Story · Chapter 3
Chapter 3 · Mobile & Social

The pocket computer
changed everything

One device in 2007 redrew the map of how people discover businesses. Then social networks taught search that people, not just pages, carry the signal.

Panda, 2011
~12%
Share of search queries Google said the Panda update affected.
Google, February 2011
Penguin, 2012
~3%
Share of queries Google said Penguin affected.
Google, April 2012
Mobile passes desktop
2015
Google said mobile searches exceeded desktop in 10 countries, including the US and Japan.
Google, May 2015
The mobile tipping point

One device redrew the map.

The iPhone launched in June 2007. Within a few years, searches like "near me" became a normal way to find a business, and a business that looked broken on a phone was effectively closed. Google made it official in April 2015 with a mobile-friendliness ranking update the industry nicknamed Mobilegeddon, and in May 2015 said mobile searches had passed desktop in ten countries.

Print directories declined as search and mobile grew. For a local business, the front door moved from a book on a shelf to a screen in a pocket.

Social platforms became discovery engines

Every platform became its own algorithm.

2003
LinkedIn
Professional network. Today a key channel for B2B trades such as general contractors and facilities decision-makers.
2004
Facebook
Local groups, pages and reviews became a second directory.
2005
YouTube
Video search: the second place people go to learn how to hire someone.
2006
Twitter / X
Real-time conversation and customer service in public.
2010
Instagram
Visual proof of work, especially for trades and food.
Google updates that reshaped search
  1. 2011
    Panda
    Targets thin content and content farms.
  2. 2012
    Penguin
    Targets manipulative link building and exact-match anchor spam.
  3. 2013
    Hummingbird
    Google starts reading intent, not just words.
  4. 2014
    Local goes core
    Google My Business (June) and Pigeon (July) tie local results to core ranking.
  5. 2015
    Mobile tips
    Mobile-friendly update (April), mobile passes desktop (May), RankBrain (October).
The local search gold rush

Google My Business gave every local business a free, controllable listing on Search and Maps. It was renamed Google Business Profile in 2021. For service businesses, this listing, along with reviews and consistent details across directories, became the new Yellow Pages. We cover how we work with it on our Google Business Profile page.

Sources & notes
  1. Panda (February 2011, ~12% of queries) and Penguin (April 2012, ~3% of queries) impact figures: Google announcements at the time.
  2. Mobile searches exceeding desktop in 10 countries including the US and Japan: Google, May 2015. Mobile-friendly ranking update: April 21, 2015.
  3. Google My Business (June 2014), Pigeon (July 2014), RankBrain (announced October 2015), and the 2021 rename to Google Business Profile: Google and industry coverage.
  4. Platform founding years: LinkedIn 2003, Facebook 2004, YouTube 2005, Twitter 2006, Instagram 2010.