Local SEO Basics: Relevance, Distance, Prominence
Local SEO basics is understanding how Google picks nearby places for searches such as “Italian restaurant” in Maps and Search. Google names three main factors: relevance, distance and prominence. It also states outright that you cannot request or pay for a better local ranking. Below: what each factor means per the Google Business Profile Help page, what you can do yourself and which popular claims (“46% of queries are local”, “behavioral factors”, “three cards”) that page does not support.
The three factors of local results
Google’s help page: when a customer searches for a business or place nearby, they find local results on Google Maps and Search, and Google tries to show the kind of nearby business they would like to visit. Results are mainly based on three factors that together help find the best match:
| Factor | What the help page says | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | how well a profile matches what someone is searching for; complete and detailed business info helps Google understand the business | fill in category, description, address, hours, attributes |
| Distance | how far the business is from the searcher; if the customer doesn’t share a location, Google uses what it knows about it | not manageable; provide the real address and service area |
| Prominence | how well-known a business is; based, among other things, on how many websites link to the business and how many reviews it has; more reviews and positive ratings can help ranking | work on reviews, earn mentions and links (reviews, link tactics) |
The help page names none of the factors “the main one” and sets no weights. Any percentages of influence found in rankings of local factors are estimates from third-party studies, not Google documentation.
You cannot pay for a position
The help page notes separately: there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking, and Google keeps the details of the algorithm confidential so the system stays fair. All that remains is to describe the business well.
What to do: steps from the help page
- Verify the business. That tells Google you are authorized to represent it; verified profiles are more likely to show up in results.
- Keep information complete and up to date. Full address if the business has a place customers can visit; business hours, including special hours; category; other details such as parking or Wi-Fi. Inaccurate info can mean your profile does not show up for relevant searches.
- Respond to reviews. Replies show you value customers’ feedback; positive reviews and helpful replies can help you stand out (the lesson on reviews).
- Add photos and videos. They show what you offer and tell the story of the business.
- For retail in eligible countries — in-store products. They can show in local results, and customers can see what is in stock.
How to run the profile itself is covered in the lesson on Google Business Profile, and how to align business data on other sites in the lesson on citations and NAP.
What the website does
The website takes part in local search through the ordinary rules (Google Search essentials): pages understandable to people and search, descriptive titles (titles and meta descriptions), honest contact information. Separate documentation exists for marking up business data: LocalBusiness structured data with required properties such as name and address; the markup is to be validated in the Rich Results Test (a general review is in the lesson on structured data). The markup does not replace the profile and does not guarantee a position in Maps.
What is not in the help page
- “46% of all queries have local intent” and other market shares are third-party statistics.
- “The three cards of the local block are a separate algorithm” — the help page speaks of local results on Maps and Search, not of how the block is built.
- “Behavioral factors” — not mentioned.
- “NAP consistency” as a separate factor — not mentioned; the page asks for complete and accurate information (more in the lesson on citations).
That does not mean the above is wrong: it is practice or external data. But use it as hypotheses, not as documented rules.
Checklist
- The business is verified; address, hours, category and attributes are filled in and current.
- The profile has photos and videos and replies to reviews.
- Details on the website match the profile.
- LocalBusiness markup is set up and validated on pages carrying business data.
- You do not promise clients “a position for money”: you cannot pay for local ranking.
- Market figures are used as hypotheses, not as Google rules.
Mistakes
- Treating the profile as “the main signal” with a known weight.
- Leaving the profile incomplete or outdated.
- Buying reviews and links for ranking (link equity).
- Treating distance as something you can manage: it depends on the searcher’s place.
- Believing “46% of queries are local” without a source.
What next
Next comes Google Business Profile for local SEO: how to fill in a profile so it matches queries (relevance) and how to maintain it afterwards.