Important update – Google shuts down local domains

Google has changed how Search domains work: all local Google sites now redirect to google .com (Google’s announcement).
Go to your local country Google domain now and see what happens.

This rollout started in April and just completed in August.
We’re updating PRT to match this change.

Results-wise, there’s no difference!

For many years (since 2017), we’ve observed that results on google .com and on local Google sites are identical when searched from the same location. So the results you track for a given location remain the same. The change is only how the engine is represented.

 

What changes on ProRankTracker

 

• New Terms: When you add Terms, you’ll select google .com as the search engine and choose the location. Local Google domains are no longer available, to match how Google works now.

 

• Location and Language are mandatory: If not already doing so, when adding new Terms, you must select a location (at least country level, down to neighborhoods and postal codes supported by PRT) and a Google UI language – usually the most common in the country, or your preference.

 

• Existing Terms: We are not changing them automatically. They will continue to show the original local domain label so your filters, reports, and workflows are not affected. If you prefer, you can edit those Terms to switch their engine to google .com, or simply leave them as is.

 

 

That’s it.  Same results, simpler engine selection.