Google’s official blog indicated yesterday that local search has now been enhanced so that Google Maps will appear in your local search results page even if you do not include your location in the search query. For example, if your search query was [restaurants lexington ky] then Google Maps would return several local Lexington, KY area restaurants with their addresses pinpointed on the map. Now, you can simply search [restaurants] and Google will return the same results in the SERPs (define) with a “guess” at your location.

Google’s “guess” will be made by IP address that will match the user to a geographic location. You can change your location manually with the “change location” link.

This move is somewhat surprising since longer search queries had been emphasized to return the best search results. This move seems to go against longer search queries and push for shorter, more generic queries.