- Jun 9, 2020
- 6,584
- 3,258
2026 LOCAL PACK/Maps RANKING FACTORS
| 1 | Primary GBP Category | 227 |
| 2 | Proximity of Address to the Point of Search (Searcher-Business Distance) | 225 |
| 3 | Keywords in GBP Business Title | 223 |
| 4 | Physical Address in City of Search | 213 |
| 5 | Business is Open at Time of Search (Business Hours) | 189 |
| 6 | High Numerical Google Ratings (e.g. 4-5) | 181 |
| 7 | Address Is Showing on GBP (Not SAB) | 176 |
| 8 | Additional GBP Categories | 173 |
| 9 | Quantity of Native Google Reviews (w/text) | 170 |
| 10 | Proper Placement of the Map Pin | 165 |
| 11 | Recency of Reviews | 164 |
| 12 | Proximity of Address to Centroid | 157 |
| 13 | Click-Through Rate from Local Pack/Maps Search Results | 156 |
| 14 | Sustained Influx of Reviews Over Time (rather than bursts) | 154 |
| 15 | HTML NAP Matching GBP NAP | 153 |
| 16 | Completeness of GBP | 147 |
| 17 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Title Tag | 146 |
| 18 | Geographic (City/Neighborhood) Keyword Relevance of Content | 142 |
| 19 | Removal of spam listings through spam fighting | 137 |
| 20 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Headings (H1, H2, etc) | 135 |
| 21 | Proper Hours Set on GBP | 134 |
| 22 | Presence of GBP Predefined Services | 134 |
| 23 | Volume of Searches for Business Name | 133 |
| 24 | Dedicated Page for Each Service | 132 |
| 25 | Quality/Authority of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 127 |
| 26 | Quantity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL from Locally-Relevant Domains | 126 |
| 27 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain from Locally-Relevant Domains | 125 |
| 28 | Consistency of Citations on Primary Search Engines (Google Maps, Bing Maps, Apple Maps) | 124 |
| 29 | Verified GBP | 123 |
| 30 | Keywords in GBP Custom Service Titles | 122 |
| 31 | Quality/Authority of Inbound Links to Domain | 122 |
| 32 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Landing Page URL from Industry-Relevant Domains | 122 |
| 33 | Quantity of Engagement Signals on GBP (scrolling through listing, clicking, reacting) | 120 |
| 34 | Keywords in GBP Services | 118 |
| 35 | Website's Degree of Focus on a Specific Niche | 118 |
| 36 | Keywords in Native Google Reviews | 117 |
| 37 | Topical (Product/Service) Keyword Relevance Across Entire Website | 117 |
| 38 | Quantity of Native Google Ratings (no text) | 116 |
| 39 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain from Industry-Relevant Domains | 114 |
| 40 | In-store visits tracked by Android or Google Maps Mobile app location detection | 113 |
| 41 | Quantity of Requests for Driving Directions From GBP | 113 |
| 42 | Positive Sentiment in Review Text | 112 |
| 43 | Quantity of Reviews with Photos | 111 |
| 44 | Internal Links TO GBP Landing Page from Other Pages of Website | 110 |
| 45 | Photo & Video Quality (resolution, clarity, not stock, etc) | 108 |
| 46 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 108 |
| 47 | Internal Linking Across Entire Website | 107 |
| 48 | Presence of GBP Custom Services | 106 |
| 49 | Quality/Authority of Structured Citations | 105 |
| 50 | Reference to Location Specific Entities on GBP Landing Page | 104 |
| 51 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Internal Links | 103 |
| 52 | Quantity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 103 |
| 53 | Keywords in Title Tags Across Entire Website | 102 |
| 54 | Website Uses HTTPS by default | 102 |
| 55 | Domain Authority of Website | 102 |
| 56 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain | 102 |
| 57 | Quantity of Clicks to Call Business From GBP | 102 |
| 58 | Age of GBP (Original Creation Date) | 101 |
| 59 | High Numerical Ratings by Authority Reviewers (e.g. Yelp Elite, Google Local Guides) | 101 |
| 60 | Mobile-friendly/Responsive Website | 101 |
| 61 | Diversity of Inbound Links to Domain | 101 |
| 62 | Diversity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 101 |
| 63 | Consistency of Citations on Key Sites (Yellowpages, Yelp, D&B, CityGrid) | 101 |
| 64 | Quality/Authority of Unstructured Citations (Newspaper Articles, Blog Posts, Gov Sites) | 101 |
| 65 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain | 100 |
| 66 | Prominence on Key Industry-Relevant Domains | 100 |
| 67 | Proper Category Associations on Aggregators and Tier 1 Citation Sources | 100 |
