Why my rank changes across the map
Google weighs how close each business is to the searcher, so your position changes as the searcher moves.
Google says it ranks local results on three things:
- Relevance: how well a business matches the search
- Distance: how far the business is from the searcher
- Prominence: how well known the business is, from reviews, ratings and mentions around the web
Distance changes at every grid point. Near your address you usually rank higher. Further out, a competitor closer to that point can overtake you, even if your profile is stronger.
What the pattern tells you
- Strong near you, weak further out: normal. The question is how far your reach extends before you drop out.
- Weak even next to your address: relevance or prominence is holding you back. Check that your primary category matches the search term and compare your reviews with the businesses that outrank you.
- Strong on one side, weak on the other: often a cluster of competitors on the weak side.
The distance between points matters
A wider spacing covers more ground, so more points fall far from you and the map usually looks weaker. Compare scans with the same grid and spacing.
What you can change
You can't move your address, but relevance and prominence decide how far your reach extends:
- your primary category and extra categories
- the services and description on your profile
- the number, rating and freshness of your reviews
- mentions and listings on other sites, such as directories and local news
The fix list under your results points to the ones where you trail the competition most.
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