How Can I Force Google Into Showing Me Search Results From Another Country?

[Seaward-Group]

Hi all,

I am located in the UK and I need to start doing some SEO work for our USA branch. The issue I have is I like to check Keywords in google to ensure I'm getting the right context and to double check I'm using the correct language.

The issue I have is when I go to www.google.com it fowards to www.google.co.uk - so I go to http://www.google.com/ncr and it stops forwarding. The problem is the results I'm getting are still targeted towards my location.

How do I force Google into giving me the search results for someone located in the USA, more precisely in Tampa, Florida?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[StalkerB]

You'll need to set up a proxy.

Most of the free ones I've tried to use for the US are rubbish and don't work, so you may need to create a VPN to there or paid for proxies.

Easiest way may be using - http://getfoxyproxy.org/ - Only $8 for a month, or cheaper if you need it for longer.

I'm not sure if you can specify a city or even state though.

If you can get into somebody's machine in Tampa though, even using a remote desktop or similar that might do.

[Seaward-Group]

Hi Barry,

I thought about using VNC on one of their computers but I thought I would get the question out there before asking our IT team who will probably takes weeks to get it looked at.

Foxy Proxy looks very interesting but it also involves our IT department getting involved, I wonder how it will work with their existing proxy servers.

Its terrible how google forces people to certain content, I can understand why but there should be an option to switch it off.

Thanks,
Gary

[StalkerB]

Well, bear in mind well over 99% of Google's users will never even consider doing what you want to do, it's not that terrible

It's hard to remember that we're not Johnny Average when we surround ourselves with other SEO types on a daily basis.

VNC should be fine if you have people in Florida, but I can't think of any way around it just by changing the URL or similar.

[Paessler]

Hi,

I use www.google.com/webhp, run the search, then append &gl=us to get US results. I have doublechecked with a VPN connection to a server we have in the US, I don't get the exact same results, but they come quite close. I like to use this for a quick check. If I do a search for pizza, for example, I am also prompted to enter my US Zip code, which can then be stored and used for future searches.

Hope this helps.

[Seaward-Group]

Wow thats great thanks. Someone else suggested just going to google.us but it still shows .co.uk sites quite highly.

What does /webhp actually do?

Thanks for the command.

[Paessler]

Not sure, I think it just stops google from redirecting to your location's default. I have also found this page where google recommends to use www.google.com/ncr to avoid being redirected to .co.uk: http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=873

I have only run a quick check now, but in my test I got exactly the same result for /ncr and /webhp (appended the &gl=us to both).