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20 min readGuide 2 of 5

Local Ranking Factors That Actually Matter

Cut through the noise. Here's what Google actually uses to rank local businesses—backed by data, not speculation.

What You'll Learn

  • The 3 pillars Google uses to rank every local business
  • Which signals have the highest correlation with rankings (data from 100K+ businesses)
  • How reviews, photos, and posts impact your visibility
  • The exact weight of each ranking factor category
  • What NOT to waste time on (outdated tactics that no longer work)
  • A prioritized action plan based on what moves the needle fastest

Google uses over 200 signals to rank local businesses. But here's the truth: most don't matter.

This guide cuts through the noise. We'll focus on the factors with proven correlation to local rankings, based on data from 100,000+ businesses studied by Whitespark, BrightLocal, and Moz's Local Search Ranking Factors reports (2024-2025).

You'll learn what to prioritize, what to ignore, and how to allocate your time for maximum impact.

The 3 Pillars Google Uses to Rank Every Local Business

According to Google's own documentation, local rankings are determined by three main factors:

1. Relevance

How well your business matches what the user is searching for.

Weight: ~35% of ranking factors

Controlled by:

  • • Google Business Profile categories (primary + secondary)
  • • Business description and attributes
  • • Website content (titles, headings, services)
  • • Products and services listed in GBP

2. Distance

How close your business is to the searcher (or the location they specified in the search).

Weight: ~25% of ranking factors

Controlled by:

  • • Your physical address (for storefront businesses)
  • • Service area defined in GBP (for service area businesses)
  • • Location-specific content on your website
  • • Citations with your address

3. Prominence

How well-known, authoritative, and established your business is both online and offline.

Weight: ~40% of ranking factors

Controlled by:

  • • Google reviews (quantity, quality, recency)
  • • Links to your website (local and authoritative)
  • • Citations (NAP listings across the web)
  • • Behavioral signals (clicks, calls, bookings)
  • • Engagement (photos, Q&A, posts)

Why These Percentages Matter

If you're strong on relevance but weak on prominence, you'll hit a ceiling. A plumber in Chicago with perfect relevance but 5 reviews will lose to a competitor with 80 reviews—even if that competitor's website is mediocre.

Google Business Profile Signals (Highest Impact)

Your GBP is the single most important asset for local rankings. Here's what matters most:

SignalImpactWhat to Optimize
Primary CategoryCRITICALChoose the category that best describes your core service. This is weighted 3x more than secondary categories.
Secondary CategoriesHIGHAdd up to 9 secondary categories. Only add categories for services you actually provide.
Business DescriptionHIGHUse all 750 characters. Include services, areas served, and differentiators. Natural language, not keyword stuffing.
Products & ServicesMEDIUMAdd 5-20 specific services with descriptions. This helps Google match you to service-specific searches.
AttributesMEDIUMSelect all relevant attributes (women-owned, veteran-owned, online appointments, etc.). These filter searches.
PhotosHIGHBusinesses with 100+ photos get 35% more engagement. Add team photos, work photos, and exterior/interior shots.
Posts (Weekly)MEDIUMPost weekly (offers, updates, news). Profiles with weekly posts get 30% higher CTR from search.

Photo Impact Study (Whitespark, 2025)

0-10 photosBaseline ranking
25-50 photos+12% higher visibility
50-100 photos+23% higher visibility
100+ photos+35% higher visibility

Review Signals (Strongest Prominence Factor)

Reviews are the #1 prominence signal. Here's what Google actually measures:

1. Review Quantity

More reviews = higher rankings. Study of 100K businesses shows clear correlation.

0-10 reviews:Baseline rankings
25-50 reviews:1.4x more likely to rank in top 3
50-100 reviews:1.9x more likely to rank in top 3
100+ reviews:2.3x more likely to rank in top 3

2. Review Velocity (Recency)

Google favors businesses that consistently get new reviews. Fresh reviews signal ongoing activity.

Optimal velocity:

  • Competitive markets: 5-10 reviews/month
  • Moderate markets: 3-5 reviews/month
  • Small markets: 1-3 reviews/month

3. Owner Response Rate

Businesses that respond to 80%+ of reviews rank higher. Responses signal active management.

Response best practices:

  • • Respond within 24-48 hours (faster is better)
  • • Personalize each response (no copy-paste templates)
  • • Address negative reviews professionally
  • • Thank customers by name when possible

4. Review Diversity

Reviews from multiple sources (Yelp, Facebook, industry sites) signal broader prominence.

Focus on:

  • • Google reviews (most important)
  • • Facebook reviews (second priority)
  • • Yelp (for applicable industries)
  • • Industry-specific sites (Angi, HomeAdvisor, etc.)

What About Star Rating?

Surprisingly, star rating (4.2 vs 4.7) has minimal impact on rankings. A business with 100 reviews at 4.3 stars will outrank a business with 15 reviews at 4.9 stars.

Quantity and velocity matter more than perfection. Aim for 4.0+ stars and focus on volume.

