How To Appear in Googles Local Search Results


Google doesn't only exist at http://google.com/ - Google also has local versions, such as http://google.ca/, http://google.com.au/ and http://google.co.uk/. Each of these has a selection below the query entry field that allows the user to select either 'search the web' or 'search pages from '. If the visitor selects 'search pages from ' they will only see results which Google judges as being local to the country in question.

Many webmasters are unaware of what is required to be listed as being "from" their own country. This article discusses what you need to know to have your site appear in a Google Local search results page. When Google tries to determine whether your site is appropriate for each of these country-specific search results, it will firstly examine the TLD of your domain name. For example if you have a site called mysite.co.in, then you will appear when a searcher queries at google.co.in for Indian results.

If you don't pass this test, Google will give you a second chance and look at the physical location of where your site is hosted. For example, a site hosted in Canada will appear to be a Canadian site to Google and will appear in the results set for a query on google.ca for Canadian pages. (Its actually a little more complicated than that; it depends on the location of the company that owns the IP address used for hosting your site. But 90% of the time the location matches the ownership, so the above description is an adequate approximation.)

So, when I am asked the question 'why doesn't my site appear in the google results for my country?' I answer by first asking if the domain name has a local TLD and then if they are hosted in their country. If the answer to both is 'no' then I explain they need to either buy a local domain name or move their hosting and then (after a delay while Google 'notices') they will appear in the desired result set.

Note that the major exception to this is the US - while Google has the .us domain name, it diverts to the general google.com site, so there is no way for US residents to use Google to find local sites.

Getting your website to appear in the local search results as well as the general Google results isn't hard, but you do have to know what you are doing.

Lea de Groot is CEO of Elysian Systems (elysiansystems.com/">http://elysiansystems.com/), a leading Australian Search Engine Optimisation & Web Development company based in Brisbane. A shorter form of this article originally appeared in 'WebTalk: Putting Businesses on the Internet', a newsletter for companies who wish to use their website more effectively (elysiansystems.com/newsletter/">http://elysiansystems.com/newsletter/).


MORE RESOURCES:
web trafic - Google News
Updated : Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:10:26 GMT

Filtrage du Web : Comcast fait appel de la décision de la FCC - Journal du Net
Filtrage du Web : Comcast fait appel de la décision de la FCC Journal du Net, France - Sep 5, 2008 Comcast estime qu'il a le droit de gérer le trafic Web de ses réseaux afin d'empêcher une dégradation de ses services Internet. Filtrage et neutralité, Comcast fait appel des critiques de la FCC PC Inpact all 2 news articles
Publ.Date : Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:19:22 GMT

Pourquoi Google lance son propre navigateur - 01net
Le Point Pourquoi Google lance son propre navigateur 01net, France - Sep 2, 2008 D'un côté, le moteur de recherche tient compte du trafic des sites Internet pour affiner ses résultats. De l'autre, ses outils publicitaires ciblent les ... Google Chrome décrit par un de ses développeurs Echosdunet Parts de marché des navigateurs sur Onlike : Chrome est 4e Onlike Google : une stratégie nickel Chrome... Abondance l'Informaticien all 501 news articles
Publ.Date : Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:44:39 GMT

Road closures - Isle of Man Today
Road closures Isle of Man Today, UK - Aug 29, 2008 Also the diverstions in douglas funnel all trafic down the same roads this should be looked at. THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2008 18:57: Hi Andy, then maybe you can ...
Publ.Date : Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:08:44 GMT

User Adgents veut recruter du trafic qualifié pour les sites Web ... - Journal du Net
Journal du Net User Adgents veut recruter du trafic qualifié pour les sites Web ... Journal du Net, France - Sep 1, 2008 Positionnée comme une agence média mobile, et non de marketing mobile, User Adgents se concentre en effet sur la création de trafic et l'acquisition de ...
Publ.Date : Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:24:15 GMT

33 Website Success Metrics Instead of Rankings, Google PageRank ... - SEOptimise
33 Website Success Metrics Instead of Rankings, Google PageRank ... SEOptimise, UK - Aug 22, 2008 You are certainly much better off checking these 33 web metrics instead of Google rankings, PageRank and sheer website traffic . Share and Enjoy: These icons ...
Publ.Date : Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:37:19 GMT

L'iPhone 3G d'Apple 'booste' le trafic Web - Silicon.fr
L'iPhone 3G d'Apple 'booste' le trafic Web Silicon.fr, France - Aug 14, 2008 L’institut d’études et de sondage a scruté 62 sites pour connaître l'impact de l'iPhone 3G sur les consultations du Web . Le rapport établit qu'entre le 17 ...
Publ.Date : Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:13:17 GMT

Le haut débit se serre la ceinture - Tribune de Genève
Tribune de Genève Le haut débit se serre la ceinture Tribune de Genève, Switzerland - Sep 1, 2008 INTERNET | 00h08 Plusieurs opérateurs américains limitent désormais le trafic mensuel de leurs clients. Une mesure qui n'est pas d'actualité chez Bluewin. ...
Publ.Date : Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:12:44 GMT
UBB Webdesign.com © 2008