Google Shows Local Results for Generic Search Terms

Google has recently begun serving up local results for generic terms. I first noticed the change on Sunday the 5th of April, but plenty have witnessed the change earlier on different datacentres. So, what does it all mean? Well generic terms are one or two word search queries such as ‘plumber’ or ‘bingo halls’, which are semantic noun searches. Now when I type into Google, ‘plumber’ or ‘bingo halls’, I am given a local business map result along with my organic and paid search placements.

Great! Now, I’m being served up the option of some local companies for my generic term, except not quite. You see I’m about 25 – 30 miles away from Glasgow, hardly local, and if I ran the same query at home, it gets worse, Google serves me up ‘bingo halls’ from the London area.

Ok, its obvious here, that Google is taking my ISP location as its starting point to serving me with local businesses that I might find interesting. It does offer me the chance to alter my location by typing in my address or postcode if I click on the ‘Change Location’ link – as highlighted in the above image. By selecting the ‘remember this’ checkbox, now when I run a generic search such as ‘plumbers’ I’m greeted by local businesses from in-and-around the Kilwinning area.

This change in serving up local results with generic keyterms is going to change how a lot of SEO’s work in the future. If you want to learn more about Local SEO and its benifits to your online business then a good place to start is whith my recent interview with Dev Basu regarding Local SEO.