Tool to check Local SERP results from different locations

[marvellouz]

If I want to check what the local search results are for an area I am not in, how do I do that. Is there a tool for that? I know theres plenty of tool to check organic results from any location but is there one for local. IE I enter a town, city, postcode, search term and it would display the local pack from that location.

Thanks.

 

[Scott Rawlins]

This is the best one I've found. Use it all the time.

View Google Search Results from any location in any country

 

[Tim Colling]

+1 for the BrightLocal tool that Scott recommended. I use it nearly every day.

https://www.brightlocal.com/local-search-results-checker/

 

[James Watt]

I use brightlocal as well. I've used chrome's location emulation as well, but since they changed chrome's setup I haven't tested it. It probably still works? Here's a tutorial if you're interested in getting a workflow that's closer to what it used to be back before December 2015. If you'd like a more complete list of options, in this article has 17 ways you can search from a custom location, though since it's from last March they may or may not all still work.

As a word of warning, especially since Possum hit, I've seen pretty large swings in the 3-pack from pretty small geographic differences. If you're looking to see what the client's seeing, your best bet is to set the location as close as possible to the client's location, not just to the city. Brightlocal will let you use more than just the city name to cue up a location, so some methods of faking your location may not give you the granularity you need.

 

[mborgelt]

We've been using I Search From with no complaints.

 

[Chaddow]

<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1">I use </xmlns:texthelpns>I search from<xmlns:texthelpns rwthpgen="1"> due to it working with language other than English which is good for clients in the middle east</xmlns:texthelpns>

 

[Tim Colling]

To be honest I had forgotten about I Search From: custom location, language, device & personalization Google Search tool to preview ads & results but that's a very helpful solution too!

 

[Durandl]

I find I search from is not very reliable if you really want to get some hyper localised results. Last time I checked the google chrome location emulator it was no longer working. Brightlocal is your best bet.

 

[Tony Wang]

isearchfrom and brightlocal are both fairly convenient and helpful. The main problem with brightlocal is that you can't click thru to the local pack.

Durandl, what do you mean by hyperlocal? If you're talking about zip code, yes bright local does that and isearchfrom doesn't. But Chrome's emulation mode is the only truly hyperlocal tool I see that still works. Sometimes it's fussy, for example after you input the geo-coordinates you may have to repeat the search a few times before it uses that location, but it's working for me.

As James mentioned, these are all approximations, as search results for a particular user are highly customized these days, but it enough to work with.

 

[Phil Rozek]

I suggest using the "ad preview & diagnosis tool" in AdWords. (You don't need to use AdWords. You just need a Google account.)

 

[stankolev]

Some technical details for all variants :

• BrightLocal, isearchfrom and adwords use parameter in the url (uule) to rewrite the location.
• isearchfrom imitate the adwords preview tool.
• The BrightLocal option for maps is actually the local finder ( again with paramter in the url (tbm=lcl ))
• You can`t search in maps with this tools.
• The chrome emulator is overriding the HTML5 Geolocation API

You can try this extension for chrome to override the API: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/manual-geolocation/jpiefjlgcjmciajdcinaejedejjfjgki

After install and configure, in the bottom of the SERP -> Use precise location -> wait 3-5 seconds -> refresh

 

[Margaret Ornsby]

@stankolev

You can try this extension for chrome to override the API: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/manual-geolocation/jpiefjlgcjmciajdcinaejedejjfjgki

And use a browser you're not currently logged into?

 

[Tim Colling]

"The main problem with brightlocal is that you can't click thru to the local pack."

If you click on one of the three listings shown in the snack pack, in the white space in that listing, you will be taken to the local pack.