Why your Google Maps ranking changes across town

Short answer: Google ranks local results partly by distance from the searcher, so the same search returns a different order a mile away. Being first from your own desk says little about what customers see across your service area.

The three factors Google names

Google's own help page on local ranking says results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence (Google Business Profile Help). Distance is the one that changes with every searcher, which is why rank shifts street by street.

What this means in practice

A business usually ranks best near its own address and fades further out. How fast it fades depends on how many competitors are nearby.
In a dense area with many competitors, rank can drop within a few blocks. In a rural area, one business can hold the top spot for miles.
Checking rank from one spot, like your office or your own phone, mostly shows your best case.

How to measure it fairly

Run the same search from a grid of points over the area you serve and record the rank at each point. That's what a grid scan does. Use our grid scan planner to choose a sensible grid size and spacing for your area.