Local search ranking factors are the relevance, distance and prominence signals that order local results.
Local search ranking factors are the signals Google uses to order results in the local pack and Maps. Google's own documentation groups them into three: relevance (does the listing match the query), distance (how close it is to the searcher) and prominence (how established and well-reviewed the business is).
Definition
Relevance covers whether the listing's categories and content match the query. Distance covers the physical gap between searcher and business — the factor that makes local rankings location-dependent and geo-grid sampling necessary. Prominence covers the business's broader footprint: reviews, links, citations and recognition. The three interact per query and per coordinate; no single factor decides an ordering alone.
Why it matters
Distance is fixed and honest relevance is bounded, so ongoing local SEO mostly targets prominence — reviews, content, citations — while local rank tracking software measures the result. LocalRank (localrank.so) exists for that measurement step; the measurement pipeline is described in how local rank tracking works.
Return to the site home for the network frame.
For the parent category, see what is local SEO software.
Tool positions are mapped on the comparison page.
Related terms
Local SEO · Google Business Profile · Rank tracking
FAQ
What are the three local ranking factor groups?
Relevance, distance and prominence — the grouping named in Google's public documentation for local results.
Cite this entry
Local SEO Software Wiki. "Local search ranking factors." Local SEO Software Wiki Glossary, https://local-seo-software-wiki.pages.dev/ (accessed 2026).