eKstreme has a cool new tool that runs through a site's backlinks, and then profiles their geolocation. This backlink geolocation tool can help pinpoint why some sites do well in country-specific searches (think competitive analysis here). Nice one, eKstreme.
Actually, I found the most useful part of this tool is that it provides you with a quick overview of the TDLs fo the sites linking to you. It lets you know, right away, what percentage of your backlinks are coming from .edu, .net, .com, etcetera.
As for how a SE might determine your geolocation, try reading the following Patent Application out of Mountainview, CA if you haven’t already:
Address Geocoding
Published on August 23, 2005
Patent Application Number 664902
I talk about this in a blog entry last week titled:
Why You Should Always Include A Text Address on Your Home Page
ANOTHER great tool by eKstreme! Donna, I can’t thank you enough for introducing me to this guy’s blog. I wish I could code like that. 🙁
Hi Donna
Thank you for the post! Much appreciated 🙂
Everett: I’m very happy you like my work. You must be like my only blog subscriber 😀
As you mentioned there are many ways a search engine can determine a geographical location. Google has published some patents, and I reference a blog post that talks more about their take on things. At the end of the day, it’s a series of hints, some more powerful than others, that propel your site up the SERPs.
Pierre