What Google varies, and what it watches
Google tailors results to location, language and settings, so a keyword can rank in a different position in two cities. Local packs and map results are especially sensitive to where the searcher is. Google also limits automated querying: repeated queries from one address in a short window often lead to a CAPTCHA page or a block, which corrupts a rank file. Spreading queries across residential IPs and keeping a measured pace reduces both problems.
Collect only public search results, follow Google's Terms of Service and robots directives, and prefer an official API where one covers your need.
Rotating or sticky for rank tracking
Use rotating sessions for keyword sweeps, where each query stands alone. A sticky session is better when a check includes several steps, such as page one, page two, and a follow-up query that should come from the same place. Hold times run from 1 minute to 24 hours. Mobile result pages can differ from desktop, so for mobile SERP checks consider mobile proxies, starting at $3.90/GB.
Targeting tips for local SEO
For a service business, set the exit to the city you serve with -city- and keep the language and region parameters in the query aligned with it. Run one location per batch, and repeat each keyword at the same hour so day-to-day movement is not mistaken for location effects. Country targeting covers 227 countries, with deeper city and ISP choices in many of them; see US, UK and German coverage.
- City exit matches the local pack you want to measure.
- Language and region parameters match the exit country.
- Same keywords, same hour, one location per batch.
Staying within the rules
Use proxies for public results: rank tracking, SERP feature monitoring and ad verification. Do not scrape logged-in data, and do not run traffic whose goal is to manipulate results or clicks. The SEO monitoring and ad verification pages describe accepted workflows, and the acceptable use policy applies.
How to set up the proxies
Buy a package from 5 GB ($4.50, bandwidth never expires), open the proxy generator and copy the host, port, username and password into your tool. The gateway is gw.nefo.net:9000, and targeting lives in the username: -country-us-city-chicago for a local pack check, -session-kw1 for sticky. Integration examples are in the docs, and prices are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
Rankings depend on location, so one IP shows one market. Local exits show what searchers in each city see, and spreading queries over many IPs avoids the CAPTCHA pages that repeated queries from one address tend to trigger.
Yes. Set a city token on a residential proxy and align the query's language and region parameters with it. City choices vary by country; see locations.
Often a desktop proxy with a mobile user agent shows the mobile layout, but results can differ on real mobile networks. Mobile proxies start at $3.90/GB, with country targeting in 110 countries.
Google's terms restrict automated queries, so prefer an official API where it fits, query at a measured pace, and take legal advice for your use. We support public-data work only.
Result pages are small, so thousands of queries use modest data. Residential bandwidth starts at $0.90/GB (5 GB for $4.50) and never expires. See pricing.