When someone searches "roofing contractor near me" or "car accident lawyer in Ocala," Google shows a map with a short list of businesses. In our review we record where you appear in that list. For example, "#2 of 19" means Google showed 19 companies and you were second.
Google says it ranks these results on three things: relevance (does your listing match the search), distance (how close you are to the searcher) and prominence (how well known and well reviewed you are).
Most calls from the map go to the first few companies. Fall from #2 to #6 and you can lose most of the calls that search was sending you, without anything looking different to you.
Your position also changes with the searcher's location. You may be #1 across the street from your office and missing entirely five miles away, in the town where your best customers live.
We measure your position on a grid of points across your service area, not just from your own office, so you can see where you're strong and where you disappear. Then we work on what Google says it weighs: a complete, accurate listing, steady reviews, matching business details across the web, and website pages for the towns you serve.
An honest limit
Nobody can move your office. Distance is real, and a company based in the next town will usually outrank you on searches made inside that town. What you can change is prominence and relevance, and in most markets those are enough to win the towns around you.
Source: Google, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google".
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