...same keywords and then sees what seemed to work best as an answer for all those keyword searchers.

The latest offering is most intriguing since according to Matt McGee, Google Is Showing Local Results On Non-Local Queries.

Google is rewriting the local search space. Theyre now showing local search results " a map, business listings, and more " even when searchers use generic terms that dont include a local word. This has potentially huge implications for searchers, local business owners, big businesses with a local presence, and search marketers, too.

Google is changing the game where local search is concerned. Google must be very confident in its ability to identify local intent, and its ability to minimize the ongoing map spam problem.  Why not try it yourself: Do a Google search for pizza, and you should see something tailored to your area.

As is noted, this has major implications for all local marketers. It is presumed that Google infers from your IP address where you are located.  It then will give you a list of the 10 most relevant local suppliers of the service.

The most amusing part to this is that when I did a search for pizza, I got the following result.

Perhaps it was confused in some way that is not at all clear to me.  In the UK, they are suggesting the approach will not work because ISPs may be located far from where the searcher is located.  I can hardly imagine that this location search box approach is a rapid reaction to that criticism.

The local search box might suggest that this would only work in a US City.  However when I entered Langley BC then I got the listing of local pizza suppliers as Matt McGee suggested I should have got immediately on my first simple search for pizza.

If anyone can think of plausible reasons why this two step approach is being used here, then perhaps they could add something in the comments.  Indeed if anyone else has seen that search box, that would be of interest too. It is not mentioned in the official announcement that Google becomes more local.

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