| 68 | Page Authority of GBP Landing Page URL | 99 |
| 69 | Quantity of Citations from Locally-Relevant Domains | 99 |
| 70 | Presence of Products Added to GBP via Merchant Center | 98 |
| 71 | Keywords in Domain Name | 97 |
| 72 | Volume of Quality Content on Service Pages | 97 |
| 73 | Authority of Third-Party Sites on Which Reviews are Present | 96 |
| 74 | Photos Match Target Keywords | 95 |
| 75 | Quantity of Citations from Industry-Relevant Domains | 95 |
| 76 | Quanitity of User-Uploaded Photos | 94 |
| 77 | GBP Popular Times Section Shows Business as Busy | 93 |
| 78 | Relevancy of Photos to Categories | 93 |
| 79 | Diversity of Anchor Text to GBP Landing Page URL | 93 |
| 80 | Sustained Influx of Links Over Time (rather than bursts) | 93 |
| 81 | User Added Attributes in GBP | 92 |
| 82 | Freshness of Content on GBP Landing Page | 92 |
| 83 | Keywords in Headings (H1, H2, etc) Across Entire Website | 92 |
| 84 | Business Title in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain | 92 |
| 85 | Consistency of Citations on Data Aggregators (Infogroup, Localeze, Foursquare/Factual) | 91 |
| 86 | Presence of "Identifies as" Attributes on GBP | 90 |
| 87 | Quantity of Reviews with Videos | 90 |
| 88 | Volume of Quality Content on Entire Website | 90 |
| 89 | Recency of Photos Uploaded to GBP | 89 |
| 90 | Keywords in GBP Products | 89 |
| 91 | Enhancement/Completeness of Citations | 88 |
| 92 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page URL | 87 |
| 93 | Business Title in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 87 |
| 94 | Relevancy of Videos to Categories | 86 |
| 95 | Loadtime of GBP Landing Page | 85 |
| 96 | Quantity of Photos on GBP | 84 |
| 97 | Diversity of Anchor Text to Domain | 84 |
| 98 | Age of Business (GBP Opening Date) | 82 |
| 99 | Recency of Videos Uploaded to GBP | 82 |
| 100 | Quantity of Reviews by Authority Reviewers (e.g. Yelp Elite, Google Local Guides, etc) | 82 |
| 101 | Volume of Content on GBP Landing Page | 82 |
| 102 | Length of Dwell Time on GBP | 81 |
| 103 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Links to GBP Landing Page | 80 |
| 104 | Presence of Crowd Sourced Attributes | 79 |
| 105 | Diversity of Third-Party Sites on Which Reviews are Present | 79 |
| 106 | Quantity of Reviews on Industry-Specific Sites | 79 |
| 107 | Presence of Business on Expert Curated Best of and Similar Lists | 79 |
| 108 | Freshness of Content Across Entire Website | 78 |
| 109 | Internal Links FROM GBP Landing Page to Other Pages of Website | 78 |
| 110 | Quantity of Structured Citations (IYPs, Data Aggregators) | 78 |
| 111 | Freshness of Content on Service Pages | 77 |
| 112 | Local Area Code on GBP | 76 |
| 113 | Frequency of Owner/Manager Activity | 76 |
| 114 | High Numerical Third-Party Ratings (e.g. 4-5) | 76 |
| 115 | Quantity of Unstructured Citations (Newspaper Articles, Blog Posts) | 76 |
| 116 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Links to Domain | 75 |
| 117 | Presence of Place Topics Matching Keywords | 74 |
| 118 | NAP in Schema/JSON-LD on GBP Landing Page URL | 73 |
| 119 | Quantity of Third-Party Traditional Reviews (e.g. Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellowpages, etc) | 72 |
| 120 | Length of Dwell Time on GBP Landing Page | 72 |
| 121 | Quantity of Videos on GBP | 71 |
| 122 | Presence of Owner Responses to Most Reviews | 70 |
| 123 | Consistency of Citations on Other Citation Sources | 70 |
| 124 | Keywords in GBP Service Descriptions | 69 |
| 125 | Embedded Google Map for Location on GBP Landing Page | 69 |
| 126 | Quantity of Unlinked Brand Mentions | 69 |
| 127 | Scannable Content Structure Across Entire Website (headings, bullet points, images, etc) | 68 |
| 128 | Click-Through Rate from Organic Search Results | 68 |
| 129 | Keywords in Third-Party Reviews | 67 |
| 130 | Quantity of Reviews with Answers to Review Questions | 67 |
| 131 | Social Profiles Are Linked to GBP | 66 |
| 132 | Proper Site Architecture Organized Into Topic Areas | 66 |
| 133 | BBB Accredited | 66 |
| 134 | Presence of FAQs on GBP Landing Page | 65 |
| 135 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Unlinked Brand Mentions | 65 |
| 136 | Presence of Products Added to GBP via NMX | 64 |
| 137 | Loadtime of Pages Across Entire Website | 64 |
| 138 | Quantity of Bookings Through Google Booking Partners | 64 |
| 139 | Number of Bookings Through GBP Booking Feature | 63 |
