We frequently receive questions from users who are looking for ways to find local information more efficiently. This isn't surprising given that the percentage of local search queries grows every year. Knowing how to conduct effective local searches can help you find resources in your community. In this post, we'll look at several different types of local searches and some of the resources that AOL Search builds in to make your local search experience even better.

Implicit vs. Explicit Local Search
At their core, local search queries are no different than queries without a geographical component. You can build them using the same keyword structure as any other queries. Check out this post for more information on how to build great queries.

Local queries can be roughly broken down into two categories. In most cases, you probably wouldn't make a conscious choice between these two types of queries; however, there are times when you probably already make choices about which type to use.

Implicit queries are those where the user does not enter a specific location, but that are assumed to be local because of their subject matter. Results for this type of query will typically include a local component. If you are signed in to AOL, AOL Search will use the location information you specified in your profile to return tailored results; otherwise, AOL Search will attempt to use your computer's IP location, or, if that is unavailable, prompt you to enter a location. Try these examples while signed in and then again after you have signed out:

• Italian restaurants
• Florists
• Public libraries

Explicit local queries, on the other hand, include a specific location in the search. For example:

• Pizza Hut 20166
• Allwood Florist, Clifton, NJ
• Buffalo NY library

Specialized Local Queries
AOL Search offers one click modules (LINK) that can help you get detailed information for several types of common local search queries. For example, try the following:

• Washington, DC Weather
• Time in Austin, TX
• Traffic in Scranton, PA
• Gas prices in Billings, MT
• Map of Chula Vista, CA

These are available for most large and mid-sized cities in the US, as well as some large cities and vacation destinations internationally. Try out a few examples on your own to see how the results differ for these international locations.

Avoid Common Local Query Errors
Search engine technology does a pretty good job of determining which common queries are local, but for less common queries it's important to make sure you're providing the right amount of detail. Many times users fail to find the local results they're looking for because they haven't provided enough information. Compare the examples below:

• Public utilities vs. Public utilities Honolulu, HI
• Norman, OK vs. Court house near Norman, OK
• DMV hours vs. Alaska DMV hours

It's also possible to include too much information in your local query. We see this most often with address searches where users include apartment or suite numbers. If you have a lot of detail in your query and you're still not getting the results you expect, try a slightly more general term. Compare the examples below:

• 1401 N Taft St #1624 22201 vs. 1401 N Taft St 22201

Other Local Resources
Sometimes web search isn't the best source for local information. If you live in a smaller town than what is covered by our one-clicks (or if you just aren't finding what you're looking for), there are a few other resources you may wish to try.

DMOZ
DMOZ, also known as the Open Directory Project (ODP), is the world's largest human-edited directory of the web. Volunteer editors categorize thousands of websites, and the Regional branch has listings for cities and towns of all sizes.


Patch
If you're looking for news stories that affect your local community, Patch.com is a great resource. Patch is a community-specific news and information platform dedicated to providing comprehensive and trusted local coverage for individual towns and communities. Check the list to see if your area is covered. If it isn't covered yet, keep checking back – new patches are popping up soon!

AOL Search results just got 140 characters better. We now include the latest tweets for specific searches.

Anytime your search results contains a link for a Twitter user, we display the latest tweets from that specific user.

Search for Lady Gaga twitter and see her latest messages.



Twitter results do not display if you have your SafeSearch set to strict filtering. You can update your SafeSearch settings on the AOL Search settings page. Also, the Twitter results usually appear further down in the results so you may have to scroll down the page to see them.

So see what Justin Timberlake is up to, get the latest from Ellen or keep in touch with Barack Obama. Have fun uncovering the latest nuggets of wisdom from Twitter.

While you're at it, follow @AOLSearch an @AOLHotSearches on Twitter to stay up to date on the latest AOL Search happenings.

AOL Search, in its continual mission to provide users with a fresh and quality search experience, continues to aggressively add features to its search engine.

In August, the Search team integrated its NFL Teams One Click which displays the team's current record, division standing, next opponent and game time as well as and up-to-the-minute scores for games in-progress and a link to access play-by-play details as they happen.



Want More Than Just Game Results?
So your favorite team won but you want more. No problem. You're just 'one click' away from getting a thorough recap of the their most recent game, the latest scoop on your queried team, team stats, and a detailed schedule.



Use AOL Search to track NFL teams' progress throughout the season.

People are being much more frugal these days, so doing your homework before you make a purchase is especially important now.

Whether you're just beginning to research a purchase, comparing prices or buying a specific item, AOL Search can help you make your decision. In this lesson, we'll look at some techniques you can use to incorporate web search more effectively into each point in the purchase process.

Research Your Purchase
When you're just beginning to research a purchase, you may want to start by comparing several makes or models. There are numerous sites online that can help you find ratings and reviews, and the best way to start is often with a simple keyword search.



For example, try:

• digital camera reviews
• compare digital cameras
• digital SLR reviews
• compare cheap digital cameras

If you already have an idea of which cameras you'll be considering, you can also try a keyword search for a brand or a specific product line. For example, try:

• Canon digital camera reviews
• Canon EOS Rebel reviews

Compare Prices
Once you've done a little research and narrowed down your options, you can begin to compare prices. There are a couple of different ways that you can use AOL Search to do this.

A simple way to start is to conduct a keyword search on the model number (or the name of the product line). AOL Search has a shopping feature that will provide a very high-level side-by-side look at popular products. To try this out, go to AOL Search and try the following queries:

• Canon EOS Rebel
• Canon EOS Rebel XSi
• Nikon Coolpix
• Nikon Coolpix P90

Note that searching on a product line tends to give you side-by-side comparisons, and searching for a model number lets you compare pricing from different merchants.

Clicking on one of the results will take you to AOL Shopping where you can review additional details about that product and the merchants who are selling it.

Shopping Search
If you'd like, you can also use AOL Search to go directly to the results for a specific product in AOL Shopping. To do that, go to AOL Search. Enter the model number or product line name into the box and click on the "Shopping" tab on top of the search box. For example, compare the results above with these:

• Canon EOS Rebel
• Canon EOS Rebel XSi
• Nikon Coolpix
• Nikon Coolpix P90

We'd love to have your feedback on whether these tips have helped you search more effectively or if there are other questions that you'd like to see us address.