Google is testing a new method to ask users to choose their location to better localize or personalize the search results presented to that searcher. This overlay says, “choose location for search results” and then offers an option for an “estimated location” or “precise location.”

This was spotted by Will Flannigan, the SEO Editor at the Wall Street Journal, who said it just popped up, no user action triggered this from coming up. He also said, “I have a feeling search results are ’bout to get much more localized.”

Here is his screenshot on X:

Here is Katie Stone who spotted this:

Hey @rustybrick my colleague just got this pop-up on the SERP after searching the query “does McAlister’s still do bread bowls.” Have you seen this before? pic.twitter.com/reC9naoUgo

— Katie Stone 🖤🤍💜 (@KatieStoneSEO) October 17, 2023

This graphical UI for this setting, I think, is new. The setting itself, is not new.

Forum discussion at X.