Local search behavior is messier than most keyword tools suggest. People search by abbreviation, by neighborhood, by region, by old name. These are the markets where we live and work, and what we've learned about how local search actually plays out in each one.
We're a Nova Scotia company with most of our Canadian team based around the HRM. A guide to local search behavior in our home market, the variations people actually use, and why "Halifax" can mean three different things to three different searchers.
Hamilton's 2001 amalgamation merged Stoney Creek, Dundas, Ancaster, Flamborough, and Glanbrook into one city. Local search hasn't fully caught up. The variations that still matter, and what they mean for ranking in this market.
KW, K-W, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Tri-Cities, Region of Waterloo. Local search in this market splits across more variations than almost any Canadian market. What that means for keyword strategy and ranking.
Vancouver, Greater Vancouver, Metro Vancouver, Lower Mainland. Plus North Van, West Van, East Van, and a dozen separate municipalities people often think of as "Vancouver." A guide to local search behavior in one of Canada's most fragmented urban search landscapes.