How accurate is the location data Google supplies ?
Being able to determine the location of our visitors is a powerful tool . After all , if we know our Graceland Vacation site is absurdly popular in Japan , we might consider adding some new pics . But Google’s geographic location service isn’t perfect . In fact , there are several weakness :
- The location service is based on the ISP ( Internet Service Provider ) not the actual visitor . In many cases , the ISP is located in a different location than then visitor’s own computer .
- The location service examines the information registered with the IP address . This registration information could be incorrect .
- ISPs economize by pooling their traffic together and dumping it onto the Internet at a central location . That evens even if the visitor and Web Surfer are located in a specific city , the computer that connects these surfers to the Internet might be somewhere else .
As a general rule of thumb , the geographic information that Google uses is likely to be close to reality , but not exact . It’s highly likely that the country is correct , but the specific city may not match that of the actual visitor .
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