Local SEO success hinges on understanding the key ranking signals that influence visibility in search results. Based on research and expert insights, the top 25 local search ranking factors are:
- Signals from Google Business Profile (formerly GMB)
- Appropriateness of the business category
- Proximity to the searcher
- Physical location within the city being searched
- Quantity and quality of structured citations, such as directory listings and data aggregators
- Inclusion of keywords in the business name
- Volume and quality of inbound links
- Keywords in the Google Business Profile description
- Number and quality of Google reviews
- Keywords in the website URL
- Presence in industry-specific local directories
- Listings across multiple directories
- Consistency of business information across directories
- Personalisation in content and offerings
- On-page keyword optimisation
- Quantity and quality of unstructured citations (e.g., mentions in news articles or blogs)
- Domain authority
- Quantity and quality of images and videos in the Google Business Profile
- Website page load speed
- Mobile-friendliness
- Implementation of schema markup
- User behaviour metrics, such as click-through rates and time spent on site
- Historical data including the age of the business and its online presence
- Linkage and proximity of social media profiles
- Social media engagement signals like shares, likes, and followers
These factors are dynamic, continuously evolving with Google’s algorithms. Achieving sustained Local SEO performance requires ongoing optimisation across these areas. Technical users can refer to Google’s developer announcements and feature guidelines for further details.