| 140 | Quantity of Third-Party Unstructured Reviews (e.g. blogs, newspapers, magazines) | 63 |
| 141 | Presence of FAQs on Service Pages | 61 |
| 142 | Comprehensive Google Q&A Section with Owner-Seeded FAQs | 60 |
| 143 | Keywords in URLs Across Entire Website | 60 |
| 144 | Matching Google Account Domain to GBP Landing Page Domain | 58 |
| 145 | Quantity of Clicks on WhatsApp / SMS | 57 |
| 146 | Presence of Appointment URL | 56 |
| 147 | Presence of Social Media Updates on GBP | 56 |
| 148 | Frequency of Google Posts/Updates | 55 |
| 149 | Presence of 360 Tours / Immersive View | 55 |
| 150 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Meta Description | 55 |
| 151 | Sustained Output of Content Over Time (rather than bursts) | 55 |
| 152 | Setting Service Areas in GBP | 54 |
| 153 | Quanitity of Reactions to Photos/Videos | 54 |
| 154 | Keywords in Google Q&A | 54 |
| 155 | Keywords in Image ALT attributes on GBP Landing Page | 54 |
| 156 | Quantity of Engagement Signals on Website (scrolling, clicking, etc) | 54 |
| 157 | Quantity of Social Media Users Mentioning The Business | 53 |
| 158 | GBP Booking Feature is Enabled | 51 |
| 159 | Quantity of Reactions to Reviews | 50 |
| 160 | Keywords in Google Posts/Updates | 49 |
| 161 | Website Content Marked Up in Schema | 49 |
| 162 | In-store visits tracked by third-party beacon or location detection technology | 49 |
| 163 | Quantity of Products on GBP | 47 |
| 164 | Presence of Visible Keyword Text on Photos (overlay, not metadata) | 46 |
| 165 | Quantity of Transactions Identified Through Credit Card Partners | 45 |
| 166 | Quantity of Questions Asked in Google Q&A | 44 |
| 167 | Recency of Posts on Social Profiles | 44 |
| 168 | Quantity of Google Posts/Updates | 43 |
| 169 | Keywords in Image ALT attributes Across Entire Website | 43 |
| 170 | Keywords in Image Filenames on GBP Landing Page | 43 |
| 171 | Keywords in GBP Description | 41 |
| 172 | Engagement on Social Profiles | 40 |
| 173 | Quality of Posts on Social Profiles | 38 |
| 174 | Whatsapp/SMS is Enabled | 37 |
| 175 | Keywords in Image Filenames Across Entire Website | 34 |
| 176 | Linking Out to Authority Topically Relevant Sites | 34 |
| 177 | Sum of Transactions Identified Through Credit Card Partners | 34 |
| 178 | Frequency of Posts on Social Profiles | 34 |
| 179 | Keywords in Meta Descriptions Across Entire Website | 33 |
| 180 | Quantity of Posts on Social Profiles | 32 |
| 181 | Presence of Keywords in Image Metadata Fields | 30 |
| 182 | Keywords in Owner Responses to Reviews | 28 |
| 183 | Presence of XML Sitemap | 28 |
| 184 | Length of Title Tag | 26 |
| 185 | Participation in Adwords, Adwords Express, Hotel Finder, or other paid Google products | 26 |
| 186 | Follower Count on Social Profiles | 25 |
| 187 | Presence of Geo-tagged Photos | 23 |
[th]
Rank
[/th][th width="74.003%"]Factor
[/th][th width="18.6557%"]Score
[/th]2026 LOCAL ORGANIC RANKING FACTORS
| 1 | Dedicated Page for Each Service | 210 |
| 2 | Geographic (City/Neighborhood) Keyword Relevance of Content | 190 |
| 3 | Quality/Authority of Inbound Links to Domain | 187 |
| 4 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Title Tag | 179 |
| 5 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain from Industry-Relevant Domains | 175 |
| 6 | Internal Linking Across Entire Website | 174 |
| 7 | Topical (Product/Service) Keyword Relevance Across Entire Website | 172 |
| 8 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Headings (H1, H2, etc) | 169 |
| 9 | Website's Degree of Focus on a Specific Niche | 169 |
| 10 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain | 169 |
| 11 | Keywords in Title Tags Across Entire Website | 167 |
| 12 | Diversity of Inbound Links to Domain | 167 |
| 13 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain from Locally-Relevant Domains | 167 |
| 14 | Volume of Quality Content on Entire Website | 161 |
| 15 | Keywords in Headings (H1, H2, etc) Across Entire Website | 155 |
| 16 | Mobile-friendly/Responsive Website | 154 |
| 17 | Volume of Quality Content on Service Pages | 154 |
| 18 | Website Uses HTTPS by default | 154 |
| 19 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Internal Links | 154 |
| 20 | Click-Through Rate from Organic Search Results | 150 |
| 21 | Proper Site Architecture Organized Into Topic Areas | 148 |
