Google's offer to webmasters: map local search results at your site
Luistxo Fernandez
2006/11/16 12:08
I recently read that Google's becoming a productivity provider for webmasters rather than a search company. Well, they've been very good in search over the last years, and they're very good now as well. And as productivity tool makers, they're excelling themselves, which is very much welcomed by webmasters. The latest example, a wizard to set-up a Google Map plus local search in your website (annoucement here). Although they've created a totally US-centric wizard, I guess the local searches will work also if you set up a location centered somewhere in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, or Spain.
I've made an example, and it's working here: Centered around Eibar, in the Basque Country.
Results are sometimes strange. Search for 'arrate', a common name for people and commerce here in Eibar, and you get fine results, though navigation or scrolling using those little green arrows isn't that obvious. However, if you try 'bar' you get a view of some bar in England (!), then green arrows will bring you back to Eibar, but the first result is so confusing and absurd. Search for 'hotel' shows hotels in other Basque towns, but not the nearest hotel in Eibar itself...
I've made an example, and it's working here: Centered around Eibar, in the Basque Country.
Results are sometimes strange. Search for 'arrate', a common name for people and commerce here in Eibar, and you get fine results, though navigation or scrolling using those little green arrows isn't that obvious. However, if you try 'bar' you get a view of some bar in England (!), then green arrows will bring you back to Eibar, but the first result is so confusing and absurd. Search for 'hotel' shows hotels in other Basque towns, but not the nearest hotel in Eibar itself...