Google puts the breaks on local searches for SEO and Web Designers

By kimberly • on January 6, 2010 • Filed under: SEO, Search Engines

Thank God! I really mean it, too.

Local searches for SEO and Web designers has enabled the not so deserving to move up to the first page of Google. It’s a double-edged sword really because SEO is based on knowledge of the search engines. And if you are an SEO expert or designer who understood local search, then you could do quite well to rank high in the search engines in a short amount of time.

Some SEO’s are ticked off. Now they have moved from number one positions to some page where their natural seo ranking is placed. Companies that boasted high search rankings must now pitch the brochures or go back to tried and true SEO ranking strategies.

For true SEO experts, this is a blessing in disguise as it enables the most talented to rank as they should on the first page.

A thread at Google Maps Help is where Joel H., a Googler, tells the story:

Today, we’re intentionally showing less local results for web design / SEO queries. For example, [web design sacramento] doesn’t display local listings today. We believe this is an accurate representation of user intent. In some cases, we do show local listings, however (as NSNA/php-er noted) [web design in bellingham]. I’m sure some of you feel we should be displaying local results for queries like [Web Design Vancouver]. I understand that concern, but based on our understanding of our users, we feel this is the right decision for now.

I’ll give the usual disclaimer that we’re constantly working on improving the user experience and results will vary over time. So, this could change in the future, but I wanted to be explicit about what we’re doing today.

So if you use the word “in” in your query, you are more likely to get the local results. Some still have a hard time finding the logic in this move.

Some SEO’s are disturbed by the move as they feel Google should not discriminate these categories and should show local results as they do with other creative-class niches.

By typing in “SEO Overland Park,” you will see that kimberlykimbrough.com shows up as #1.