| 22 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Landing Page URL from Industry-Relevant Domains | 148 |
| 23 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain | 147 |
| 24 | Domain Authority of Website | 146 |
| 25 | Freshness of Content Across Entire Website | 141 |
| 26 | Scannable Content Structure Across Entire Website (headings, bullet points, images, etc) | 139 |
| 27 | Diversity of Anchor Text to Domain | 138 |
| 28 | Prominence on Key Industry-Relevant Domains | 138 |
| 29 | Quality/Authority of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 136 |
| 30 | Physical Address in City of Search | 135 |
| 31 | Freshness of Content on Service Pages | 132 |
| 32 | Keywords in Domain Name | 132 |
| 33 | Business Title in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain | 132 |
| 34 | Sustained Influx of Links Over Time (rather than bursts) | 132 |
| 35 | Volume of Searches for Business Name | 129 |
| 36 | Quantity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL from Locally-Relevant Domains | 128 |
| 37 | Quality/Authority of Unstructured Citations (Newspaper Articles, Blog Posts, Gov Sites) | 125 |
| 38 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 124 |
| 39 | Internal Links TO GBP Landing Page from Other Pages of Website | 123 |
| 40 | Quantity of Citations from Industry-Relevant Domains | 121 |
| 41 | Proximity of Address to the Point of Search (Searcher-Business Distance) | 120 |
| 42 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Links to Domain | 120 |
| 43 | Quantity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 119 |
| 44 | Loadtime of Pages Across Entire Website | 118 |
| 45 | Reference to Location Specific Entities on GBP Landing Page | 116 |
| 46 | Diversity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 116 |
| 47 | Quantity of Engagement Signals on Website (scrolling pages, clicking, clicking) | 116 |
| 48 | Presence of Business on Expert Curated Best of and Similar Lists | 115 |
| 49 | Quantity of Citations from Locally-Relevant Domains | 114 |
| 50 | Quantity of Third-Party Unstructured Reviews (e.g. blogs, newspapers, magazines) | 113 |
| 51 | Loadtime of GBP Landing Page | 111 |
| 52 | Diversity of Anchor Text to GBP Landing Page URL | 111 |
| 53 | Freshness of Content on GBP Landing Page | 110 |
| 54 | Sustained Output of Content Over Time (rather than bursts) | 108 |
| 55 | HTML NAP Matching GBP NAP | 107 |
| 56 | Page Authority of GBP Landing Page URL | 106 |
| 57 | Quantity of Unstructured Citations (Newspaper Articles, Blog Posts) | 106 |
| 58 | Authority of Third-Party Sites on Which Reviews are Present | 105 |
| 59 | Diversity of Third-Party Sites on Which Reviews are Present | 102 |
| 60 | Presence of FAQs on Service Pages | 100 |
| 61 | Keywords in URLs Across Entire Website | 99 |
| 62 | Quality/Authority of Structured Citations | 99 |
| 63 | Quantity of Reviews on Industry-Specific Sites | 97 |
| 64 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page URL | 95 |
| 65 | Business Title in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 95 |
| 66 | Quantity of Third-Party Traditional Reviews (e.g. Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellowpages, etc) | 94 |
| 67 | Volume of Content on GBP Landing Page | 94 |
| 68 | Internal Links FROM GBP Landing Page to Other Pages of Website | 94 |
| 69 | Website Content Marked Up in Schema | 93 |
| 70 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Links to GBP Landing Page | 93 |
| 71 | Consistency of Citations on Primary Search Engines (Google Maps, Bing Maps, Apple Maps) | 93 |
| 72 | Proper Category Associations on Aggregators and Tier 1 Citation Sources | 92 |
| 73 | Quantity of Unlinked Brand Mentions | 91 |
| 74 | Presence of FAQs on GBP Landing Page | 89 |
| 75 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Unlinked Brand Mentions | 88 |
| 76 | NAP in Schema/JSON-LD on GBP Landing Page URL | 85 |
| 77 | Quantity of Social Media Users Mentioning The Business | 81 |
| 78 | Presence of XML Sitemap | 80 |
| 79 | Consistency of Citations on Key Sites (Yellowpages, Yelp, D&B, CityGrid) | 80 |
| 80 | Quantity of Structured Citations (IYPs, Data Aggregators) | 79 |
| 81 | High Numerical Google Ratings (e.g. 4-5) | 77 |
| 82 | Length of Dwell Time on GBP Landing Page | 77 |
| 83 | Keywords in GBP Business Title | 76 |
| 84 | Keywords in Image ALT attributes Across Entire Website | 76 |
| 85 | Primary GBP Category | 75 |
