Local search updates (Pigeon, Possum, Vicinity)
Informally named updates that shaped local ranking: Pigeon (2014) tied local results to web signals, Possum (2016) changed…
GoogleAlgorithmUnconfirmed
Possum
Unconfirmed local ranking change that altered filtering by physical address and expanded results for businesses outside city limits.
What changed
In early September 2016 local pack results shifted substantially: businesses located just outside city boundaries began ranking for city queries, and listings sharing an address or phone number were more aggressively filtered. The searcher's precise location also became a stronger factor. Google never confirmed the change or published guidance; the name was coined by the local search community, and only month-level precision is documented.
Not confirmed by the engine. This entry documents a change that was widely observed and reported, but never officially acknowledged. Treat the dates as approximate and the mechanism as inferred.
Timing
Rollout began 1 September 2016. No completion date was announced. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.