Location is becoming an increasingly important part of the way Google searches. For anyone looking for a restaurant, automotive service, dry cleaning, dentistry or any other product or service delivered in the neighborhood, location is vital to find the right information.

Recently, Google added the ability to refine searches with the “Nearby” tool in the Search Options panel. One of the really helpful things about this tool is that it works geographically — not just with keywords — so users don’t have to worry about adding “Minneapolis” to a query and missing web pages that only say “St. Paul” or “Twin Cities.”

For neighborhood businesses, the Nearby search option starts to tilt the advantage back to local businesses as opposed to the national online businesses typically favored in past Google searches. If you haven’t tried out this feature, check it out by doing a search, clicking on “show options” and selecting “Nearby.”