knowledge base270 articles
knowledge base/local & reputation
glossary term

"The Three Local Ranking Factors: Relevance, Distance, Prominence"

The three factors Google says it uses to rank local search results.

What it means

Google describes local ranking as a mix of three things: relevance (how well your listing matches what someone searched for), distance (how close your business is to the searcher or the area they searched), and prominence (how well-known and well-reviewed your business is, both online and off).

Why it matters

You can't fully control distance, but relevance and prominence are things a business can actively work on — filling out your listing accurately, choosing the right categories, and building up genuine reviews. Understanding the split helps you focus effort on the two factors you can actually move.

ask datanephew

Can datanephew tell me how I score on these three factors?

Partly. Google doesn't publish a score for any of the three, so neither does datanephew. With your Business Profile connected it reads what feeds relevance (your categories, description and services) and prominence (your reviews) for free. Distance shows up in a Maps rank check from spots you choose, which is Premium Research: you see where you rank near your location and where you drop off.

Which of the three should I focus on first?

As a general rule, prominence (reviews and reputation) is the one most businesses have the most room to improve — and, unlike distance, it's one you can work on. datanephew can show how your review count compares with the businesses ranking around you for the same search.