Local Rank Tracking For SEO Campaigns

The digital landscape is fiercely competitive for local businesses. Having a strong online presence is no longer optional; it’s essential. Local rank tracking is key to working to unlock this potential, but navigating the complexities of local SEO metrics and tools can be daunting. 

How does one even know where their website ranks in local search results if Google tailors results for each user based on their current location?

This article dives into the different ways marketers track local rankings for either their website or Google Business Profile, and breaks down the concepts needed to understand reports from any local seo tracking tool.

Importance of Local Rank Tracking for Businesses

Local rank tracking plays a pivotal role in the success of businesses, especially those with a physical presence or those targeting specific geographic areas. It allows you to:

• Monitor your position in local search results: See how your business ranks on Google Maps and local searches for relevant keywords.
• Gain valuable insights: Understand your visibility to nearby customers and identify any ranking fluctuations leading to lead drops.
• Track progress towards local SEO dominance: Measure the effectiveness of your local SEO efforts and compare against previous time periods.
• Analyze competitor strategies: See how your competitors are performing and strategize accordingly.

Different Kinds of Tracking: Google Search and Google Maps

The first important distinction to make is what platform you are trying to measure. The two main platforms where people like to search for local businesses would be Google Maps and Google Search. Although users may not frequently open their Maps app to look for businesses like attorneys or contractors, the first large section of a Search Engine Results Page is taken up by the Map Pack. Making the Maps rankings the most important as far as organic inbound leads are concerned. 

Depending on the industry, there are different breakdowns for how many leads can be acquired on Google Search vs Google Maps, however, most local businesses which rank highly on both platforms report on the majority of their leads coming in from the Google Business Profile.

Google Search – Organic Ranks

When you search for a local service or business, and you get text listings only, these are the traditional rankings that you would be acquiring through the use of web pages from your business site.

These rankings typically look the same across entire cities, but can be segmented to show different results based on even neighborhoods or zip codes.

Google Maps – Local/Map Ranks

When you search for a local service or business, you get a section where there are Google Business listings being served (typically 3 listings until you click to view more). Or when you open your Google Maps App and search for the local service from the platform directly.

These rankings typically are varied across the map and will drop off the farther away you get from a Google Business Profile’s location (or location center for Service Area Businesses). Competition can certainly get in the way if you are too close to an authoritative competing business, but otherwise, we see the radius as a circular shape surrounding the Google Business Profile.

Using Local Rank Tracking to Identify and Analyze Competitors

By checking local rankings, we can identify which competitors we are more directly competing against. We recommend using a geogrid tool to view the map rankings for other competitors. This way you can really see who performs better across the map instead of potentially confusing yourself by searching from a spot they rank better in (right on top of their location).

On TrackRight, we can simply click on an individual node to open up the competitor selection list. This then allows us to view the GeoGrid snapshot without having to run another set of credits. Meaning that your geogrids not only track the rankings of your Google Business Profile, but also that of all other competitors in that area. Giving you the insights to view how Search rankings correlate with Maps rankings.

Customizable Reports and Analytics Provided by Trackright

TrackRight goes beyond generic reports, offering customizable analytics to meet your specific needs:

• Choose Your Metrics: Select the data points that matter most to you, from rankings and traffic to engagement and lead generation.
• Define Your Reporting Frequency: Receive reports daily, weekly, or monthly to stay on top of your local performance and track progress over time.
• Schedule Automatic Delivery: Save time by automating report delivery to your inbox or preferred platform.

Share with Clients: Easily share customized reports with clients to showcase your SEO efforts and their impact on local visibility.

TrackRight empowers you to gain a deeper understanding of your local SEO performance through tailored reports and analytics. This empowers you to make data-driven decisions, optimize your local strategy, and demonstrate success to stakeholders.

The Benefits of Utilizing Trackright for Local Rank Tracking

Unleash the power of local search with TrackRight. Our comprehensive local rank tracking offers a multitude of benefits:

• Precise data: Track your position on Google Maps and local search results for crucial local visibility.
• Actionable insights: Gain expert recommendations to optimize your Google My Business listing and outrank competitors.
• Advanced geogrids: Understand how your ranking varies across different locations, enabling targeted local SEO strategies.

Experience the TrackRight difference by getting started with a trial today.