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How To See Google Search Results And Rankings For Different Locations?

How to See Google Search Results for Different Countries (Step-By-Step)

When it comes to connecting people with information, products, and services, Google is the top search engine with over 5 billion users. However, it doesn’t show the same results to everyone.

Instead, search results are tailored based on a user’s location. This means a person in New York might see different results for the same search query than someone in Los Angeles. Why?

Google wants to ensure users get relevant, local results that make their search experience more useful and satisfying.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

So if you’re a business owner, you must understand these location-based differences. Whether it’s promoting your local business, attracting customers to your online store, or improving content visibility for different areas, seeing search results from a local perspective helps you serve your audience better.

In this blog, you will learn why Google customizes results by location and several methods you can use to search from different locations.

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Why Do Search Results Differ by Location?

Google customizes search results (SERPs) based on location to give people more useful and relevant information.

If someone searches for the “best coffee shop” in New York, they likely want results that show cafes nearby, not places in another city. 

Search engines know that many searches are local. By adjusting results based on location, Google makes it easier for people to find what they need around them, whether restaurants, services, or news related to their area.

This means that search results in one city will often be different from those in another, even for the same keywords. So if you understand how results vary by location, you can tailor marketing efforts to better reach local audiences. Here are some factors Google uses to determine your location:

  • Your device’s location
  • Your ISP location
  • Labeled places
  • Your IP address
  • Your last activity
  • Your address in Google

Google considers all these factors and then gives you relevant results. That’s why people living in the same area might see different information for the same query.

9 Ways to Search Results For Different Locations

Use Google’s Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool

The Google Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool is a free, user-friendly tool from Google Ads that lets you view search results as if you’re searching from a specific location. Although it was initially designed for checking the appearance of ads without affecting performance metrics, you can use it for your searches as well. 

  • Go to the ‘Google Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool’.
  • Type the keyword or search query you want to look up. 
  • You’ll see an option to specify the location you want to search from. All you have to do is select the place to get as close to your target audience as possible.
  • You can also choose the language and device settings to match your audience’s profile. 
  • Once you’ve entered all the relevant information, click on ‘Preview’ to generate search results. 

The main benefit of this tool is that it’s free and doesn’t impact metrics or trigger ad impressions. Along with this, you can preview both organic and paid results in one place.

Adjust Google Search Settings

If you want a simple way to get localized search results, you should try adjusting your Google search settings. Although it’s somewhat limited in terms of precision, you can do this easily without any tools or software. Here are the steps you need to follow: 

  • Go to Google.com.
  • Type in the keyword or search term you want to explore in your target location.
  • Click on settings at the bottom of the page. 
  • In the drop-down menu, click on ‘Search Settings’.
  • You will get a section labeled ‘Region Settings’.
  • Select the country you want Google to prioritize for your search results.
  • Pick a country to favor results relevant to that region.
  • Click ‘Save’ to apply your new settings. 

Once you’ve done everything, go back to the search results page, and refresh it to see results more closely aligned with the region you selected. This method is useful when you want a broad view of results relevant to a specific country. 

Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a tool that lets you connect to the internet through a secure server in another location. So if you connect to a VPN server in a specific city or country, you can view Google search results as if you’re searching from that area. Once you are connected, it will mask your IP address and Google will see the VPN server’s IP address instead. 

  • Install a good VPN provider like NordVPN or CyberGhost on your device.
  • Open the app, choose a server in the location you want to simulate and connect.
  • Now you can go to Google and search for your target keywords. You should see results as if you’re searching from the chosen location.

The main benefit of using a VPN is that it keeps your browsing activity encrypted, making it more secure. It also allows you to access content restricted by region. However, you might need to buy premium plans to get the best experience

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Emulate The Search Results With This Free SEO Tool

Check out this free SEO tool at technicalseo.com/tools/local-search/ that lets you see how search results look in real time.

Just pick your country, language, and search engine, then type in your query. You’ll instantly see how your page appears in Google from different locations.

This is a great way for digital marketers to optimize content, track local rankings, and learn about how people search—all from a single, easy-to-use dashboard!

More SERP Simulation Tools

If you want to see how your website ranks in different locations around the world, these four tools are a must-try.

I Search From lets you pick a country, language, and device to quickly find localized results.

Search Latte (Redfly) simulates Google searches across multiple regions and languages, giving you a peek at how your site appears abroad.

SERPRobot provides real-time rank checking, so you can instantly see if your SEO efforts are paying off in different areas.

Finally, GeoRanker offers a broader international view by letting you compare rankings across multiple cities or countries side-by-side.

Using Google Chrome’s Developer Tools to Set a Specific Latitude and Longitude

If you want to see what Google search results look like for a very specific location, you can use Google Chrome’s Developer Tools to set your exact latitude and longitude. This trick is perfect for testing your local SEO and seeing how your site appears in different areas.

How to Do It

  1. Open Chrome and Go to Google: Start by heading to Google in your Chrome browser.
  2. Open Developer Tools: Press F12 (or right-click and choose Inspect) to open Developer Tools.
  3. Select Sensors: Click on the three-dot menu icon in the Developer Tools panel, then go to More tools > Sensors.
  4. Enter Your Latitude and Longitude: In the “Geolocation” dropdown, pick Other… and type in your desired coordinates.
  5. Refresh or Search: Reload the page or type in your keyword to see localized results for that exact spot.

Note: Your location settings will only apply to the current tab, and they’ll reset once you close Developer Tools.

A Fresh Look at Localizing Your Search Queries

If you want to see how results vary by location, try adding the city or country to your search. For example, searching for “best movers + New York” provides a glimpse of what someone in New York might see.

To get more precise results, you can adjust Google’s search URL. After searching for “best movers,” you’ll see something like:
https://www.google.com/search?q=best+movers
Simply modify this to:
https://www.google.com/search?q=best+movers&near=newyork
This tweak helps you see a more accurate snapshot of what local users in New York see when looking for movers.

The Importance of Checking Location-Based Search Results

If your business aims to reach customers in specific areas, it’s essential to see how your site ranks there. Searching from different locations gives you insights into local competitors, keyword rankings, and emerging trends.

These details can help you fine-tune your SEO strategy so more people in those areas can discover your business. Plus, if you serve multiple regions, local searches can point you to new opportunities for expanding your audience and tailoring your content strategy.

 

By checking location-based search results in every area you want to target, you gain a competitive edge in reaching the right audience at the right time. Understanding Google’s localized approach lets you refine your SEO strategy and boost visibility where it matters most. Tools like Google’s Ad Preview Tool, VPNs, and location-based SEO software make it easy to see how your site ranks in different places.

Ready to take your local SEO to the next level? Rotate Digital can help you craft a winning strategy that gets your business noticed in all the right neighborhoods. Don’t miss out on valuable customers—partner with us and watch your local presence grow.