How to check the Google Search Results for different locations?

We know that the same search query in Google search can result in different search results based on the location the user resides in. A user searching for pizza delivery in India can have a different search result as compared to someone who is searching for the same in the United States. Now, this doesn’t just apply to country-level data; this also applies to city and street-level data as they may be different vendors serving the same product in different streets across the country. The same is the case with any other product where the search result is displayed; it varies based on a person’s location. So in this article will be discussing how you can search the different search results in Google based on different locations – 

1. Based on country level search result 
2. based on City level search result 
3. based on street-level search result

Why is this important?

For someone looking into the SEO ranking of a particular query or looking into the page results for a Google Ad, they must identify what kind of Ads or keywords are working for particular locations and which keywords aren’t. And in order to differentiate that, the user must be able to segregate the queries based on the location from where the user is searching in.

How to get Search Results for different locations – Country-level

A country-level filter would allow you to filter the Google search results particular to a country. This means that using this filter, you will be able to differentiate the top products and their top results based on different countries. Now filtering country-level data is the simplest of the lot as there are plenty of ways to do it.

1. Updating the Google search settings
2. Google Ads Preview tool
3. Using a VPN
4. Using an SEO tool

Filter Country-level Google search result – Updating the Google search settings

Steps to apply a country-level filter in Google search result

•  Go to google.com
• Search for your keyword in the Google search. For example, let’s say we are searching for ‘gre preparation’.
• Now, based on your current location will be displayed with some search results, paid and organic. By default, Google will automatically be taking your current location into consideration. Let’s say your current location is ‘India’.
• Now you want to change your location to the United States, and you want to check for the kind of results that are being displayed for this location. 
• In order to do that, click on Settings -> Search Settings.

• Scroll down in the search settings where you will find the section Region Settings.

• Clear select the region/country for which you want the search result to be displayed.
• Click Save

That set, you have successfully applied the Country-level filter by updating the Google search settings. 

Filter Country-level Google search result – Using Google Ads Preview tool

This is much more sophisticated and more reliable to get your results segregated. Google ads preview tool has been specifically created to help you visualize the search results based on a specific location. 

In order to use the Google ads preview to follow the below-mentioned steps – 

• Login to your Google AdWords account
• Navigate to Tools & Settings -> Planning -> Ad preview and diagnosis

• In the ad preview and diagnosis page, edit the location as per the country for which you want to search result to be displayed. Then enter the search query and click on search.  

• Once you do that, the search results should be displayed for a particular country that you have provided in the above condition.

Filter Country-level Google search result – Using VPN

VPN is a virtual private network that allows you to mask your current country location and update your search results based on the country location that is set in the VPN. Now there are plenty of free VPN services or even paid ones available in the market which can be used to achieve this. all you got to do is go to Google and search for VPN. Install the one that meets your requirement, and you can start using that. Using a VPN is pretty simple as you can directly find the option to update the country once you start using the application.

Filter Country-level Google search result – using an SEO tool

Similar to a VPN, you have plenty of SEO tools that allow you to set a specific country. The advantage of an SEO tool is that you can search for queries in bulk instead of going to Google search every time and searching for individual keywords. Some of these tools include Semrush, Mox, Ahrefs, Rank Tracker, and others. You can use any of these tools and set your location accordingly.

How to get Search Results for different locations – City-level

City-level search filters come in really handy when a particular brand is being sold across an entire City; for example, food delivery related stores, cleaning services, online stores, and others. City-level filters allow such companies to evaluate the performance of Different cities to calculate the ROI amongst others. 

City-level search filters can be applied in different ways – 

1.  Adding the city directly to the search query
2.  Using Google ads preview tool
3.  Using an SEO tool

Filter City-level Google search result – Adding a city directly to the search query

This is the simplest of ways to filter the results on a city basis. All you got to do is when you search for a particular query in Google search, just add the city along with the search query. For example, if you are searching for GRE preparation and looking for the city of Bangalore, your final search query would be ‘GRE preparation Bangalore.’

By doing so, you are directly filtering the results which are specific to Bangalore.

Filter City-level Google search result – Using Google Ads Preview Tool

Similar to how the filter was applied at the country-level (in the previous section), in order to get the result for the city-level, all you got to do is provide the city name instead of a country in the Google ad preview and diagnosis tool. Search results would be modified as per the city that was provided automatically.

Filter City-level Google search result – Using an SEO tool

Same as before, most SEO tools come with customized keyboard tracking on a city level. However, the granularity of data provided by different tools would be different. Some of the tools that provide the best results are Rank Tracker, Ahrefs, AccuRanker, and BrightLocal.

How to get Search Results for different locations – Street-level

Street-level data is most important for small brick and mortar stores. These businesses mostly rely on street-level data and their conversions. This data allows them to invest in streets from where they had been getting the maximum business. 

There are three different tools available through which users can track the street level data – 

1. Using Chrome developer tools
2. Using a dedicated local search tool
3. Using an SEO tool

Filter Street-level Google search result – Using Chrome developer tools

This is a bit of a technical process where you need to have a basic understanding of using the Google development tools. Below mentioned are the steps on how you can use the Chrome developer tool to achieve this – 

• Open Chrome, go to Google and search your query
• Launch Chrome developer tools  (CTRL+SHIFT+I for Windows and Command + Option + I for Mac).  you will get to the screen – 

• Next, click on the 3 dots in the top right, click on More tools -> Sensors.

• In the Sensors panel, go to Locations, click on the drop-down, and select Others. Then provide the exact latitude and longitude for the location of which you want to say check the search result. In order to get the latitude and longitude, you can make use of Google Maps. Zoom in to the exact location in Google maps and right-clicking on which will provide you the latitude and longitude. 
• Once you have the latitude and longitude, provide the values in the sensors Panel. 

• Now re-run your search query in Google.  

Now the search results that are going to be displayed are going to be specific to the latitude and longitude that you have just provided in the sensors panel.

Filter Street-level Google search result – Using a dedicated local search tool

Now it’s the above process that’s a bit too complicated for your liking this is an easier way to do it.  You can make use of a tool called Valentin App. This app does essentially the same that a Chrome developer tools without all the complexity. All you have to do is open this app in your browser, enter your address for which you want the search result to be displayed, and click Search. 

You will be taken to the Google search results page that corresponds to the above location.

Filter Street-level Google search result – Using an SEO tool

Again, similar to the previous section, you can make use of SQL tools to get the same result. Some of the tools are more granular and provide more detailed information as compared to some other tools. a couple of recommended tools are Rank Tracker and Ahrefs. 

Conclusion

In the above article, we understood the importance of tracking search results based on specific locations and how it can impact your conversion. We discussed the various tools that can help you crack the data based on particular countries or aggregate data on a city level or a street level. With all these segregations in place, you should be able to better track your incoming traffic and make much-informed decisions.

Next – Learn how to rank #1 in Google Search Results

Reference – Search Engine Land