Open Hours as a Local Pack Ranking Factor
- Last updated: March 18, 2024
How Does "Currently Open" Ranking Factor Affect Local Pack Rankings?
Recent discussions and observations within the Local Search Forum have shed light on the significant impact of business operating hours, particularly the “Currently Open” status, on local pack rankings. It appears that this shift in ranking factors became prominent in Google’s algorithm around November 2023, coinciding with a core algorithm update. Business owners and SEO experts have reported notable fluctuations in local pack rankings, with distinct changes depending on the time of day.
For example, businesses that remained closed overnight experienced a considerable decline in their local pack positions, only to witness a recovery as they opened for the day.
This observed pattern strongly indicates that Google is giving priority to results that are not just relevant but are also immediately accessible to users. The “Currently Open” ranking factor seems to play a crucial role in providing users with up-to-date and convenient options, influencing local pack rankings in a dynamic way.
Insights and Visual Evidence
It’s a good idea first to test for open hours as a ranking factor to see how heavily it’s actually impacting your businesses positions on local search!
Visual evidence provided by SEO experts showcased these fluctuations vividly. Through detailed tracking, it was observed that a restaurant’s local pack ranking fluctuated based on its operational hours, highlighting a clear preference by Google for businesses that were “Currently Open” at the time of the search.
This shift implies a strategic advantage for businesses open 24 hours, as they could potentially maintain their visibility in the local pack outside standard business hours, capitalizing on times when competitors are marked as closed.
Update Your Strategy: Available 24/7?
With Google now spotlighting businesses that are “open now,” it’s time for a fresh look at how you list your operating hours online. Consider these strategies:
- Extending online hours: Think about listing longer hours if you can provide service beyond traditional times.
- Promoting round-the-clock services: Highlight services like overnight answering services or online chat support.
- Being honest: Only list extended hours if you can truly offer services during those times. False promises can disappoint customers.
- Understanding customer needs: Consider if your customers really need 24/7 service. Adjusting hours for the sake of it may not always be necessary.
- Highlighting special services: If you offer special services after typical hours, make sure they’re clearly mentioned. For example, emergency repairs or support lines.
Adapting your online presence to showcase your availability can make your business more visible and appealing to potential customers, but it’s important to balance ambition with authenticity!
Check out our video about Google Business Profile Main Ranking Factors to get more insights on this topic and feel free to reach out to us for more tips for your GBP.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, the “Currently Open” ranking factor is reshaping the local search game, emphasizing the importance of real-time accessibility. As businesses adapt to this dynamic shift, ensuring accurate operating hours becomes crucial for securing a prime spot in local pack rankings.
Stay open, stay relevant – because in the world of local searches, timing truly is everything!
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FAQs About Ranking Factors
The 3 primary factors influencing Google’s local pack positioning include relevance, distance, and prominence. Relevance ensures match accuracy between a search query and local listings; distance considers the searcher’s location relative to business listings; and prominence assesses a business’s renown in the community or industry.
An important ranking factor for local search is the consistency and accuracy of business Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP) information. Alongside this, garnering positive online reviews significantly contributes to local search performance, influencing both trust and visibility.
Google determines local ranking by analyzing relevance, distance, and prominence. These factors are balanced to connect user searches with the most appropriate local listings, tailoring results to provide the most accurate reflections of physical proximity and the relevance of content.
Ranking in the Google Local Pack necessitates a multifaceted approach: firstly, ensuring your Google My Business profile is thorough and updated; secondly, accumulating and responding to customer reviews; thirdly, incorporating relevant local keywords; and, finally, standardizing NAP data across all online platforms.
Google ranking is affected by numerous factors, over 200 in total, including technical website attributes like site speed and security, mobile responsiveness, the quality and relevance of content, the presence of authoritative backlinks, and user engagement signals.
To rank your local listing on Google effectively, focus on comprehensive optimization. This involves maintaining an up-to-date Google My Business profile, encouraging and managing customer reviews, targeting relevant keywords in your online content, ensuring uniformity in your business’s online presence, and securing local backlinks to boost prominence and authority.