April 23, 2009
Google Keyword Tool Showing Local Results alongside Global Volumes
Unannounced in the last 48 hours, I have discovered that Google has made some changes to their free keyword tool.
They have added Local Search Volume for keyword searches. Google is making big changes this year in local search, since some claim 70% of all Internet searches in the USA are now for local businesses.
google keyword tool showing local results
As discussed last week, when searching for a terms such as [courier service], Google is incorporating Local results into its mainstream results. Now, as a extension to my predicted huge changes in Local Search at Google in 2009, Google is providing Local Search Volume results along side their Global Search Volume.
My philosophies are like Google, fire then aim. They are notrorious for having product infinitily in beta (Gmail anyone?!!). Their Local Search is still easily manipulatple, like SEO was in 2001. The local results located in mainstream results are still very quirky. They will get better quick though, Local Search is huge.
As far as their search volume showing in the keyword tool, this is also very quirky. Oddly, they have replaced the column formerly as ‘last month results’ with ‘local search volume results’. The Global Search volume column is formerly the average monthly volume for the last twelve months. Now, from my testing, both columns are showing the same numbers as the two columns last week. This would lead one to believe that perhaps they have only changed the headers on the columns! I doubt this is the case. Those numbers are quirky to begin with.
I have not wrapped my head around the numbers yet and there is little explaining exactly what they mean. There are still a large number of questions pertaining to what is Local versus what is a Global search. Try searching ‘dentist’ and you get local results. Maybe I am researching the definition of dentist, how dentist education, dentistry methodologies, blah blah. Google provides a variety of these results, including local dentists. The keyword tool has the same challenges, we have no idea of relevancy and how Google determines the relevance for a local search.
The big learning point here is that Google is evidently making huge changes to their search engines to accomodate local searches. I really believe now that I was ahead of the curve studying local search back in 2005.
Filed under General Small Business, Keyword Research, Local Search Engine Marketing, SEO by scott
Comments on Google Keyword Tool Showing Local Results alongside Global Volumes »
Hey… thanks for the heads up on this. I hadn’t noticed it yet! Google’s evolution on the local search front should be pretty interesting to watch. They have a habit of coming at things a bit out of left field and then POW! revealing something brilliant when all parts are in place!
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Wow, this is big stuff for those of us doing local internet marketing. There are concerns about what the data really means. Has Goog told us how to interpret these numbers? Also there’s the problem of them being “manipulatple,” hmmm. that’s not good.
Thanks for the great info.
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