Local SEO, explained for business owners.
Local SEO is how you get found when people nearby search for what you do. Here's how it works and where to start.
The basics
Google uses three factors
Google says local results are based mainly on relevance (how well you match the search), distance (how far you are from the searcher) and prominence (how well known and well reviewed you are). You can't pay to rank higher in the map results.
Your category matters most
Experts surveyed for Whitespark's 2026 ranking factors put your primary Google category first. Choose the most specific one that's true, then add the others that apply.
Rankings change street by street
Because distance counts, you can be first on one street and missing two miles away. A rank map shows the whole picture, which a single search from your shop can't.
Guides
How to rank higher on Google Maps
What actually moves your position in the map, what doesn't, and how to measure it.
Learn more about How to rank higher on Google MapsGoogle Maps rank maps explained
What a rank grid shows, how to read the colours, and how to use it without fooling yourself.
Learn more about Google Maps rank maps explainedFrom the blog
Local SEO statistics for 2026: how customers find and choose local businesses
How people search, how fast they decide, what Google rewards and how AI assistants are changing local search, with every figure sourced.
Learn more about Local SEO statistics for 2026: how customers find and choose local businessesWhy did my Google Maps ranking drop? How to find the cause and fix it
Check it's a real drop, then work through the nine most common causes in order, from suspensions and edits to reviews drying up.
Learn more about Why did my Google Maps ranking drop? How to find the cause and fix itKey terms
- Apple Business Connect
- Apple's free tool for managing how your business appears in Apple Maps, Siri and Wallet. People searching Apple Maps on an iPhone see this listing, so claim it and keep it matching your Google profile.
- Bing Places for Business
- Microsoft's free business listing for Bing search and Bing Maps. Bing's index also feeds other assistants, including Copilot, so a complete Bing listing is a cheap way to widen where you can be found. You can import your Google profile to set it up.
- Citation
- Any online mention of your business name, address and phone number, usually on a directory such as Yell, Yelp or Facebook. Consistent citations help Google and AI assistants trust that your details are correct.
- Geogrid
- A map showing where your business ranks on Google Maps for a search from many points across your area, for example a 7 by 7 grid of pins. It shows the streets where you're top three and where you disappear, which a single ranking check can't.
- Local Finder
- The longer list of businesses with a map that opens when someone taps "More places" under the map pack. Businesses ranked fourth and below appear here.
- Local pack
- The box of usually three businesses with a map that Google shows for searches like "dentist near me". It sits above most normal results, so being in it brings a large share of calls and visits.
- Local SEO
- Everything that helps a business appear when people nearby search for what it offers: a complete Google profile, the right categories, steady reviews, consistent listings and a website with clear local pages.
- NAP
- Your business Name, Address and Phone number. NAP consistency means these match exactly across your Google profile, website and listings, so customers and search engines aren't confused by old details.
- Prominence
- One of the three things Google says decide local rankings, alongside relevance and distance. It's how well known and well regarded a business is, judged from reviews, links, articles and listings.
- Distance
- How far a business is from the person searching, or from the place named in their search. It's one of Google's three local ranking factors and the one you can't change, which is why rankings differ street by street.
- Relevance
- How well a business matches what someone searched for. Google judges it from your categories, services, description, reviews and website, which is why complete, accurate profiles rank for more searches.
Features that help
Google Maps rank map
Shows where you rank on Google Maps across your area, street by street, and who beats you where.
Learn more about Google Maps rank mapReview requests
Text and email requests with a one-tap review link, sent after every visit.
Learn more about Review requestsGoogle posts on autopilot
Posts for your Google profile, drafted from your business details and approved from an email.
Learn more about Google posts on autopilotReports and dashboards
See the calls, directions and clicks Google sends you, your rating progress and every review, in one report.
Learn more about Reports and dashboardsOther topics
Google Business Profile
Set up, fill in and maintain the listing most customers see first.
Learn more about Google Business ProfileReviews
Get more reviews the right way, reply well and protect your rating.
Learn more about ReviewsAI search
How ChatGPT, Google's AI answers and other assistants pick local businesses.
Learn more about AI searchCalls and enquiries
Answer every call and message fast, so searches turn into customers.
Learn more about Calls and enquiriesWebsites and ads
Local websites that convert, and ads that bring calls rather than clicks.
Learn more about Websites and ads
See where you rank before you spend another dollar on marketing.
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