| 86 | Linking Out to Authority Topically Relevant Sites | 75 |
| 87 | High Numerical Third-Party Ratings (e.g. 4-5) | 74 |
| 88 | Keywords in Third-Party Reviews | 72 |
| 89 | Keywords in Image ALT attributes on GBP Landing Page | 72 |
| 90 | Consistency of Citations on Data Aggregators (Infogroup, Localeze, Foursquare/Factual) | 72 |
| 91 | Embedded Google Map for Location on GBP Landing Page | 70 |
| 92 | Enhancement/Completeness of Citations | 70 |
| 93 | Click-Through Rate from Local Pack/Maps Search Results | 67 |
| 94 | Proximity of Address to Centroid | 64 |
| 95 | Address Is Showing on GBP (Not SAB) | 63 |
| 96 | Keywords in Image Filenames Across Entire Website | 62 |
| 97 | BBB Accredited | 62 |
| 98 | Positive Sentiment in Review Text | 61 |
| 99 | Engagement on Social Profiles | 60 |
| 100 | High Numerical Ratings by Authority Reviewers (e.g. Yelp Elite, Google Local Guides, etc) | 59 |
| 101 | Keywords in Image Filenames on GBP Landing Page | 58 |
| 102 | Consistency of Citations on Other Citation Sources | 58 |
| 103 | Completeness of GBP | 56 |
| 104 | Quantity of Native Google Reviews (w/text) | 55 |
| 105 | Recency of Reviews | 55 |
| 106 | Additional GBP Categories | 53 |
| 107 | Keywords in Native Google Reviews | 53 |
| 108 | Recency of Posts on Social Profiles | 53 |
| 109 | Quantity of Reviews by Authority Reviewers (e.g. Yelp Elite, Google Local Guides, etc) | 51 |
| 110 | Verified GBP | 50 |
| 111 | Sustained Influx of Reviews Over Time (rather than bursts) | 50 |
| 112 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Meta Description | 50 |
| 113 | Frequency of Posts on Social Profiles | 48 |
| 114 | Quality of Posts on Social Profiles | 48 |
| 115 | Age of Business (GBP Opening Date) | 47 |
| 116 | Photo & Video Quality (resolution, clarity, not stock, etc) | 47 |
| 117 | Quantity of Posts on Social Profiles | 47 |
| 118 | Keywords in Meta Descriptions Across Entire Website | 46 |
| 119 | Length of Title Tag | 46 |
| 120 | Age of GBP (Original Creation Date) | 44 |
| 121 | Presence of Place Topics Matching Keywords | 44 |
| 122 | In-store visits tracked by Android or Google Maps Mobile app location detection | 43 |
| 123 | Photos Match Target Keywords | 41 |
| 124 | Keywords in GBP Products | 41 |
| 125 | Quantity of Reviews with Photos | 41 |
| 126 | Proper Placement of the Map Pin | 40 |
| 127 | Presence of Products Added to GBP via Merchant Center | 40 |
| 128 | Local Area Code on GBP | 39 |
| 129 | Business is Open at Time of Search (Business Hours) | 38 |
| 130 | Quantity of Native Google Ratings (no text) | 37 |
| 131 | Quantity of Reviews with Answers to Review Questions | 37 |
| 132 | Keywords in GBP Custom Service Titles | 36 |
| 133 | Keywords in GBP Services | 35 |
| 134 | Removal of spam listings through spam fighting | 35 |
| 135 | Quantity of Engagement Signals on GBP (scrolling, clicking, reacting) | 35 |
| 136 | Follower Count on Social Profiles | 35 |
| 137 | Relevancy of Photos to Categories | 33 |
| 138 | Quantity of Bookings Through Google Booking Partners | 33 |
| 139 | Relevancy of Videos to Categories | 32 |
| 140 | Presence of Products Added to GBP via NMX | 32 |
| 141 | Quantity of Reviews with Videos | 32 |
| 142 | Proper Hours Set on GBP | 31 |
| 143 | Quanitity of User-Uploaded Photos | 31 |
| 144 | Quantity of Products on GBP | 31 |
| 145 | Presence of GBP Predefined Services | 31 |
| 146 | Social Profiles Are Linked to GBP | 30 |
| 147 | Presence of Keywords in Image Metadata Fields | 29 |
| 148 | Presence of GBP Custom Services | 29 |
| 149 | In-store visits tracked by third-party beacon or location detection technology | 29 |
| 150 | User Added Attributes in GBP | 28 |
| 151 | Quantity of Photos on GBP | 28 |
| 152 | Quantity of Requests for Driving Directions From GBP | 28 |
| 153 | Quantity of Videos on GBP | 27 |
| 154 | Recency of Photos Uploaded to GBP | 27 |
| 155 | Matching Google Account Domain to GBP Landing Page Domain | 27 |
| 156 | Presence of Owner Responses to Most Reviews | 27 |
| 157 | Presence of Social Media Updates on GBP | 27 |
| 158 | Keywords in GBP Description | 26 |
| 159 | Recency of Videos Uploaded to GBP | 26 |
| 160 | Quantity of Clicks to Call Business From GBP | 26 |
| 161 | Setting Service Areas in GBP | 25 |
| 162 | Presence of Appointment URL | 25 |
| 163 | Presence of Visible Keyword Text on Photos (overlay, not metadata) | 25 |
| 164 | Keywords in Google Q&A | 25 |
