A good percentage of all searches upon the major search engines involve people looking for something in a specific geographic location.
Understanding how search engines look for and extract geographic information on web sites, and handle that information about locations, and present it to searchers is one of the most important and possibly fastest growing areas in search. Especially with the growth of web access on phones and PDAs.
Mike Blumenthal has started a new blog, Understanding Google Local & Yahoo Local, to focus on issues around how search engines handle local search. I’m looking forward to his posts.
His latest asks Does Google Maps have a sandbox?
Congratulations, Mike, and welcome to the blogosphere.
Some other blogs that keep a careful eye on developments in local search:
Matt McGee’s Small Business SEM
Peter Krasilovsky’s The Local Onliner
Greg Sterling’s Screenwerk
I suspect that there are more out there. Any others that should be included in this list?
Hi Bill, thanks for these links!
Some clients recently asked me how they can get better rankings in Google Local results. I told them: “I don’t really now…” but will try to do some research, these blogs will help!
You’re welcome, Nadir.
I’ve also covered a number of patent applications recently on local search. It might make sense to try to put them all together on the same page at some point. Here are links to possibly two of the most helpful:
Google’s Local Search Patent Application
Authority Documents for Google’s Local Search
If I can offer any ideas or suggestions on issues that you may come across, let me know.
Thanks Bill!
Thanks for the update Bill. I just read it and registered to be able to add comments.
I’m thinking about the difference between Local/Maps…and searching for a local business in regular search w/any engine.
I’ve stated before my business picks up far more traffic from regular search w/combinations of local/regional geo terms and the business service.
One reason is that the business is regional as opposed to a more narrow local focus and the second reason is probably that LOCAL advanced search is still not used much.
The general topic of local is gaining more activity and both strategies need to be utilized to be visual and attract traffic.
Dave
Thanks for those, Sebastien.
I’ll look forward to your posts on local.