Local Ranking Factors Revealed by Google

Google has made significant updates to its help page on local ranking factors. For the first time, Google provided specific guidelines on how businesses can increase their chances of being found by searchers on Google Maps, both on mobile and desktop. This update, alongside the recent release of the Google My Business API, reinforces Google’s focus on helping business owners manage their listings more effectively and with greater clarity.

Local Ranking Factors Revealed by Google

While some users note that the updated page is more re-worded and clearer rather than completely changed, it offers valuable insights into how local search rankings work. According to Google, local searches are now based on three main factors: relevance, distance and prominence.

1. Relevance

“Relevance refers to how well a local listing matches what someone is searching for. Adding complete and detailed business information can help Google better understand your business and match your listing to relevant searches.” Essentially, the more accurate and detailed your business listing is, the better your chances of being matched with relevant search queries. This makes it crucial for businesses to keep their listings updated with correct and comprehensive information, including hours, services and contact details.

2. Distance

“Just like it sounds – how far is each potential search result from the location term used in a search? If a user doesn’t specify a location in their search, Google will calculate distance based on what’s known about their location.” Distance plays a key role in local search results, especially on mobile devices. If no specific location is mentioned in the search, Google will use the searcher’s known location to determine proximity.

3. Prominence

“Prominence refers to how well-known a business is. Some places are more prominent in the offline world and search results try to reflect this in local ranking. For example, famous museums, landmark hotels or well-known store brands that are familiar to many people are also likely to be prominent in local search results.” Prominence considers a business’s reputation both online and offline. High-profile businesses are likely to rank better simply because they are more well-known. However, prominence isn’t just based on fame. The amount of information Google has about a business, such as links, articles and listings in directories, also contributes to its prominence score. This reinforces the importance of practising good local SEO, such as obtaining backlinks and being mentioned in online publications or directories.

No Paid Shortcuts

One crucial point Google stresses is that businesses cannot pay for better local rankings. Google aims to keep its search algorithm confidential and as fair as possible for all users: “There’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google. We do our best to keep the details of the search algorithm confidential to make the ranking system as fair as possible for everyone.” The update to Google’s local ranking guidelines serves as a timely reminder for businesses to focus on three core areas: providing detailed and accurate information, optimising for local SEO and enhancing their prominence both online and offline. For businesses looking to improve their local search rankings, it’s clear that adhering to best practices is key. This means consistently updating your Google My Business profile, encouraging customer reviews and focusing on building your online presence through quality content and local citations. If you’d like more information on improving your local search ranking, or for help with optimising your online business presence, get in touch with the SEO experts at The Last Hurdle. Call us on 01604 654545 or email hello@thelasthurdle.co.uk.