Recently there has been a Google algorithm update that has had effect on local searches. It is in a way unofficially called “Possum.” Several webmaster are noticing that their business are gone from Google Business Listings, in terms of Google they are not gone but have been filtered.
This update seems to have diversified the local search results in an effort to prevent spam listings to rank better. The latest update is considered to be the biggest update since the last known “Penguin” update.
It is believed that Google has placed some filter that has caused many business listings to have been removed based on what is called a spam score. Spam score has a certain threshold and the filters are capable of identifying the listings that can cross this threshold. The listings that cause a threshold with certain parameters are considered as fraudulent and are removed from the local business listings.
The filters does not appear to be running real time since some webmasters have noticed that the listings that were removed at a particular time where gone for more than a couple of months and no new listings were added either resulting in the ones that have survived the filter retains their listings over this period of time. Some of the listings seems to have reappeared after couple of months suggesting that if the filters had been working real time the process of removing and listings reappearing would have happened at greater frequency. The delay in listings reappearing seems to suggest that the filters are running at certain set intervals.
It has also been noted that business listings belonging to certain industries have taken a greater hit than others suggesting that this filters have not been applied across all business categories.
