|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There has been a lot of discussion about the recent addition of maps within the search results for location specific searches, known as Google Local. But are the listings being displayed fairly or are they being manipulated by businesses and websites?
Do a quick search for "fish and chips christies beach" if you have yet to see this feature in action.
It's a good way for the search giant to promote their mapping services while visually displaying targeted search results within your area (in theory). But look closer at the results and you will notice something very strange.
Can you spot it?
The first listing on the map is for a Fish & Chips shop located 39.7 km's away! In fact, the exact same "local" result is displayed for Adelaide, Richmond, Henley Beach and Unley. (just to name a few). Meanwhile the Salisbury and Brighton listing displays Fish & Chips stores located within the United Kingdom (even when you turn the pages from Australia feature on).
It's hard not to look at these results and wonder "what on earth was Google thinking?". It's fair enough to argue that the service is relatively new, but where is the quality control. These results are diluting Googles effectiveness as a search engine that delivers relevant search results.
Have you spotted something odd on Google Local?
We want to find some more strange Google Local listings. If you have found something be sure to post a comment. Tell us the search term you used and a brief description.
|
|
| |
|
|
| 
| Peter commented on January 15, 2008
|
Have a look for for a the Point-of-sale search "POS Adelaide". Google Local displays a chemist in the number 1 spot. That really doesn't make sense.
|
|
| John Dandle commented on January 15, 2008
|
A search for "skips adelaide" displays 3 search results (2 for this blog), followed by the map. The map acts as an artificial page fold and brings more attention to the listings above it (pushing the other listings even further down the page). OZ Mini Bins and Easy Skips must be getting plenty of targeted traffic.
|
|
| Adam Lyttle commented on January 15, 2008
|
Thanks for the suggestions guys. The POS Adelaide search is very peculiar indeed. John, it's interesting you should mention that as Easy Skips is a client of ours.
|
|
| Luke Jamieson commented on January 15, 2008
|
Nice article Adam! Did you first come across this local search problem when adding your own listing to the local search? When I added our business (smack bang in the middle of the city) we kept showing up way down the list, with local search stating that we were 12kms from the CBD! That was even after I had manually placed our location in the correct spot! I think there are a few bugs to iron out in the local search system but its always fun doing a search and seeing what strange results are displayed!
|
|
| Adam Lyttle commented on January 15, 2008
|
Great to see you here Luke. I knew of Google Locals existence a while ago, but didn't really notice any oddities until I added Adamant Solutions and started to play around with it. The more I looked into it, the stranger it got. Like you said its still early days and still have a few bugs to iron out.
|
|
| Meg commented on May 12, 2008
|
I'm thinking this is a classic case of spamming... a search for locksmith Sydney returns 5/10 results for drlock - not really very helpful...
|
|
| jason commented on June 21, 2008
|
HI Meg, you should try googling LOCKSMITH PARRAMATTA.
DRLOCK comes up all 10 times. he must have thousands of addresses added to google as he comes up multiple times in every suburb. the sooner this smammer gets banned from google the better. Hopefully soon.....
|
| |
|
|
|
Latest Articles
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
