Every once in a while (there is no set timeline) Google surprises the e-world with an update to its search engine algorithm. The confusion that comes after each update keeps webmasters up at night as they scramble to find out what they can do to return their page rankings to the spots they occupied before the changes that were implemented by the search engine giant.

Of course, since Google doesn’t digress what the remedies are – they don’t want all pages to shoot up to the top – webmasters must find out how to rank again using trial-and-error methods. This usually takes time and it is only after a few months have passed that definite advice can be given to improve site rankings.

Google’s latest update was in July of 2014 and it was dubbed “Google Pigeon”. The company announced that Pigeon would increase the rankings of local listing in a search and would also affect search results that were shown in Google Maps.

Pigeon was rolled out in English, and it is thought that other language searches will soon be updated too. This, they say, will better-serve search results that take the users’ locations into consideration and prioritize listings that are available in their immediate vicinities. This is obviously a great advantage to small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) who get most of their trade from customers in their local environs.

Over the time that has passed since the Pigeon rollout, hundreds of thousands of webmasters have tweaked and tested their sites to figure out how to use the algorithm update to their advantage.

And so, here are the highlights of what can be gathered from their expertise and experimentations and that can help you push your business website so it becomes more visible:

Get on Yelp

Since the Pigeon update will mainly affect local searches, it would be a mistake to not have a Yelp account. Besides, the two companies (Google and Yelp) have come to an understanding where search results will be delivered to users with Yelp pages featured at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) when the queries specifically include the word “Yelp.”

That means, if you’re on Yelp and are in the right location your business will be featured at the top of each SERP when the right keywords are queried for. That’s a very good thing for your business.

Get on other Location-Specific Directories too

Don’t limit yourself to just Yelp, though. Other directories like TripAdvisor, OpenTable, Kayak, Zagat and Urbanspoon too should include your business website and information. Remember, although Yelp came up with a unique agreement with Google, Pigeon was rolled out to help all location-specific business listings and directories – so, use as many of them as possible.

Fill in all Details about your Business’ Address

The new algorithm, Google says, will rank businesses according to their distance as well as locations. The search engine can’t really distinguish where one neighborhood ends and another one starts – it therefore measures the distance from your location to the advertised business and serves you with the one nearest to you.

This will be in your favor if there is an overcrowding problem in your market and, especially, in your particular neck of the woods. The business that gets the traffic from Google will be the one that has the most complete address and business information in place.

While you are at it, don’t forget to use the both the proper or “conventional” name of your neighborhood as well as its informal or “colloquial” one – two people might have as many names for the same spot on a map – so be safe and cater to both of them.

Make sure you’re in the Right Category

Once Pigeon hit the web, there was a surge of queries for sites that belonged to businesses in the hospitality, food and education sector.

If your business is in one of these sectors, make sure Google knows about it. Use keywords that refer to the three sectors as well as specific details – “seniors’ home care”, “Italian specialties and delicacies” or “after-hour adult education” – this will pique the search engine’s interest.

Just using one (the sectors, for example) will not be of much help and might even kill your traffic as your site gets lost in SERPs.

Keep Regularly Updating your Keywords

Is there a new event in town? Try to incorporate it into your site or content. If there was a high profile sports event weave it into your content and the location of your business.

A good example would be, “We are located on So-and-So Street – right around the corner from ACME stadium where the famous Mr. Doe won his championship belt!” This will add weight to your address as well as let Google know where you are. Keep changing it with every new happening about tow