| 165 | Keywords in GBP Service Descriptions | 25 |
| 166 | Quantity of Transactions Identified Through Credit Card Partners | 25 |
| 167 | GBP Popular Times Section Shows Business as Busy | 24 |
| 168 | Presence of "Identifies as" Attributes on GBP | 24 |
| 169 | Presence of Crowd Sourced Attributes | 24 |
| 170 | Presence of 360 Tours / Immersive View | 24 |
| 171 | Comprehensive Google Q&A Section with Owner-Seeded FAQs | 24 |
| 172 | Length of Dwell Time on GBP | 24 |
| 173 | Sum of Transactions Identified Through Credit Card Partners | 24 |
| 174 | Frequency of Owner/Manager Activity | 23 |
| 175 | GBP Booking Feature is Enabled | 22 |
| 176 | Participation in Adwords, Adwords Express, Hotel Finder, or other paid Google products | 22 |
| 177 | Keywords in Google Posts/Updates | 21 |
| 178 | Quantity of Clicks on WhatsApp / SMS | 21 |
| 179 | Quantity of Questions Asked in Google Q&A | 20 |
| 180 | Number of Bookings Through GBP Booking Feature | 20 |
| 181 | Quantity of Reactions to Reviews | 20 |
| 182 | Quanitity of Reactions to Photos/Videos | 19 |
| 183 | Presence of Geo-tagged Photos | 16 |
| 184 | Whatsapp/SMS is Enabled | 16 |
| 185 | Keywords in Owner Responses to Reviews | 16 |
| 186 | Frequency of Google Posts/Updates | 13 |
| 187 | Quantity of Google Posts/Updates | 12 |
[th]
Rank
[/th][th]Factor
[/th][th]Score
[/th]2026 AI search visibility factors
| 1 | Presence of Business on Expert Curated Best of and Similar Lists | 179 |
| 2 | Dedicated Page for Each Service | 170 |
| 3 | Prominence on Key Industry-Relevant Domains | 167 |
| 4 | Quality/Authority of Unstructured Citations (Newspaper Articles, Blog Posts, Gov Sites) | 160 |
| 5 | Authority of Third-Party Sites on Which Reviews are Present | 156 |
| 6 | Geographic (City/Neighborhood) Keyword Relevance of Content | 153 |
| 7 | Quantity of Unstructured Citations (Newspaper Articles, Blog Posts) | 147 |
| 8 | High Numerical Google Ratings (e.g. 4-5) | 146 |
| 9 | Website's Degree of Focus on a Specific Niche | 138 |
| 10 | Scannable Content Structure Across Entire Website (headings, bullet points, images, etc) | 137 |
| 11 | Diversity of Third-Party Sites on Which Reviews are Present | 136 |
| 12 | Quantity of Unlinked Brand Mentions | 135 |
| 13 | Quantity of Third-Party Unstructured Reviews (e.g. blogs, newspapers, magazines) | 133 |
| 14 | Volume of Quality Content on Entire Website | 133 |
| 15 | Quantity of Citations from Industry-Relevant Domains | 133 |
| 16 | Physical Address in City of Search | 132 |
| 17 | High Numerical Third-Party Ratings (e.g. 4-5) | 132 |
| 18 | Topical (Product/Service) Keyword Relevance Across Entire Website | 132 |
| 19 | Quantity of Reviews on Industry-Specific Sites | 130 |
| 20 | Quantity of Third-Party Traditional Reviews (e.g. Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellowpages, etc) | 129 |
| 21 | Keywords in GBP Business Title | 127 |
| 22 | Positive Sentiment in Review Text | 126 |
| 23 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain from Industry-Relevant Domains | 125 |
| 24 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Headings (H1, H2, etc) | 124 |
| 25 | Quantity of Citations from Locally-Relevant Domains | 124 |
| 26 | Quality/Authority of Structured Citations | 123 |
| 27 | Volume of Quality Content on Service Pages | 122 |
| 28 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Title Tag | 120 |
| 29 | Quality/Authority of Inbound Links to Domain | 119 |
| 30 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain from Locally-Relevant Domains | 118 |
| 31 | Consistency of Citations on Primary Search Engines (Google Maps, Bing Maps, Apple Maps) | 116 |
| 32 | Keywords in Title Tags Across Entire Website | 115 |
| 33 | Keywords in Third-Party Reviews | 114 |
| 34 | Primary GBP Category | 112 |
| 35 | Quantity of Native Google Reviews (w/text) | 112 |
| 36 | Proper Category Associations on Aggregators and Tier 1 Citation Sources | 111 |
| 37 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Landing Page URL from Industry-Relevant Domains | 108 |
| 38 | Keywords in Headings (H1, H2, etc) Across Entire Website | 107 |
| 39 | Proper Site Architecture Organized Into Topic Areas | 107 |
| 40 | Quantity of Structured Citations (IYPs, Data Aggregators) | 106 |
| 41 | Freshness of Content Across Entire Website | 104 |
| 42 | Quantity of Social Media Users Mentioning The Business | 104 |
