Geolocation in results too!

results different in different US states

[Namaste]

Since Feb I have suspected that some form of Geolocation has been happening in results and now I have seen proof of this as far as my own sites go.

Ranking Geolocation wise:

India: No. 6
Uk: No. 5
Columbus: No. 6
Boston: No. 6
Baltimore: No. 11
Pembroke, MA: No. 11

I am not sure how Google is basing the results and why it is differenciating the results even within the US. Unless they are testing a different algo in certain parts.

BTW: My site is hosted in MA.
These are results obtained simultaneouly between noon and 1pm EST.

[WebGuerrilla]

I think all you are seeing is the differences between the various data centers. The index is never exactly the same at each, so the results can change depending on which one you are connected to.

[CCowboy]

The update is 7/8 completed.

The following data centers have the new index so far:

1. www-sj.google.com
2. www-fi.google.com
3. www-cw.google.com
4. www-dc.google.com
5. www-va.google.com
6. www-ab.google.com
7. www-ex.google.com

The old index is still used by the following data centers:

1. www-in.google.com

[WebGuerrilla]

It may be 7/8 completed, but the results are still not the same on any of them. And I don't think you will ever see them be the same. positions will always fluctuate from data center to data center.

[shaadi]

I am in india and i am seeing SJ SERPs on www. here.

[vitaplease]

What WebGuerrilla says,

I'd say most has to do with different data center's state of index and what level of Freshness is involved.

However Google has patented things with effect to Geolocation ranking effects:

Methods and apparatus for employing usage statistics in document retrieval [appft1.uspto.gov]

As first posted in this thread: [webmasterworld.com...]

[0039] Instead of, or in addition to, filtering the raw count, the raw count may be weighted based on the nature of the visit (430). For example, one may wish to assign a weighting factor to a visit based on the geographic source for the visit (e.g., counting a visit from Germany as twice as important as a visit from Antarctica)...

Remains to be seen, if and when this is actually factored in.

[amazed]

yuk.

I do hope this will be used for adwords only.

[Namaste]

I am not seeing datacenter based differances, but am seeing geo based differances in results irrespective of datacenter used. Just got all my friends in the above locations to re-test.