Sudden Google Algorithm Changes Have Been a Pain Point for Many Chiropractors ALL Year! Welcome HAWK!
Ever since Google Possum was quietly released last September 1, 2016 the SEO community and many many local businesses haven't been quiet about it. Why? Because it hurt their bottom line! As one of our SEO Experts/Account Managers said, "it sucked"! Many people who had been ranking very well suddenly saw a drop in their Google ranking. One of the reasons Google cited for these changes was to make local search a level playing field. Unfortunately this very unexpected change was negative for many small businesses. Hawk has swooped in!
Here are some other things that went wrong for many of our clients. Now maybe you won't feel like you were the only one!
• Many local businesses sharing office space or located nearby another chiropractic office got filtered from the local search results.
• Many of our clients Google My Business (GMB) listings suddenly became filtered.
• Few chiropractors or local businesses actually profited, many more saw huge decreases in traffic and call volume.
Clearly this all resulted in many phone calls to Google on behalf of our clients!
I can attest to listening to our SEO Experts on the phone with Google many many times to get things sorted out for our clients. Our SEO Experts/Account Managers are extremely dedicated to our clients! Feel free to schedule a 1-on-1 with us to take a look at your current site, ranking and other marketing initiatives!
HAIL to the Incredible "HAWK"!
Thankfully a new change to the algorithm as of August 22, 2017 that a writer by the name of Joy Hawkins at Search Engine Land has named, "Hawk" has brought some very welcomed changes!
Here are some key things to know:
• Businesses which were being filtered are now much more likely to come up in local search. YAY!
• There may still be lasting effects for doctors sharing office space, or practices located within 50 feet of each other. Something to keep in mind...
Meet Dr. Ronda Dalton the owner of Healing Rhythm Chiropractic Center
Dr. Dalton (Rochester Hills, MI) is an example of one of our clients who has been negatively effected by Possum. Unfortunately she is in the second bullet point of "key things to know" since she shares an address with another chiropractor. Crossing fingers "Eagle" (or another animal) update to the Google Possum algorithm will remedy this much sooner than later!
If you share an office with another chiropractor / separate chiro business, contact us for a marketing consultation. The best way to end up edging out your neighbor is getting more reviews! We recommend a service like Chiropractic Online Review Builder!
Conclusion
Overall, these Google Hawk updates are a welcomed shift back to more 'fair' rankings. Where Google had thought the change with Possum would create a more level playing field, this really was not the case. We certainly felt the the negative aspects of this sudden change for our clients. We are thrilled to see these changes being made as it's difficult enough to fight your way to the top of the Google Local 3-Pack!
It's very important to try to keep up with the ever changing algorithms and rules of SEO engagement. We know you are very busy doing what you do best...being a Chiropractor. Don't hesitate to reach out to us! We can do all of the SEO thinking for you or split it up with you and/or your staff! Please schedule a convenient 1-on-1 with us to discuss your current site and/or marketing plan. We can cater a custom plan for you and work within your budget.
Thanks for reading!
The ChiroHosting Team!
