BD QUICK TIPS: Region-Specific Localization Search Settings

BD Quick Tips – Intro (00:00:00)

• The BD quick tips segment covers useful features within the BD platform, particularly for location-based websites, and will discuss search settings, including the default search radius and strict settings such as strict postal code, strict city, and enforce state and country borders (00:00:00).
• The default search radius setting allows website administrators to select the default search radius for their site, which determines the area within which search results are displayed when a user conducts a location-based search (00:00:42).
• The strict settings, including strict postal code, strict city, and enforce state and country borders, act as limitations on the default search radius, overriding it and creating hard boundaries on the search results (00:01:41).
• If the strict settings are enabled, they will limit search results to specific areas, such as a zip code, city, or region, and members outside of these areas will not be displayed in the search results, even if they are within the default search radius (00:02:06).
• The default search radius and strict settings can be found within the website’s general settings and search settings, and website owners can choose the right amount of radius to offer to users based on the focus of their website (00:04:40).
• The localization settings are also useful, allowing website owners to set their primary country language, and the search settings determine the logic of searches, including the default search radius (00:04:27).
• Website owners can choose to enable or disable the strict settings based on their needs, and it is recommended to stick with a default search radius of 10 to 50 miles if they are unsure, to avoid limiting the visitor too much (00:05:18).

1) Strict Postal Code Match (00:05:44)

• The strict postal code match setting is used to enable search results to exactly match the zip code entered by the person visiting the website, allowing for an exact match or disabling it to include nearby areas within the default search radius (00:05:44).
• Enabling this setting means that search results will only show member listings that are within the specified zip code, such as only showing results in the 90210 zip code if that is the entered zip code (00:06:18).
• Disabling the strict postal code match setting allows search results to include listings from other nearby zip codes that fall within the default search radius, which can be beneficial for website visitors in small towns or sparse regions who may be used to traveling long distances to access businesses (00:06:52).
• The strict postal code match setting is suitable for hyper-local service type websites where exact location matching is crucial, but may not be ideal for websites catering to visitors in areas with limited business options (00:06:39).
• Jason mentioned that disabling the strict postal code match setting can provide website visitors with more relevant search results, especially in areas where businesses are scarce (00:06:11).

2) Strict City Match (00:07:08)

• The strict city match setting limits search results to a specific city, meaning that if a user searches for a city like Beverly Hills, California, they will only be presented with member listings that have Beverly Hills as their location, rather than also seeing results from nearby cities like Sherman Oaks or Los Angeles (00:07:08).
• This setting is useful for city-specific directories, but may need to be disabled in cases where users might be searching for their own zip code, which could be a suburb outside of a city, such as in large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, Dallas, or Houston (00:07:33).
• When deciding whether to enable or disable the strict city match setting, it is essential to consider the locations being targeted, the target demographic, and the areas they might be searching for on the website, with the option to leave all settings disabled as a simple fallback (00:08:36).
• The strict city match setting is one of several similar settings, including a postal code match, which all serve to refine search results to specific geographic areas, and the decision to enable or disable these settings depends on the specific use case and the needs of the website’s users (00:07:14).

3) Enforce State & Country Borders (00:09:02)

• The enforce state and country borders setting determines whether search results must exactly match the state or country that the website visitor searched for, which may be applicable in specific instances, such as when interstate or intercountry commerce is not common (00:09:02).
• Disabling the enforce state and country borders setting may be suitable for regions like the northeastern United States or parts of Europe where interstate or intercountry commerce is common, while enabling it may be more suitable for areas like Texas or Southern California (00:09:28).
• The decision to enable or disable these settings also depends on the number of business listings on the website, with fewer listings potentially requiring more relaxed settings to show visitors more results, and more established sites with many listings potentially benefiting from stricter settings (00:10:40).
• A suggested approach is to disable the postal code and city match settings when the site is starting out, enable the enforce state and country borders setting, and use the default search radius of 50 miles, which is approximately an hour’s drive time (00:11:10).
• The Brilliant Directories platform features a smart location search that allows visitors to type in various location-related terms, such as neighborhoods, landmarks, or nicknames, and receive recommended suggestions, making it easier for them to find what they are looking for (00:12:18).
• The search radius can be adjusted, but setting it too high, such as 500 miles, may result in unrelated search results, especially for location-based searches, and a more reasonable distance, such as 50 miles, may be more suitable (00:11:49).
• The search radius setting is crucial as it affects not only the search results but also lead matching, and a radius of 50 miles is considered a good starting point for most sites, especially for brick-and-mortar businesses and professionals, as it allows for a reasonable drive time of under an hour (00:13:08).
• The settings for postal code, city map, and city match can be disabled, while enforcing state and country borders can be enabled to provide more relevant search results and prevent leads from being sold to businesses that are too far away (00:14:04).
• Enabling the strict country setting can exclude search results from other countries, as seen in the example where a member listing in Tijuana is excluded from the search results when the setting is enabled (00:14:43).
• The border radius setting can be adjusted to limit the search results to a specific area, and disabling the enforce state and country borders setting can include results from nearby cities or countries, as demonstrated in the example where a search in Chula Vista, California includes results from Mexico (00:15:10).
• Limiting the radius to a smaller area, such as 10 miles, can significantly reduce the number of search results and provide a more focused experience for the user (00:15:59).
• The settings can be adjusted to strike a balance between providing relevant results and giving the user a good experience, and it’s essential to consider the target demographic and location of the website when configuring these settings (00:16:33).
• The concept of states also applies to provinces in countries like Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, and the settings can be used to include or exclude results from these areas (00:17:05).
• Ultimately, the key to configuring the region-specific localization search settings is to keep in mind the target user base and the location of the website, whether it’s targeting a small area or an entire country (00:17:22).
• Region-specific localization search settings may need to be adjusted differently for certain areas, such as the tri-state area, due to varying commerce patterns across states and countries (00:17:35).
• Enabling these settings in a unique way can be beneficial for businesses that operate in multiple regions, as what is typical in one area may not be the same in another (00:17:41).
• There are multiple use cases for these three settings, allowing for flexibility and customization to suit different business needs and geographic locations (00:17:51).