How Does Location Apply to Search Engine Optimization?

Today’s internet crowd isn’t as worried about privacy as they once were. They’re likely to want to tell you where they are, where they’ve been, and where they’re going. But what effect does location have on search engine optimization?

The Web 2.0 Expo this week has brought some valuable insight and information about the future of the web. Concerning location and location services, Google Product Manager Steve Lee discussed Google Latitude, Google’s location-sharing service, which has already been around for years. Although Foursquare, another popular location service, has a million users, Latitude already has 3 million users, with 30% per month growth thus far.

Location is important–Diana Pouliot, Director of Mobile Advertising at Google, stated that 33% of Google searches via mobile devices involve location-based services. Although the verdict is still out on exactly how location services will impact search, all signals point to opportunities for vertical marketing on a personally relevant level.