Matt Southern wrote a piece on Search Engine Journal that Google will be expanding its local search to the UK,Canada and Australia. Back in August Search Engine Land called the local search update the Pigeon,
Understanding the Pigeon Update
At this time, Pigeon seems to only impact local search queries made in English within the United States. At first sight, Pigeon seems to give preference to local businesses over local brands. This is actually good news for small business owners who have a local, brick-and-mortar presence. For example, someone looking for pizza restaurants in Boise will now see a Google SERP that truly lists local restaurants, and the quality of the search experience is enhanced when the searcher clicks on Google Maps.
From the article:
Earlier this summer Google introduced an algorithm specifically designed to improve local search results. At first it was only rolled out in the US, but now there’s evidence to suggest it has been rolled out to other parts of the world.
One of the key differences is the maps radius has tightened for local searches. Other differences can be seen in the way search results are ordered, with some SEOs reporting that their clients have been moved higher in the rankings while others have been moved a several positions lower.
Another signature change to come along with Google’s local search algorithm is a reduction in local packs, going from 7 listings down to 3. Searchers in the UK are reporting to see such a reduction, but as a Canadian I can report that I have yet to see this change. This would suggest the rollout is further along in the UK than it is in Canada.
Read the full story on Search Engine Journal