Local rank grid guide: how to read a Google Maps heatmap

A local rank grid checks the same Google Maps search from a set of fixed locations. The result is a heatmap that shows where a business ranks well, where it is weak and where it does not appear.

It solves a basic reporting problem: a business does not have one local ranking. The result can change after the searcher moves a few streets, even when the keyword stays the same.

Why one manual search is misleading

A search from your office is biased toward the office. It can also be personalised, affected by device location and limited to one phrase. A screenshot of position two proves only that the business appeared second for that particular search in that particular place.

In the 480-grid study, 67% of recorded business appearances within 1 km of the address were outside the top three. Across a typical 25-point grid, Google returned 65 different businesses and only about 20 reached the top three anywhere. The result set was changing across the map.

What the colours usually mean

• Positions 1 to 3: visible in the standard Map Pack and strong candidates for clicks or calls.
• Positions 4 to 10: present, but usually requires the customer to open more results.
• Positions 11 to 20: weak discovery visibility.
• Not returned: absent from the provider's recorded local results at that point.

Tool colour schemes vary. Read the underlying position and the not-returned state, not just a green or red average.

How to choose the right keyword

Start with the non-branded phrases a valuable new customer would use. “Plumber” and “blocked drain plumber” are different markets. “Physio” and “sports physiotherapist” can produce different competitors and different intent.

• Use one broad commercial phrase for market coverage.
• Add a small set of high-value services the business genuinely provides.
• Keep branded searches separate because they answer a different question.
• Do not create dozens of near-duplicate grids simply to inflate reporting.

How to place the grid

Cover the area where the business wants profitable customers, not an arbitrary square around the address. Include the business location, meaningful demand centres and the edge of the practical service area.

Spacing should match the geography. Dense inner-city markets may need tighter points. A regional trade business can start wider. The grid size and spacing guide provides setup examples.

The five numbers worth reporting

1. Top-three coverage: the share of commercially important points ranked 1 to 3.
2. Top-ten coverage: the share ranked 1 to 10.
3. Not-returned coverage: the share where the business is absent from the recorded results.
4. Weighted coverage: more importance assigned to points with stronger demand or better customers.
5. Change on identical points: movement since the last comparable grid.

How to connect the heatmap to revenue

A green map is not the objective. The objective is more profitable enquiries from the places the business can serve well.

• Overlay qualified leads, bookings, appraisals or jobs by suburb.
• Mark areas with poor margins, excessive travel or no capacity.
• Separate visibility growth from branded demand.
• Track calls and form submissions from the Google Business Profile.
• Ask new customers where they are located and what service they wanted.

If rankings improve in an area but qualified enquiries do not, the keyword, offer, profile or landing experience may be wrong. If leads improve without broad ranking movement, other channels or brand demand may be doing the work.

How to diagnose patterns on the grid

Strong near the address, weak outside it

This is common. Check whether the target area is commercially realistic, whether closer competitors dominate it and whether the website has genuine relevance and proof for the service.

Weak everywhere, including the address

Check profile eligibility, verification, category choice, duplicate listings, suspensions, website relevance and whether the business is being returned at all.

One strong pocket away from the address

Inspect which competitors and customer landmarks sit there. Do not assume it proves a second location or a permanent ranking gain.

Sudden change across most points

Confirm that the keyword, grid, provider and profile are unchanged. Then check profile edits, eligibility, competitors, reviews, website changes and wider search volatility.

How often to rerun it

Use the same grid after a meaningful change or on a cadence that matches the business. Monthly is enough for many established businesses. Weekly can be useful during a recovery, launch or controlled test. Daily movement is usually noise unless you are investigating an incident.

See how often to check Google Maps rankings for a practical cadence.

Common local rank grid mistakes

• Comparing different grid sizes and calling the change growth.
• Changing the keyword wording between reports.
• Using an unweighted city-wide average.
• Treating every red point as a problem worth solving.
• Ignoring not-returned results.
• Reporting the heatmap without leads or customer value.
• Assuming correlation proves the cause of movement.

The practical answer

Use a local rank grid as a repeatable market map. Keep the points and queries stable, weight the areas that matter, connect coverage to enquiries and investigate patterns. The heatmap is useful when it helps a business choose what to do next, not when it produces a prettier screenshot.