Google Maps
How to check where you rank on Google Maps
Searching for yourself on your own phone shows you one result from one spot, and it is often skewed by your own search history.
Tell us about your business and what you need.
The short answer
In short.
To see where you really rank, check the same search from several locations across the area you serve and record your position at each point. This is often called a rank grid. Repeat it with the same search and points each month to see what has changed.
Why searching yourself misleads you
Local results depend partly on where the searcher is. Your customer five suburbs away can see a different list from the one you see at your desk. The words they type and the time of the search can differ too.
A quick check you can do now
Ask two or three people in different suburbs to search for your main service, for example "electrician Newcastle", and send you a screenshot of the map results. It is rough, but it shows whether distance is the issue.
The rank grid
A rank grid checks one search from a set of points across your area and records your position at each one. It shows where you are strong, usually close to your address, and where you fall away.
Choose the search carefully
Measure the search a customer would actually use for the work you want. A report on one service is not a measure of visibility across everything you do. Agree the searches before measuring, and keep them the same each time so comparisons are fair.
Read it as a snapshot
Each point is one search from one location on one day. A weaker result further away can simply reflect distance. It does not prove that something on your profile is wrong.
What else to watch
Google shows you some of this directly. The performance section of your Business Profile records website clicks, calls and direction requests. Those, along with the enquiries you actually receive, matter more than any one position.
Why local search results change from street to street
Google Maps results depend on where the person searching is standing. Your business might be first in local search for someone a few streets away and nowhere for a customer across town. That is why one search from your own office tells you very little about where you rank.
What a local rank tracker measures
A local rank tracker checks the same keywords from a grid of points across your area and records your position at each one. Tracking that data monthly shows whether your Google Business Profile is reaching more customers, and which suburbs still need work. Reviews, your business categories and your location all affect the results.
From clients
What clients say about working with spareday
“Excellent in all facets of web design with particular expertise in SEO and email marketing. Online visibility has skyrocketed since working Reece which translates as flawless customer relations, new leads and new customers.”
“Huge shoutout to Reece for building my website for Hughesys Painting Services. Since it went live my phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”
“He created a stunning website for us that captures and nurtures leads with an automated email marketing system, which has filled a huge gap in the business and saved a lot of time (and money!).”
Official guidance
For independent guidance, see Google Business Profile Help.
Common questions
Questions people ask.
How often should I check my ranking?
Monthly is enough for most businesses. Use the same searches and the same points each time, so the comparison is fair.
What is a rank grid?
The same search checked from a set of points across your area, with your position recorded at each one. It shows where you are strong and where you fall away.
Who you’ll work with
Hi, I’m Reece.
spareday is my business, based here in Newcastle. You’ll deal with me from the first review of your website, and I’m the person you talk to each month about what’s working.
Find us
spareday in Newcastle.
12 Grey Street, Wickham, Newcastle NSW 2293.
Next step
Get a free growth plan.
Our Google Maps SEO service starts with a baseline grid for the searches and area we agree with you, then repeats the same checks after the work. The monthly report shows the points, the positions and the comparison with earlier measurements. Get my free growth plan to see your first grid.
Or call 0485 017 387.