Reading local ranking grid results
How to interpret your local ranking grid results and identify opportunities.
Reading local ranking grid results
The grid map view
Your results display on an interactive map with colored markers at each grid point.
Marker colors
| Color | Position | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 1-3 | In the Local Pack - excellent! |
| Yellow | 4-10 | Visible but below the pack |
| Orange | 11-20 | Low visibility |
| Red | 20+ or not found | Not appearing |
Clicking a marker
Click any grid point to see:
- Your exact position
- Top 3 competitors at this location
- Historical ranking at this point
- Distance from your business
Summary metrics
Above the grid, you'll see aggregate stats:
Visibility score
Percentage of grid points where you rank in top 20:
- 80-100%: Excellent coverage
- 60-79%: Good, with some gaps
- 40-59%: Moderate - opportunities exist
- Below 40%: Significant improvement needed
Average position
Your mean ranking across all grid points:
- 1-3: Dominant presence
- 4-7: Competitive
- 8-15: Room to improve
- 15+: Need significant work
Top 3 rate
Percentage of points where you're in positions 1-3:
- This is your "Local Pack" appearance rate
- Higher = more visibility without scrolling
Keyword breakdown
Switch between keywords to see how rankings differ:
You might rank:
- #2 everywhere for "plumber"
- #8 everywhere for "emergency plumber"
This reveals where to focus optimization.
Competitor analysis
The View as business dropdown lets you see the grid from a competitor's perspective:
- See their coverage vs. yours
- Identify where you beat them
- Find areas where they dominate
Trend tracking
Daily summary
If checking daily, see trends:
- Is your visibility improving?
- Are you losing ground in certain areas?
- How do weekday vs. weekend differ?
Historical comparison
Compare current results to:
- Last week
- Last month
- Custom date range
Geographic patterns
Look for patterns in your results:
Strong in one direction
If you rank well North but poorly South:
- Competitor might be South of you
- Consider targeted local content
Distance decay
Ranking drops as you move away from your location:
- Normal for Google Maps
- Focus optimization on your core service area
Inconsistent results
Random variation across the grid:
- May indicate unstable rankings
- Google testing different results