"Local Google" Underwhelming
I see that Google has rolled out the beta version of its "localized" search service. "Local Search" allows you to narrow your search by geography; you can enter a zip code, city and/or state or even an address, then enter a search term. The results will presumably be only those which are relevant to that specified locale.
I'm not impressed. Entering "Midland, Texas" into the location box, and "website design" or "website designers" into the search term box yields results that exclude my website, as well as most other designers I know in this area. Not good. (Entering these same terms into the regular Google search puts my site into the #3 spot.)
Same results for "Midland, Texas blog." (Listen up, Jessica's Well, Streams and Sleepless in Midland!). The results in the Local Search are useless -- there's nothing recognizable as a Midland-based blog -- whereas on Universal Google, we're all on the first page. What's up with that?
According to Local Google's help page, the localized results come from a combination of its regular search database and yellow/white pages from "various sources." I humbly suggest that they need to tweak their weighting back in favor of their much more reliable and intelligent database.
This service has a lot of potential, if done right. In this case, take the qualifier "beta" very seriously.
Update (2004-03-18): Today's edition of the Wall Street Journal provides a head-to-head comparison of Local Google and several competitors offering similar localized services. Google's beta service excelled in none of the test searches.
Then again, the regular Google brings me up in a bunch of places I've never been.
Almost makes you want to consider getting a new nom-de-blog, doesn't it?
Posted by: Eric at March 18, 2004 08:51 AMI'm counting myself lucky I show up in as few places as I do now.
One of my old discussion forum handles seemed to drag up every skag site on the net. I ended up dropping it, mainly because some of the sites were beyond bad. It started making me nervous that it might attract, ah, official attention with all sorts of unpleasant and expensive misunderstandings.
Posted by: Mr. Freen at March 18, 2004 05:38 PMAbout the publisher
Random Abbye photos...
Reason #21 to wear shoes in West Texas
From my rooftop, I can see my own mortality
The USPS: We're now 27% more efficient at mangling your mail!
My Favorite Yard Work
Review: The Amazon Kindle
Personal Library Exploration Continues
Tech Support That's Out of This World
Flower and Butterfly
The Season's First Roundup
Recording History
Want a Healthier Mind? Fuggedaboutit!
Redefining a Bust
Thank you...
Farewell to Abbye
The Neighborhood:
West Texas Blogs:
[Midland unless otherwise indicated]
Other Texas Blogs:
The Business:
The Church:
The World:
Sheesh... That "beta" really DOES stink. Running the regular Google on "Mr. Freen" brings your blog up on the very first entry. On the Local Google, I don't show up at all. :(
Then again, the regular Google brings me up in a bunch of places I've never been. For example, there's a bunch of adult sites describing antics I sure didn't do. I'm almost afraid to see if they have pictures of me over there as well.
Posted by: Mr. Freen at March 17, 2004 10:42 PM