Local SEO is measured badly more often than it is done badly. The usual measure — “where do I rank?” — has no single answer in local search, because position depends on where the searcher is standing.
Why one ranking number is meaningless
Local results are heavily proximity-weighted. You rank differently from every point on the map. A single tracked position, usually checked from the office, describes one location and tells you almost nothing about the rest of your catchment.
Measure across a grid of points spread over the area you serve. The picture that produces — strong near the premises, fading with distance — is the real one, and it shows whether your reach is growing rather than whether one arbitrary point moved.
What is worth tracking
From the Business Profile
- Calls, direction requests and website clicks. These are actions, not impressions, and they are the closest thing to a commercial measure the profile provides.
- Searches that surfaced you, split between discovery and direct. Growth in discovery means new people are finding you.
- Review volume and recency.
From the website
- Organic traffic to location and service pages specifically, not the site total.
- Enquiries by source. See how to know if SEO is working.
- Impressions and clicks for location-qualified queries in Search Console.
Commercially
Enquiries, quotes and closed work attributable to search. This is the only measure that settles whether the investment is worth continuing. See is local SEO worth it.
What not to measure
- A single ranking position for your main term.
- Rankings checked while signed in, which flatter you consistently.
- Total website traffic, which mixes local and everything else.
- Profile views alone, without the actions that followed.
A workable cadence
- Monthly: profile actions, review count, enquiries.
- Quarterly: the grid, to see whether your radius is expanding.
- Annually: year-on-year comparison, which removes seasonality.
Checking rankings weekly produces noise and invites reactions to normal fluctuation. See how long local SEO takes.
Frequently asked questions
Why do I rank differently on my phone?
Different location, and possibly a personalised history. Both change local results, which is the whole point of the grid.
Are profile insights reliable?
Directionally useful. Treat the trend as meaningful and the absolute numbers as approximate.
How do I attribute phone calls?
Use call tracking, and keep the displayed number consistent with your citations or you undermine the consistency that helps you rank. See citation building.
What is a good result?
More enquiries from the areas you want to serve. Everything else is a proxy for that.
Consulting CTA
For a local measurement setup that reflects your actual catchment, book an SEO consultation.