| 43 | Presence of FAQs on Service Pages | 103 |
| 44 | Website Content Marked Up in Schema | 103 |
| 45 | Business Title in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain | 103 |
| 46 | Internal Linking Across Entire Website | 103 |
| 47 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Unlinked Brand Mentions | 103 |
| 48 | Quantity of Inbound Links to Domain | 99 |
| 49 | Consistency of Citations on Key Sites (Yellowpages, Yelp, D&B, CityGrid) | 99 |
| 50 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to Domain | 98 |
| 51 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Internal Links | 98 |
| 52 | Proximity of Address to the Point of Search (Searcher-Business Distance) | 97 |
| 53 | Keywords in Native Google Reviews | 97 |
| 54 | Address Is Showing on GBP (Not SAB) | 96 |
| 55 | Presence of FAQs on GBP Landing Page | 96 |
| 56 | Consistency of Citations on Data Aggregators (Infogroup, Localeze, Foursquare/Factual) | 96 |
| 57 | Reference to Location Specific Entities on GBP Landing Page | 95 |
| 58 | Domain Authority of Website | 95 |
| 59 | Enhancement/Completeness of Citations | 95 |
| 60 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Links to Domain | 93 |
| 61 | Freshness of Content on Service Pages | 91 |
| 62 | Recency of Reviews | 89 |
| 63 | Volume of Content on GBP Landing Page | 89 |
| 64 | Diversity of Inbound Links to Domain | 89 |
| 65 | Volume of Searches for Business Name | 89 |
| 66 | Quantity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL from Locally-Relevant Domains | 88 |
| 67 | Completeness of GBP | 86 |
| 68 | HTML NAP Matching GBP NAP | 86 |
| 69 | Quality/Authority of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 84 |
| 70 | Sustained Influx of Reviews Over Time (rather than bursts) | 81 |
| 71 | Website Uses HTTPS by default | 81 |
| 72 | Keywords in Domain Name | 80 |
| 73 | Diversity of Anchor Text to Domain | 80 |
| 74 | High Numerical Ratings by Authority Reviewers (e.g. Yelp Elite, Google Local Guides, etc) | 79 |
| 75 | Quantity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 79 |
| 76 | Consistency of Citations on Other Citation Sources | 79 |
| 77 | Freshness of Content on GBP Landing Page | 78 |
| 78 | Business Title in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 76 |
| 79 | BBB Accredited | 76 |
| 80 | Quantity of Native Google Ratings (no text) | 75 |
| 81 | NAP in Schema/JSON-LD on GBP Landing Page URL | 75 |
| 82 | Sustained Output of Content Over Time (rather than bursts) | 75 |
| 83 | Keywords in Anchor Text of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 75 |
| 84 | Keywords in Text Surrounding Links to GBP Landing Page | 75 |
| 85 | Sustained Influx of Links Over Time (rather than bursts) | 75 |
| 86 | Diversity of Anchor Text to GBP Landing Page URL | 71 |
| 87 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page URL | 70 |
| 88 | Diversity of Inbound Links to GBP Landing Page URL | 70 |
| 89 | Additional GBP Categories | 69 |
| 90 | Quantity of Reviews by Authority Reviewers (e.g. Yelp Elite, Google Local Guides, etc) | 66 |
| 91 | Proximity of Address to Centroid | 65 |
| 92 | Recency of Posts on Social Profiles | 65 |
| 93 | Keywords in URLs Across Entire Website | 64 |
| 94 | Quantity of Reviews with Photos | 63 |
| 95 | Mobile-friendly/Responsive Website | 63 |
| 96 | Internal Links TO GBP Landing Page from Other Pages of Website | 63 |
| 97 | Loadtime of Pages Across Entire Website | 62 |
| 98 | Loadtime of GBP Landing Page | 60 |
| 99 | Page Authority of GBP Landing Page URL | 60 |
| 100 | Quantity of Reviews with Answers to Review Questions | 59 |
| 101 | Presence of XML Sitemap | 58 |
| 102 | Engagement on Social Profiles | 58 |
| 103 | Proper Placement of the Map Pin | 57 |
| 104 | Business is Open at Time of Search (Business Hours) | 57 |
| 105 | Removal of spam listings through spam fighting | 57 |
| 106 | Keywords in GBP Landing Page Meta Description | 57 |
| 107 | Quality of Posts on Social Profiles | 57 |
| 108 | Quantity of Posts on Social Profiles | 57 |
| 109 | Proper Hours Set on GBP | 56 |
| 110 | Frequency of Posts on Social Profiles | 56 |
| 111 | Keywords in GBP Custom Service Titles | 55 |
| 112 | Photos Match Target Keywords | 53 |
| 113 | Verified GBP | 53 |
| 114 | Quantity of Reviews with Videos | 53 |
| 115 | Keywords in GBP Description | 52 |
| 116 | Internal Links FROM GBP Landing Page to Other Pages of Website | 52 |
