Algorithm Rolled Out: October 27, 2017
Algorithm Summary: Overall Gist
Local search becomes more relevant when utilizing Google’s search engine thanks to its “User Localization Update.” Users will now be displayed search results depending on their current geographical location, regardless of the Top-Level Domain (Google.com, Google.co.uk, etc.). We enlisted the help of a few specialists to determine what this means for search and searchers.
Google has repeatedly said its goal is to present users with the most relevant search results for a given query. As “local search” becomes more important, this current improvement appears to be a reasonable step. But what practical influence will it have?
Google is “making search results more relevant and local.”
Google revealed in a blog post at the end of October that it will make search results more local and relevant by letting the user’s geographical location determine the local incarnation of the SERPs. To see results from a different country index, you must now explicitly enter the Top-Level Domain (TLD)—the country-specific parameter after the domain name (such as.com or.co.uk).
Local search is getting more essential. Google’s “User Localization Update” of October 27, 2017, increased the relevance of local search. Users will now be displayed search results based on their physical locations by default. As a result, according to their comments, Google wants to give the most relevant search results, particularly for specific search queries.
The physical location of the user now influences the SERPs’ local targeting. Google announced this in a blog post published at the end of October 2017. According to this, future search results should become more local and relevant. It also means that retrieving the results of other indexes from another location will no longer be as simple as inserting country-specific parameters after the domain name. Proxy servers, for example, continue to be an exception.
These changes impact desktop search, Google Maps, the Google app for iOS, and the mobile web. However, Google claims that you should still be able to change your preferences in the settings.
Localized Search in the Future
It would be excellent if you now had a better grasp of Google’s direction in delivering SERPs. While there is a lot to think about and research, keep in mind that this field will continue to evolve. An SEO’s work is never “complete,” and to keep ahead of the competition, SEO methods must be tested and refined regularly. Localization of search is simply a continuation of Google’s primary emphasis—giving the most relevant results in the world to users (and, someday, the universe). When considering what criteria Google may be looking for, consider the tactics discussed in this post and in the future. When you put yourself in the user’s shoes, the answers (and your rankings) may become more manageable.