Isearchfrom.com is a tool that tries to fill the gap created by Google’s decision to drop a search feature that used to allow you to simulate searches from different geographic locations.
Location-based searches are crucial for local SEO and monitoring your competitors search performances. So marketers and businesses should welcome tools like this.
Find in this Innocams blog post a detailed discussion on this tool and its pros and cons.
Table of Contents
What is Isearchfrom.com?
If you visit this site, you’ll find a tool that lets you localise your Google search based on your location preferences.
Suppose you’re searching from New York: this tool will let you simulate as if you’re searching from Houston.
This tool also gives you options to search in your preferred language and do safe search. it also provides options like specifying your preferred country, city and device (you can simulate the search on a mobile device even if you’re using a PC).
Isearchfrom: The Background Story
In 2015, Google dropped one of its popular search features, the ‘change location’ filter in search tools.
This filter allowed users to do exactly what they can do with tools like isearchfrom–simulate searches based on locations of their choice.
The Google Rationale
At that time, a Google spokesperson had said that the exclusion of this feature was in line with the company’s policy of discontinuing less used features and focusing more on most-used ones.
Impact on Businesses
But this decision somewhat unsettled businesses, especially, small to medium enterprises (SMEs), who heavily depend on local SEO and needed to simulate location-based searches.
The SMEs usually don’t have either the resources or network to sell their products or services globally.
They want to tap the local market and attract and engage local target customers. For this, they need to know how their and their competitors’ digital marketing efforts are performing locally.
This ‘change location’ filter used to give them these SEO insights.
The Rise of I Search From
Tools and sites like isearchfrom have been around for quite some time now. But after Google dropped its ‘change location’ filter from its search tool array, their importance and use skyrocketed.
Incidentally, Google neither supports nor disapproves of such tools and sites. It knows the importance of location-based searches and doesn’t mind if someone offers this facility.
Isearchfrom.com: The Website
I Search From was created by San Francisco-based financial and industrial analysts and product leader Joris van Mens.
Mens was a former Google Pay America’s Head of Product. He had a graduate certificate in Artificial Intelligence in 2018 from Stanford University.
Isearchfrom.com: Features
This website contains a search localisation tool that lets you track your SERP and Google Ad performances for specific geographic locations. Here is a list of tasks you can do with isearchfrom:
- You can apply ‘country’, ‘language’ and ‘device’ filters to your searches.
- You can specify a particular city and track your SEO and ad performances for that place.
- You can get results only for the country or language you specified.
- You can personalise your search.
- You can apply a ‘safe search’ filter, turn it on or off or adjust the level of filtering.
- It’s a completely free-to-use tool.
Isearchfrom.com: Accuracy
In our test, this tool performed well and produced more or less accurate search results. However, its creator makes it clear on the site that it is not actively maintained and result accuracy may vary.
Benefits of Isearchfrom.com
Tools and sites like I search From provide digital marketers with several significant benefits. Following are some key advantages of simulating location-based searches by using these tools and sites:
- Search simulation based on location helps you understand how users in different locations are perceiving your business and website.
- It helps businesses tailor their keywords, content and other SEO practices for the local target audiences.
- Location-based search simulation also lets you scan the local search landscape and your competitors’ strategy to improve your local search performance.
- This type of search helps you continuously improve your site so it ranks higher in local search results and map packs.
- This higher SERP ranking improves your brand’s visibility and has the potential to increase footfalls on your site (organic traffic) and brick-and-mortar store.
- Location simulation in searches also helps you track the effectiveness of your SEO campaign and make necessary adjustments.
Isearchfrom.com: Future
According to a Semrush analysis, isearchfrom registered 769.34K traffic in March this year, which is 22.28% more than what it did the previous month.
So it seems that this site’s traffic and visibility have been rapidly increasing these days. If its developer starts active maintenance procedures, this site has a future.
Constant upgradation and improvement is necessary as it has tough competitors like Google AdPreview, SE Ranking’s Google Location Changer and Searchbloom’s Google local search SERP checker.
Conclusion
The website isearchfrom provides a useful tool to perform searches based on geographical locations, a feature that is now lacking in Google Search tools.
By letting you track your site’s local SEO and ad performances, this tool helps you improve your SERP ranking and visibility in local searches, resulting in increased traffic, conversions and sales.
However, the creator of this site will have to actively maintain this site, which he is not doing now, in order for this site to stand out in a crowded and highly competitive market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is isearch.com?
It is a site that offers a tool for searching based on your preferred locations.
Is this tool free?
Yes, it is free to use.
Is this tool illegal?
No. It is a useful and legit tool.
Who needs this tool?
Marketers, businesses and SEO executives are some of the top users of such tools.