Google Local Listing Visibility for Regional Queries

[Your_Workshop]

I manage a variety of small local programs that are located in areas that are more known by the region than they are by the town (the Adirondacks and the Catskills to be specific). In the past, the local algorithm understood that when the query was related to the region, it would show a variety of results from that region. It seems that for the Catskills they have changed the algorithm to pinpoint the center of the region and only show results that are in the near vacinity of that pinpoint, rather than a variety of results from the region. The Adirondacks however is still showing a variety of results. For those of you not familiar, the Adirondack are 9,375 square miles and the Catskills are 5,892 square miles and are both very rural mountain regions and popular travel destinations.

Google clearly understands that these regions are geographically oriented and shows a local pack for relevant results such as "Catskills Resorts" or "Catskills Restaurants", but over the past few weeks, they have started only showing 2 results for the query Catskills resorts, both located near Shandaken, NY becasue that is where Google has deemed the marker for the Catskills is (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Catskill+Mountains/@42.009289,-74.3996212,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89dc665668f82f31:0x3b012376423b8efa!8m2!3d42.0092908!4d-74.3821116) In reality, there are hundreds of resorts within the Catskills. (Note there is a Catskill, NY within the Catskills, however Google is not even confusing this town with the region).

Does anyone have ideas on how to get Google to understand that the Catskills are more than Shandaken, NY? I feel like we suddenly have no hope of ranking locally and most of the businesses I manage are located in very small towns that people are not specifically searching for.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi There!

Good topic, and I'm sorry to have to say that, no, you can't directly tell Google that their radius is too small. You've done a good job of documenting what sounds like an interesting and recent shrinking of the radius, but when Google decides to do something like that, it's because they've determined it's "best", or are doing some kind of test.

Important to mention here that local search is traditionally city-specific. I can imagine it's frustrating if your clients were formerly enjoying local rankings for a regional search and, as a result of this change, they no longer are. Basically, they are now in the same boat as most local businesses ... having to compete locally for searches related to their physical location in a specific town/city.

My advice would be to go hard after the organic rankings for these terms, and continue to monitor Google. The radius could change again at some point.

[Your_Workshop]

Miriam,

Thanks for your response. I was afraid this was going to be the situation but figured it wouldn't hurt to put the question out there. I can't say I like it, but then again, I have a love-hate with Google at this point in my career! I will continue to monitor and hope for the best.

[MiriamEllis]

You're welcome!