Officially substantiating the buzz that had been making rounds for months, Google Monday announced the inclusion of maps to add local findings to the search results by default. Since Google is well aware of the user-locations - via the IP address geolocation - while they search the Internet, the search engine will put forth a map to enhance the relevant local results.

Though Google has long deemed local search as a promising revenue opportunity, it earlier provided local search results whenever the users clearly indicated it. However, Monday onwards the insertion of local search results in Google search results' listings would become a default activity, even if a query does not specify the location.

For mobile devices - the locations of which are traceable through cell tower triangulation or GPS data - Google already has the facility of delivering local search results by default.

Talking about the new addition to the search results, Google software engineers Jenn Taylor and Jim Muller wrote in a blog post: "We like to make search as easy as we can, so we've just finished the worldwide rollout of local search results on a map, which will now appear even when you don't type in a location. When you search on Google, we will guess where you are and show results near you."