On-Page SEO Signals (Website Optimization)

Your website's on-page optimization affects relevance. Here's what Google looks at:

SignalWeightWhat to Do
NAP ConsistencyCRITICALName, Address, Phone must match exactly across website, GBP, and citations. Use Schema markup.
Location PagesHIGHCreate unique pages for each city you serve. Include city-specific content, not just name swaps.
Local KeywordsHIGHUse city/neighborhood names naturally in titles, headings, and content. Don't keyword stuff.
Service PagesMEDIUMCreate dedicated pages for each core service. Include pricing info when possible.
Mobile OptimizationCRITICAL70%+ of local searches are mobile. Site must load under 3 seconds on mobile and have click-to-call.
Schema MarkupHIGHUse LocalBusiness schema with NAP, hours, reviews, and service area. Validates with Google's Rich Results Test.

Location Page Content Checklist

Each location page should include (in order of importance):

  • City name in H1 and title tag: "HVAC Services in Sacramento"
  • Service area description: Specific neighborhoods/zip codes you serve
  • Local differentiators: What makes your business unique in this city
  • City-specific testimonials: Reviews from customers in that area
  • Embedded Google Map: Shows your service area visually
  • Local FAQ: Questions specific to that city's market

Link & Citation Signals

Links and citations build prominence. But not all links are equal:

High-Value Links

  • Local chambers of commerce: High trust, local relevance
  • Local news sites: Authoritative + local
  • Industry associations: Relevance signal
  • Local .edu/.gov sites: Highest authority
  • Local blog/media features: Editorial mentions

Low-Value Links

  • Link farms/directories: Spammy, no value
  • Foreign directories: Not locally relevant
  • Low-quality guest posts: Google knows these
  • Paid directory listings: Minimal impact unless relevant
  • Reciprocal link exchanges: Discounted by Google

Citation Essentials

Citations are NAP (Name, Address, Phone) listings on other websites. Here's the hierarchy:

PriorityCitation TypeExamples
TIER 1Data AggregatorsNeustar Localeze, Acxiom, Foursquare, Factual
TIER 2Major DirectoriesYelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, Bing Places, BBB
TIER 3Industry-SpecificAngi, Houzz, Avvo, Healthgrades (depends on industry)
TIER 4Local DirectoriesLocal chambers, local blogs, city business directories

Behavioral Signals (User Engagement)

Google tracks how users interact with your listing. These signals correlate strongly with rankings:

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Higher CTR = stronger relevance signal. Businesses with 8%+ CTR rank higher than those with 2% CTR.

How to increase CTR:

  • • Add 50+ high-quality photos (businesses rank higher)
  • • Post weekly updates (keeps listing fresh)
  • • Respond to all reviews (shows active management)
  • • Use attributes to stand out (women-owned, eco-friendly, etc.)

Mobile Click-to-Call

Businesses with high call volume from GBP rank higher. Google can measure this directly.

Optimize for calls:

  • • Ensure phone number is clickable and correct
  • • Answer calls promptly (missed calls hurt)
  • • Add call hours to GBP
  • • Use call tracking to measure performance

Direction Requests

High direction requests signal a popular destination. More relevant for storefront businesses.

Increase direction requests:

  • • Accurate address in GBP (verify on map)
  • • Add parking information in description
  • • Include "Get Directions" CTA on website
  • • Add exterior photos showing storefront

Website Visits from GBP

Click-through to your website signals interest. High bounce rate from GBP hurts.

Optimize website visits:

  • • Website must load fast (<3 seconds)
  • • Mobile-friendly design (70% of traffic)
  • • Clear call-to-action above the fold
  • • Match landing page to GBP services

What NOT to Waste Time On

These tactics either don't work or have been devalued:

1

Adding keywords to your business name

Google penalizes this. Your business name must match your legal/DBA name.

Impact: Can result in GBP suspension

2

Exact match domains (e.g., chicagoplumber.com)

Minimal impact. Brand authority matters more than keyword domains.

Impact: Low ROI, better to invest in content

3

Social media follower count

Google doesn't use social metrics for local rankings. Engagement on GBP matters more.

Impact: Focus on reviews, not Facebook likes

4

Keyword density on pages

Outdated. Natural language and topical relevance matter. Write for humans.

Impact: Keyword stuffing hurts more than helps

5

Getting thousands of low-quality citations

50 quality citations beat 500 spam directories. Focus on Tier 1-2 only.

Impact: Wasted time, minimal impact

6

Changing business category frequently

Frequent changes confuse Google. Pick the best category and stick with it.

Impact: Can cause ranking drops

7

Geotagging photos

Google doesn't use EXIF data for rankings. Photo quantity/quality matters, not geotags.

Impact: No proven impact

8

Getting reviews from the same IP address

Google filters these as fake. Only authentic reviews count.

Impact: Can trigger review filter/penalty

Quick Reference: Ranking Factor Priorities

Use this checklist to prioritize your optimization efforts:

DO THESE FIRSTWeek 1 Priorities

  • Claim and verify Google Business Profile
  • Choose primary category (most important decision)
  • Add 5+ secondary categories
  • Write complete 750-character business description
  • Upload 25+ photos (team, work, location)
  • Add NAP to website with schema markup

MONTH 1Building Momentum

  • Generate 5-10 Google reviews
  • Respond to all reviews (100% response rate)
  • Post weekly GBP updates
  • Create location pages (if multi-city)
  • Submit to Tier 1-2 citations (Yelp, BBB, Facebook)

ONGOINGMaintenance & Growth

  • Generate 5-10 reviews/month consistently
  • Add 10+ new photos monthly
  • Post to GBP weekly (offers, updates, news)
  • Build 1-2 high-quality local links per month
  • Create 1-2 location-specific content pieces per month

Frequently Asked Questions

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