches. Post-update, many saw improvements in their visibility for these queries, as Google began to take the searcher’s location into account more heavily.

Another significant effect was on businesses sharing the same building or address. Pre-Possum, Google often filtered out all but one of these businesses from the local results. After the update, more of these businesses began appearing in results, with Google seemingly treating them as separate entities more often.

The update also appeared to increase the importance of the physical location of the searcher. Businesses found that their rankings could vary significantly based on small changes in the searcher’s location.

The SEO community’s reaction was mixed. While many local SEO professionals welcomed the increased diversity in results, others found the heightened volatility in rankings challenging to manage for their clients.

 

Strategy Evolution

The Possum Update necessitated several shifts in local SEO strategy:

1. Increased focus on accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) information across all platforms
2. Greater emphasis on location-specific content and landing pages
3. More attention to Google My Business optimisation and management
4. Development of strategies to compete in hyper-local searches
5. Renewed importance of traditional organic ranking factors in local SEO

 

This update marked a significant shift in how SEO professionals approached local search optimisation. It encouraged a more nuanced understanding of how Google interprets location and business categorisation.

For many businesses, this meant creating more specific, location-targeted content. Rather than simply targeting broad city terms, they needed to consider neighbourhood-level optimisation and create content relevant to very specific local areas.

The update also highlighted the importance of proper business categorisation in Google My Business. With Possum seemingly filtering results based on business category, ensuring accurate and specific category selection became crucial.

SEO professionals had to pay more attention to their clients’ competitors, particularly those sharing similar locations or categories. Understanding how and when Google was filtering or diversifying results became an important part of local SEO strategy.

Overall, the Possum Update pushed the local SEO industry towards more sophisticated, granular strategies. It underscored the complexity of local search algorithms and the need for SEO professionals to stay agile and responsive to small changes in how Google interprets and presents local results.