Google Posts Algorithm Information for Local Rankings and Immediately Deletes It

Does Google use click data for local rankings? Nobody is 100% sure how Google algorithms and search engine ranking factors work. There have been many speculations, but nobody can confirm or deny anything other than Google.

But a recent post (which was later deleted by Google) indicates that Google might be using click data to determine local rankings.

Here is what happened.

Rahul J., who is listed as an official Google employee, recently posted the search engine ranking factors that Google take into account for local rankings. He mentioned four different factors that determine a local business ranking. These four factors were:

• Relevance
• Prominence
• Distance
• Search History

The last one created some buzz among local SEO professionals. But Google immediately became active and deleted what Rahul wrote. This is what he initially posted.

But it was edited soon after local SEO experts started talking about. Following is a screenshot that displays the edited version. You can easily notice the difference.

There are two possible scenarios here:

• The information was truly incorrect. And since Google doesn’t want to publish any wrong information, it intervened and rectified it.
• The second possible scenario is that Google doesn’t want SEO experts and local businesses to know about this information. This is why they immediately stepped up and deleted what Rahul wrote.

When Search Engine Land contacted Google to learn more about this, they said that the information was inadvertently posted and therefore it was rectified. However, when asked if click data really impacts local rankings, Google didn’t reply.

We suspect that there is more this story than just “rectification”. What do you think? Does Google use click data for local rankings? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.