Possum Update
The Possum Update is the nickname for a change to Google’s local search results in September 2016. It filtered out businesses that looked too similar to each other, such as several listings at the same address, and let businesses just outside a city’s boundary rank for searches about that city.
What the Possum Update was
Possum was never announced or named by Google. Local SEO specialists noticed large shifts in the local pack and Google Maps results in early September 2016 and studied them closely. The nickname came from the fact that many businesses thought they had vanished, when in fact they had only been filtered out of view: they were “playing possum”.
Because Google did not confirm it, everything known about Possum comes from community analysis. The patterns below were widely reported, but they should be read as observations rather than official rules.
Main effects reported
- Address filtering: when several businesses in the same category shared an address or building, often only one appeared, with the others filtered.
- Affiliation filtering: related listings, such as several practitioners at one clinic, were more likely to be filtered.
- City boundaries: businesses just outside a city’s official boundary could now rank for searches including that city’s name.
- Searcher location: the physical location of the person searching became even more important to which businesses appeared.
- Keyword variations: small changes in wording produced noticeably different local results.
Why it matters
Possum is a useful reminder that local results are filtered, not just ranked. Google tries to avoid showing several near-identical listings in the map pack, so businesses in shared buildings, co-working spaces or groups of practitioners can compete with each other.
It also showed that local ranking factors such as proximity depend heavily on where the searcher is.
The same month, Google confirmed Penguin 4.0, so some sites saw changes from both updates at once. That overlap made early analysis harder.
How to work with it
- Check whether other businesses in your category share your address; if so, focus on standing out through relevance and prominence.
- Keep your Google Business Profile categories, name and details accurate. Do not stuff keywords into the business name, which breaks Google’s guidelines.
- Track rankings from several points across your area. Geo-grid rank tracking shows how visibility changes with searcher location.
- Track a range of keyword variations, not just one main phrase.
- For a service area business, set an accurate service area rather than relying on an address.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a filtered listing has been suspended. Search with different terms or zoom the map to see if it reappears.
- Creating extra listings at virtual offices to get round filtering, which can lead to suspension.
- Judging local visibility from a single search on your own office computer.
Key Takeaways
- The Possum Update changed Google local results in September 2016.
- Google never confirmed it, so details come from community analysis.
- Similar businesses at the same address were often filtered out.
- Businesses outside city limits could rank for that city’s searches.
- Searcher location became even more important in local results.
Related Terms
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