Google may have also pushed out a local search ranking update around September 7th. This is in addition to the helpful content update between August 25th and September 9th and the September 2022 core update that kicked off on September 12th. Let's not forget, we are on the verge of a fifth product reviews update.
A Local Search Forums thread has a bunch of local SEOs reporting on changes to their client rankings on or around September 7th. Keep in mind, that this would be unrelated to any core update or helpful content update and is likely its own thing - if it is a thing.
Joy Hawkins, an experienced local SEO, said on the forums "I'm hearing a few cases like this lately" where local rankings have changed significantly. "Analyzing ranking drops is really time-consuming and needs a pretty in-depth knowledge of the site, business, and competitors so I'm hesitant to offer advice on this. I would suggest looking to see if their organic ranking dropped as well or if it's just the local pack rankings," she added.
Some are saying this is just impacting the local pack and not the other organic results. "It is just the local pack rankings that have dropped, organic rankings are still doing very well," one person said.
Another company said their listing dropped out of the local pack on September 9th, two days after the other. "I can confirm the issue started Friday 09/09/2022 so we were showing up before then," they wrote. Whereas someone else said it was on September 6th, "I have a SAB client that saw a complete drop from maps and local map pack as well. The drop seemed to start on September 6th, and now everything is reporting zero views of the GBP," they wrote.
Here is the chart from that story, shared by Adam DiFrisco in the forum:
Local SEO, Jason Brown wrote "I had a SAB contact me that they are no longer showing up. He reached out on the 7th. I can get his KP to trigger in Pasadena, but not when I change my location to Beaverton. Instead, I get a similarly named business instead that has their address showing."
Some say it was a temporary glitch, "I noticed a few listings like this on Friday. I just assumed it was a glitch and would clear up shortly. Of the listings, I can remember they are back to normal today." But others are still having issues.
Again, the thread is pretty packed with cases of large Google local search ranking changes, so check it out in the Local Search Forums.
Seeing directions icons on Google Maps for service area businesses (SABs) that shouldn't have them - and they don't work. Maybe this is related to all the insane fluctuations we're seeing for SABs. Something is broken... pic.twitter.com/iJq66XGTV4
— Joy Hawkins (@JoyanneHawkins) September 14, 2022
Did you notice any local ranking changes for you or you clients?
Forum discussion at Local Search Forums.
Update: A fix is coming soon, I am told:
For the SAB issue with ranking in Google dropping off the maps a fix is in the works, no definitive timeline but coming soon. @rustybrick
— Ben Fisher (@TheSocialDude) September 16, 2022
Update 2: Now being resolved - more here:
If you were impacted by the recent version of the Kansas bug it looks like the fix is being rolled out. https://t.co/QLTXuXzDhL
— Joy Hawkins (@JoyanneHawkins) September 23, 2022