| 117 | Keywords in GBP Services | 50 |
| 118 | Click-Through Rate from Organic Search Results | 49 |
| 119 | Photo & Video Quality (resolution, clarity, not stock, etc) | 48 |
| 120 | Presence of GBP Custom Services | 48 |
| 121 | Local Area Code on GBP | 47 |
| 122 | Linking Out to Authority Topically Relevant Sites | 47 |
| 123 | Presence of Place Topics Matching Keywords | 46 |
| 124 | Age of Business (GBP Opening Date) | 45 |
| 125 | Presence of Products Added to GBP via Merchant Center | 45 |
| 126 | Comprehensive Google Q&A Section with Owner-Seeded FAQs | 45 |
| 127 | Presence of GBP Predefined Services | 45 |
| 128 | Keywords in Image ALT attributes Across Entire Website | 45 |
| 129 | Keywords in Meta Descriptions Across Entire Website | 45 |
| 130 | Click-Through Rate from Local Pack/Maps Search Results | 45 |
| 131 | Keywords in GBP Products | 44 |
| 132 | Follower Count on Social Profiles | 44 |
| 133 | Relevancy of Photos to Categories | 43 |
| 134 | Keywords in Image ALT attributes on GBP Landing Page | 43 |
| 135 | Quanitity of User-Uploaded Photos | 42 |
| 136 | Social Profiles Are Linked to GBP | 42 |
| 137 | User Added Attributes in GBP | 41 |
| 138 | Relevancy of Videos to Categories | 41 |
| 139 | Keywords in GBP Service Descriptions | 41 |
| 140 | Presence of "Identifies as" Attributes on GBP | 40 |
| 141 | Age of GBP (Original Creation Date) | 40 |
| 142 | Keywords in Owner Responses to Reviews | 40 |
| 143 | Embedded Google Map for Location on GBP Landing Page | 40 |
| 144 | Keywords in Google Q&A | 39 |
| 145 | Quantity of Engagement Signals on Website (scrolling pages, clicking on things, etc) | 38 |
| 146 | Quantity of Photos on GBP | 37 |
| 147 | Presence of Products Added to GBP via NMX | 37 |
| 148 | Keywords in Image Filenames Across Entire Website | 35 |
| 149 | Presence of Owner Responses to Most Reviews | 34 |
| 150 | Presence of Crowd Sourced Attributes | 33 |
| 151 | Recency of Photos Uploaded to GBP | 33 |
| 152 | Quantity of Videos on GBP | 32 |
| 153 | Quantity of Products on GBP | 32 |
| 154 | Quantity of Questions Asked in Google Q&A | 32 |
| 155 | Frequency of Owner/Manager Activity | 32 |
| 156 | Keywords in Image Filenames on GBP Landing Page | 31 |
| 157 | Recency of Videos Uploaded to GBP | 30 |
| 158 | Setting Service Areas in GBP | 29 |
| 159 | Presence of Social Media Updates on GBP | 29 |
| 160 | Keywords in Google Posts/Updates | 28 |
| 161 | Presence of Visible Keyword Text on Photos (overlay, not metadata) | 27 |
| 162 | Length of Title Tag | 27 |
| 163 | In-store visits tracked by Android or Google Maps Mobile app location detection | 27 |
| 164 | Quantity of Engagement Signals on GBP (scrolling through listing, clicking on sections, reacting to reviews, etc) | 26 |
| 165 | Presence of Keywords in Image Metadata Fields | 25 |
| 166 | Quantity of Reactions to Reviews | 24 |
| 167 | Length of Dwell Time on GBP Landing Page | 24 |
| 168 | Quanitity of Reactions to Photos/Videos | 23 |
| 169 | GBP Booking Feature is Enabled | 23 |
| 170 | Presence of Appointment URL | 22 |
| 171 | Quantity of Google Posts/Updates | 22 |
| 172 | Matching Google Account Domain to GBP Landing Page Domain | 22 |
| 173 | Frequency of Google Posts/Updates | 21 |
| 174 | Presence of Geo-tagged Photos | 21 |
| 175 | In-store visits tracked by third-party beacon or location detection technology | 21 |
| 176 | Participation in Adwords, Adwords Express, Hotel Finder, or other paid Google products | 21 |
| 177 | Quantity of Bookings Through Google Booking Partners | 20 |
| 178 | Quantity of Requests for Driving Directions From GBP | 20 |
| 179 | GBP Popular Times Section Shows Business as Busy | 19 |
| 180 | Quantity of Clicks to Call Business From GBP | 19 |
| 181 | Presence of 360 Tours / Immersive View | 18 |
| 182 | Whatsapp/SMS is Enabled | 17 |
| 183 | Length of Dwell Time on GBP | 17 |
| 184 | Quantity of Transactions Identified Through Credit Card Partners | 16 |
| 185 | Quantity of Clicks on WhatsApp / SMS | 15 |
| 186 | Sum of Transactions Identified Through Credit Card Partners | 14 |
| 187 | Number of Bookings Through GBP Booking Feature | 13 |
[th]
Rank
[/th][th]AI Search Visibility Factor
[/th][th]Score
[/th]Hope this helps local business owner who are struggling to rank their business on Google.
And credit goes to Darren Shaw from Whitespark for sharing these ranking factors.
