Google adds local search

(March 18 2004) Google has launched a new feature called Google Local giving searchers access to neighborhood business listings, maps, directions, and related web pages.

"Google's goal is to connect searchers with the information they need whether it's half-way around the world or in their neighborhood," says Sergey Brin, co-founder and President, Technology of Google Inc.

"Google Local combines a wide array of sources including Google's more than 4 billion web page index, to produce the deepest local search."

Google Local search -- which in currently in the beta testing stage -- is integrated in the regular search result listings. If Google finds what it believes to be relevant local information it will present these hits at the top of the result list, marked with a small compass icon. If they click on the compass, they are forwarded to a special local search result page (click here for an example, a search for books in Beverly Hills).

How does Google know that you are looking for local listings?

You have to tell the search engine by adding the name of a town or a city or a US zip code. Needless to say, this is a US focused service. You may also use a special Google Local search page.

Clicking on a business name delivers a new page featuring an easy-to-read map, directions, and more related web pages. "If needed, users can limit or expand their results to include listings within a 1-mile, 5-mile, 15-mile, or 45- mile radius of a specific location," Google says.

Google gets the data from their regular search engine index, but will also add data from Yellow Pages databases.

Google Local Search

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Yahoo's new SmartView local search

(March 10 2004) Yahoo! has added a new feature to its Yahoo! Maps site. Yahoo! Maps lets you search for maps over specific geographical areas and is especially useful for finding your way around in cities.

SmartView adds clickable icons to the maps: gateways to additional information on the relevant locations, including addresses and phone numbers, pricing, user ratings (for hotels), website addresses and links to driving directions.

A "Web Search" link allows users to search for additional information regarding a particular shop, office, cinema etc.

Yahoo! reports that users may also retrieve a map when searching for a particular address using the regular Yahoo! Search form.

Given that map searches are limited to the US and Canada, we have not been able to test the service in Norway. Many webmasters are impressed, although some reports that the accuracy of the data seems to vary a lot.

The new service fits in nicely with Yahoo!/Overture's plan to launch a local search pay per click advertising program later this spring. This new program will let advertisers define a geographic area in which their listings will appear in search results.

Yahoo!/Overture will determine the location of the searchers by asking them for the relevant data through a registration process. And indeed, in order to get the best out of Yahoo! Maps you do have to register.

Yahoo Press Release
Overture to Introduce Local Search Ad Program (DMNEWS)

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