What is Proximity (Local Ranking Factor)?
The searcher’s distance to the business, the heaviest local-pack input. You cannot move the searcher, so compete on the factors you control: relevance, reviews, and profile strength.
Related terms
Near Me Search
Queries resolved by the searcher’s location rather than named places. Mobile proximity dominates, so service-area accuracy and reviews outweigh keyword density.
Local Pack
The three-business map block atop local results. Pack membership runs on proximity plus profile strength, so track it separately from organic positions.
Review Signal
Rating volume, velocity, recency, and owner responses as local ranking and conversion input. A steady stream of answered reviews beats a stale perfect score.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
The free listing controlling how a business appears in Maps and local results: hours, categories, photos, reviews, posts. Complete and active profiles outrank neglected ones.
NAP Consistency
Matching Name, Address, and Phone data across listings, citations, and the site. Inconsistencies confuse entity resolution and suppress local confidence.
Local Citation
A directory or web mention of business name, address, and phone. Core citations on major platforms establish existence; niche directories add relevance per vertical.