Google Pigeon is the name given to a local search algorithm update that Google launched on 24 July 2014. It tied local results more closely to Google’s standard web ranking signals and improved how distance and location are calculated. It is often confused with PigeonRank, which was an April Fools’ joke Google published in 2002.
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What the Pigeon update was
Pigeon rolled out for US English results on 24 July 2014 and reached the UK, Canada and Australia in December 2014. Google did not give it a name; “Pigeon” was chosen by the search news site Search Engine Land, because pigeons fly home and the update was about local search.
What Pigeon changed
- Local ranking moved closer to organic ranking. Signals that help a website rank in standard results, such as links, content quality and site authority, started to carry more weight in local results.
- Better distance and location handling. Google became more precise about where the searcher is, so results narrowed to a smaller area around them.
- Directories gained visibility. Well-known directory and review sites ranked more prominently for many local searches.
- Search and Maps became more consistent. The same search began returning more similar results in Google Search and Google Maps.
Pigeon vs PigeonRank
The two are unrelated. PigeonRank was an April Fools’ Day joke that Google published on 1 April 2002. It claimed that Google’s results were ranked by clusters of trained pigeons pecking at relevant pages, a play on PageRank, the real link-analysis system. PigeonRank was never an algorithm and has no effect on SEO.
| Pigeon | PigeonRank | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A real local search update | An April Fools’ joke |
| Date | 24 July 2014 | 1 April 2002 |
| Named by | Search Engine Land | |
| Effect on rankings | Changed local results | None |
What Pigeon means for local SEO today
Local search has had several updates since, but the lesson of Pigeon still holds: a business cannot rank in local results on its listing alone. The website behind the listing has to be strong as well.
- Keep your Google Business Profile complete, accurate and active.
- Build a location or service page for each area you genuinely serve, with real local detail.
- Earn links from local organisations, press and suppliers.
- Keep your name, address and phone number consistent across directories.
- Ask for reviews steadily and reply to them.
- Claim your profiles on the directories that rank for your main searches.
Our definition of local search marketing covers how these parts fit together.
Later local updates
Pigeon was followed by other unofficially named local updates, including Possum in 2016, which filtered similar listings at the same address, and the 2021 “Vicinity” update, which gave more weight to proximity. Each one refined the same three factors Google uses for local ranking: relevance, distance and prominence.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Google Pigeon update?
Pigeon is a local search algorithm update Google launched on 24 July 2014. It linked local rankings more closely to standard web ranking signals and improved distance and location calculations.
What is PigeonRank?
PigeonRank was an April Fools’ joke published by Google in 2002, claiming that pigeons ranked search results. It is not a real algorithm and is unrelated to the 2014 Pigeon update.
Who named the Pigeon update?
Search Engine Land named it. Google did not give the update an official name.
Does the Pigeon update still matter?
Its core change still applies: local rankings depend on the strength of your website as well as your Google Business Profile.
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