Proximity to Searcher is the New #1 Local Search Ranking Factor

Details: Created: 18 April 2017

I read an interesting article today by Darren Shaw at Moz.... it's all about how the google 'local' results (the ones underneath the google map above the Google organic search results) are now seemingly based on your proximity to the business, rather than their reviews, link building etc.

In the example below, the Local Search results (the ones under the map) are based on my proximity to the business. In this example, I am on a desktop computer so Google has had to approximate my position, and therefore Connected PlumbGas is ranked as 2nd, even though it is actually closer to me than the others. Interestingly, even though the Connected PlumbGas listing has more reviews it is not listed first, the business considered to be closer in proximity is. To read more about this, click on the link at the bottom of this article.

plumber

"It is interesting to note that in today’s results, as we can see in the examples later in this post, proximity is now a huge ranking factor on desktop (as well as mobile). Google has been going “mobile-first” for years, and is there really a difference in how they process mobile and desktop local results. You just see different results because Google can get a more precise location on mobile."

What does this mean? Click here to read the full article