Posted by
Michael Lerner
Google removed the local search filter from its graphical user interface last week, thus preventing users from manually checking rank for a location other than their own. Previously in Google Search there was a custom search setting that allowed you to filter search results based on a specific locale. That feature setting is now missing from most countries. Barry Schwartz reported that a Google spokesman told him that this feature was intentionally removed last week because it was getting very little usage.
Rank Ranger’s data collection remains stable and accurate, it is not dependent on the browser feature that Google retired. RangerBot continues to track and serve results for keywords and websites providing options to conduct a broad search of a state (like Florida), target a city (e.g., Canton, OH) or county (e.g., Orange County, CA) or pinpoint search engine settings to a postal code (e.g., 90210) for a local business or industry.
Online marketers who depended on the browser location filter to track local results can utilize Rank Ranger’s custom location settings to specify a location. You can also choose to include Local Pack results and set a Google Business page name and URL for tracking when Google doesn’t provide the website address in the local pack results. For more comprehensive map results, you can utilize our Google Maps Search Engine and view those map results in a separate table or graph.
When your keyword ranks in organic Local Pack results, Rank Ranger displays the “local” icon 
indicating that the search results include the Campaign’s main domain in the Local Pack results for that keyword.
In this example we’re tracking “ice cream in Nashville” and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams site is ranking in the first position in the local pack.
As you can see in this Rank Tracker Dashboard, for organic search next to the “jenis.com” URL is the local icon indicating the local SERP we see above.
You can click the “screen” icon in the last column and a window opens up showing the actual SERP snaphot and what it entails. In our case a local pack, where Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is number one, followed by Mike’s Ice Cream and Pied Piper Creamery.
Rank Ranger continues to track and accurately display local search results via Advanced Settings or Geo-location keywords and can save you a lot of time and effort. If you are currently using a tool that can’t provide you with the local results you need, we invite you to a free trial of the Rank Ranger SEO & Marketing platform. If you need any assistance in setting up campaigns for local results from the Google desktop and mobile search engines, feel free to contact us.
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