Google Adds Location Filter to Search

There were two major trends on the web last year, the real-time web and location. Google's got one covered, its real-time search is still adding new sources, and now it’s time to tackle the other. The search engine has introduced a new location filter to its search option enabling you to search for results nearby geographically.

"Location has become an important part of the way we search. If you're a foodie looking for restaurant details, food blogs or the closest farmer's market, location can be vital to helping you find the right information. Starting today, we've added the ability to refine your searches with the 'Nearby' tool in the Search Options panel," Jackie Bavaro, product manager at Google writes.

"One of the really helpful things about this tool is that it works geographically — not just with keywords — so you don't have to worry about adding 'Minneapolis' to your query and missing webpages that only say 'St. Paul' or 'Twin Cities'," she adds.  

To search for things near your location, or any location actually, all you have to do is click on Show Options and select "Nearby." This will automatically filter any search you were doing and shows you the results from pages which Google believes are near your location, which is also selected automatically by default.

You can also choose a custom location to filter the results to an even smaller area or to look for things near a place different than your current location. Of course, the option will be more relevant for some searches and less so for others but, depending on your query, the results could alter dramatically and for the better. On first glance, the new feature may look a bit underwhelming, but once people get used to factoring location when doing a search the tool could prove very powerful and very useful. The hardest part, likely, will be to get people to remember to use it.