Google Starts Showing LOCAL Results for "Local SEO" Related Searches

[Linda Buquet]

I picked up a post by Cody Baird of Milkmen Dental yesterday about a SERPs change I thought you guys would like to know about.

You know how for years Google has not shown SEO, Internet Marketing or web design type keywords in the LOCAL results? Well I guess that also went for Local SEO type queries. (I would not know since I don't market locally and have never checked.)

But Cody noticed Local SEO keywords are now triggering local results in his backyard which is Salt Lake City. So check out the screen shots and see what he found.

?Local SEO? Queries are Finally ? Local

Maybe the Mayans were right about the end of the world after all. Google is finally displaying ?Local SEO? and ?Local Search Marketing? queries as a local result.

I began focusing on local search marketing, local SEO, and all things local in 2009. It has been interesting watching many search queries change from organic to local results over the past 3 years.

I did not think I would ever see what I did in the search results yesterday on New Years Eve. The following search queries are generating local results:

Check your area. Are local SEO keywords triggering local results for you?

 

[Russ]

This is great news! I wonder Google has changed their position on displaying local places results in the organics for the SEO industry.

I got the same results with some of the marketing based search phrases but no plus listing results for anything with SEO in it for my local market.

 

[MiriamEllis]

My gosh, my gosh! If this isn't a clear sign that Local is going to be totally CRAZY in the new year, I don't know what would be!

I could hardly believe this news, given the fact that Google's apparently policy since January 2010 has been that SEO-type firms are largely virtual businesses. Truly wonder what caused this change and whether it will last. This was the first thing I saw in a popup when I started work today and my eyes just popped open.

BTW: when I search just for 'local seos' or 'local seo' without a geo modifier, Google isn't showing me any local results (though it is showing me ME- haha), but if I add a geo term, up pop the results. No 'in' needed. Not logged in. Yep, this is a big change.

 

[CodyBaird]

Linda,

Thanks for sharing my post. This is big news for SEO's and Local SEO's if it sticks and Google doesn't revert back. This allows some of the small guys to show up in the search results locally.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Cody,

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for posting that news. Glad I happened to see it.

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

Wow...this is a game changer. I don't see local results from my location (Minneapolis), which is surprising, but when I change the location settings to bigger cities (i.e. Chicago), I do get local results.

Travis Van Slooten