Maybe local business ranks are NOT determined by city center!? WHAT!? Ever hear of a "Centroid"

Huh? What is a Centroid, and what does it have to do with Google Places or Local Search? Simply put, a centroid is the center of a geometric entity. There is a common misconception that local results are based on "City Center" or zip code.

Ever taken a gander at the patents Google has for local search. These suggest that the "Centroid" that Google uses as a center for local results, is not; I REPEAT.... NOT related to the center of your city!!

The patents suggest that the centroid is actually industry related. Hmmm... Makes sense when you think about it. Ever wonder why all the used car dealers show in one area even though it isn't near downtown? This is where the industry centroid takes over because it bases the cluster of businesses in a specific industry as the center of the search!

Check out the results for the following search term of "Used Cars Salt Lake City" Vs. the actual border of the city.

VS.

Notice the border for this city is shaded in pink but the search results for "used cars Salt Lake City" is not based on the city border.

Food for thought.