If you check your ranking by searching from your office, you are measuring one point out of hundreds and drawing a conclusion from it.
Where the searcher physically stands changes what Google shows. You can be first outside your building and invisible three miles away.
It places measurement points across your service area, typically 5x5 or 10x10, and checks rank at each. The result is a map of where you win and where you do not.
Checking your rank from your own office is the local SEO equivalent of grading your own homework.
A strong centre and a weak edge usually means proximity is carrying you. Weak everywhere usually means prominence, which is the workable part.
Any credible ranking guarantee has to define the region, the grid, and the threshold. Without those, "top three" means nothing measurable.
It depends on service area size. A dense urban area is well served by a 5x5; a wide rural service area usually needs a 10x10 to be meaningful.
What actually determines who appears in the local three-pack, and which factors you can genuinely influence.
Read moreThe most common reasons a local business is missing from the map pack, and how to diagnose which applies to you.
Read moreA practical checklist for getting your Google Business Profile working properly, in the order that matters.
Read moreSee ReviewPoint on your own numbers. Book a demo and we will map the fastest way to plug the leaks in your front office.