Google Possum (2016)
Filtered duplicate local listings and broadened the local pack; businesses just outside city limits gained.
DateSep 1, 2016
PlatformGoogle SEO
TypeLocal
Who it affectsLocal businesses
What happened
Possum changed local pack filtering: Google filtered out more listings that seemed like duplicates (for example several businesses at the same address) and gave more weight to the searcher’s location. Businesses just outside a city’s boundaries could now rank for searches in that city.
Who it affected
Local businesses.
What it means for marketers today
Make sure each location has its own accurate Business Profile and avoid duplicate listings. See the local SEO audit.