Which Google are you using?

As an Australian using Google I've often noticed a few quirky things with Google.

The results change depending on how I access Google. Weird I know, but it really does happen.

It is almost like as an Australian I can use Google to look out from Australia, or I can use Google as though I am looking in from somewhere else in the world.

The real trick is to notice when you are using Google Australia, and for want of a better description, Google not Australia.

The difference is if you are using Google Australia at the top of each page you can select "pages From Australia". If you are using Google not Australia, then "pages From Australia" does not appear.

Does it really matter. Perhaps not, but since you get different results, it may be important depending on what you are trying to achieve.

If for example you are in Australia and want to market your product to the rest of the world, then knowing what they see when searching Google, may be pretty important to you.

If you are in Australia and want to limit your selection to pages from Australia, then not having that option means you can't use that feature.

So how can you access Google Australia and Google not Australia if you are in Australia.

If you want to go to Google Australia and you are in Australia, you can type in the address www.google.com or www.google.com.au and you will go to Google Australia in both cases. In fact, you will notice if you type www.google.com you will see the address change to www.google.com.au automatically.

How then do you access Google not Australia?

Often if you use the toolbars in your browser you will find they don't use Google Australia.

The trick is to find the browser that has not been fully set up for Australian conditions by the developers.

In this case let's use Firefox 2.0.0.11. (This doesn't work in Internet Explorer 7.)

If you type in "hp recyled toner cartridges" into the Google search field at the right of the address area you will see the Google page has the option "pages from Australia". Thus this uses Google Australia.

One of our JustLocal pages which is www.justlocal.com.au/nationaltoner/index.php is third in the list of results.

Now type "hp recycled toner cartridges in the address area and press enter.

This time we see no "pages from Australia" so we are using Google not Australia.

Our JustLocal page now appears on the second page of results as the eleventh result.

Not a really big difference, but still there is a difference.

Let's take a more striking difference.

David Delaney is an author on the JustLocal book page www.book.JustLocal.com.au. David's page promoting his book of poems is www.justlocal.com.au/clients/book/david-delaney/. I'm not writer, but I find his work very moving.

Now if you search using the Google's search field at the right (using Google Australia) there is David Delaney's book page on JustLocal in seventh position on the first page of results.

Now if you search using the address area (using Google not Australia) you won't find David on the first or even the second page. He appears on the fourth page in position 32.

Appearing on page 1 or 4 of Google results may affect sales via the Internet, or perhaps reduce your visibility internationally.

Now do I know where Google not Australia is actually getting the results from.

To be honest, I'm not really sure.

But I did manage to test the cached version of www.google.com and obtained the same results. So there is a good chance it is www.google.com. (Actually this is good trick to know. Search for google and then click on the cache link and do the search from there.)

There is a bit of humour in all of this.

Many people including myself proudly say their site is number one in the world.

This now begs the question with Google, from where in the world?

Enjoy - Kelvin

TIP: Another browser which makes this situation very easy to see is Opera. If you use the built in search engine it appears to use Google not Australia. Changing Opera to use Google Australia as the default is very easy.