Geo-targeted Results - are they a mess or broke?

[Whitey]

Today we had a big slide in one of our regional sites, so my intuition told me to go and check if there was a public holiday in that country, as an explanation. I might be late to the party, but have i missed something, or is there a problem with the way GEO targeted content is performing?

Firstly, I'm logged out of any Google accounts.

When i put these search queries in for " Public Holidays" on varied Google TLD's I get this :

1. a) Google UK - Global Search - 7 /10 UK results:
b) Google UK - Regional Search - More or less the same results as above.

2. a) Google ZA - Global Search - approx 7/10 ZA results
b) Google ZA - Regional Search - More or less the same results as above

3. It's the same issue on .COM / .CO.NZ / - didn't check any further.

When a user does a search for "Public Holidays" on a global search they don't want a regional result. Is there something going wrong or happening lately with the overall regional filters at G?

[tedster]

When a user does a search for "Public Holidays" on a global search they don't want a regional result.

I wouldn't put money on that conclusion - it would need to be tested. Most people use the default search, and it seems very possible to me that when the average user types in "public holidays" they would be thinking about their own country.

I do think that one needs testing and is far from a no-brainer, Whitey.