A full breakdown of every signal Google uses to decide which three businesses appear at the top of local search — and how strongly each factor influences your position.
The Three Core Signals
Google states clearly that local results are ranked on three factors. Everything else — reviews, citations, GBP optimisation — exists to strengthen one or more of these three signals.
How well your profile matches what someone is searching for. Driven by your GBP categories, services, description and keywords Google associates with your listing.
Key levers
Primary category · Secondary categories · Services list · GBP description · Q&A content
How far your business is from the person searching. Google uses the searcher's location, your registered address, and your declared service area.
Key levers
Registered address · Service area configuration · Location pages · Localised content
How well-known and authoritative Google considers your business to be. The most competitive signal — influenced by reviews, citations and online mentions.
Key levers
Review count · Review velocity · Citation consistency · Backlinks · GBP engagement
How We Apply This
Most agencies fix the GBP and stop. We work through all twelve signals — starting with the highest-impact factors. Monthly geo grid reports track movement at every postcode so you can see exactly what is working.
If any of these sound familiar, your ranking is being held back. And there may be other issues you can't see from the outside. Your free audit shows you exactly what's going on — and what it would take to fix it.
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