Google "pigeon" update, is Google turning search over to all the directories?

[RobertFisher]

The recent news re an update by Google is beginning to show some interesting changes. The first major piece on this came from SearchEngineLand and had top local people like Linda Buquet commenting. Another post on this regarding a "yelp" correction from Search Engine Land was also illuminating. With the real estate vertical, I am seeing zero local companies in Houston, in the first couple of SERP's, other than the large MLS system, HAR. The others showing are all real estate directories that are nationwide like realty com, zil low, tru lia, etc. You literally cannot get a local brokerage to show on the first two pages of serps using any high volume keyword. 
Does this mean Google is choosing to begin relegating its search results to the directories?

Obviously, there is no right answer, but it certainly means those of us in the agency world need to be very careful (yes, even more so) going forward. I appreciate your comments.

Robert

[DennisSeymour]

Hi Robert,

It looks like so. Directories are ranking higher than the actual official sites for many keywords which further forces us to diversify our marketing to different platforms. Let's see what happens this month. They might add a few tweaks.

Noticed that the 7packs are also gone. More 3packs now.

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Robert,

A few days in from your original post, are you still seeing same or seeing changes? I totally feel like the dust hasn't settled where the pigeon has landed

[RobertFisher]

Hello Miriam,

It is the same. I understand from a local perspective a lot of people are giving this a thumb's up. I am not sure I would at this juncture and we have had a winner or two from it. With Real Estate, if you are a broker, it is a disaster in terms of terms like home(s) for sale, townhomes, real estate or these terms and a geo-locator like Houston. (Dr. Pete spoke to this around my comments on his post The Month Google Shook the SERPS.) 
You know I am not a "Google done me wrong" person; it's their web property and as EGOL said for a while they did not monetize it and people had a grand ole time. Today, they are going to monetize it just like we would.

The issue is more that, IMO, user experience will suffer and I think they will begin to lose market share, but over time. I talk to enough users who are not in our field and they complain about not being able to find someone local when they are looking. For me as a searcher, I find it odd that if I want to find a specific breed of dog or a specific area for a home, etc. I am forced to use a "national" directory of some sort. Doesn't this remove the need for the search engine??

Best