Google Local (the Google map displayed in the results for specific searches) has made a few changes resently. Previously the Local result would appear for specific geographic search terms, such as hotels in London now they are appearing for generic terms apparently based on IP targeting.
The thing that is annoying me is everytime one has appeared it hasn’t been relevant to my search (so Google are going backwards on making the search results more relevant) and the ‘location’ is always showing ‘London’ results, which is probably because my ISP has their IP set up in London which will be the case with most users having IP addresses in different locations to where they live. Basically resulting in the Local results be irrelevant to my search as i live 60 miles from London!
It’s also annoying me for a work related reason – I have been working on Weatherseal for Double Glazing . They have been hovering around 5th or 6th for a while now (from 15th a few months ago) but now Google have added the local results to position 4 of the results for Double Glazing they are a lot lower down in the page, drastically affecting click through rates.
Hopefully Google will see the error of their ways and either remove the Local results for generic terms or implement a better system for geo-targeting the results.
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6 users responded in this post
I would have the same issue with ‘conservatories’ as our site http://www.conservatoryoutlet.co.uk/ is currently 4th, but Google doesn’t seem to be adding Google maps with this term. Like your blog btw.
Thanks for the comment Renegade Conservatory Guy. Looks like Google has just answered you and added a map to ‘conservatories’
It also looks like they have answered me as i’m now getting results in Brighton instead of in London so Google working on the geographic of this algorithm.
Interesting. Not added map to ‘conservatories’ where I am – in Yorkshire, but IP address is Heywood, Lancashire.
But on the term ‘conservatory’ where we’re currently 2nd, there are ’shopping results’ splitting the page.
Google’s also putting additional page links on some of the listings which is new. Well done with your work with Weatherseal.
We will be using different Google datacenters because of our locations. Give this tool a look and you should see the different results – http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/multiple-datacenter-google-search/
Google made changes to their sitelinks about a week ago. It use to be the two column format for only the 1st position they have now changed it to ‘inline’ results and rolled it out to lower site than position 1 for terms they see as relevant, in your case ‘conservatories’. You can remove some/all of the links in Google’s webmaster tools if they aren’t relevant for you.
Excellent work getting the site to 4th and 2nd
Thinking about it that datacenter tool probably won’t show you local results as it won’t use your IP address so scrap that idea!
If you want a screenshot I’ll email one over to you.
Aiming for 1st for ‘conservatories’ and other terms and have a strategy in place. Basically, I’m going to bribe Matt Cutts.
Tried that tool but it was not working properly. Also, our site wasn’t even showing on page 1 in all the data centres it was working for, so now I’m depressed.
All the best.
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