Local results, not averages
A query in Chicago returns different map packs and local results than the same query in Miami. With -country-us-city-chicago the request leaves from a home connection in Chicago, and you see exactly that page.
Track the cities that matter to your business and compare them over time. Targeting is included in the per GB price.
Low volume, high accuracy
Rank tracking usually needs few requests but very clean ones. Rotate the IP for every query and keep the request rate per IP low. Search pages are light, so a few gigabytes cover thousands of keywords a day.
Set it up step by step
- Step 1Pick keywords and target cities.
- Step 2Buy rotating residential traffic.
- Step 3Query each keyword with a fresh IP and the right country and city keys.
- Step 4Parse positions, map results and ads.
- Step 5Repeat on a schedule and compare.
Questions
Why not check rankings from my office?
Results are personalised by location. Your office sees its own city; customers elsewhere see different pages.
Do I need city targeting?
For local businesses, yes. For national rankings, country targeting is enough.
How many requests per IP?
Keep it to one query per IP and rotate. That keeps results clean and blocks rare.