Client is moving to new address. Will he keep his rankings?

[Blaine]

A client in a very competitive industry in Louisville KY (decent sized city) is moving to a new location.

He ranks #1 locally in google with his Google my business ad for most of his primary key phrases. I found a guide Joy wrote for best practices when moving a business and the order the things should be done in, and have read and saved it to follow.

My question is do you lose rankings when you move? He's only going a mile or two and has a very well done internet presence.

Can anyone share any experiences with ranking fluctuations during a properly done address change? I have no idea what to expect. But this client gets a lot of business from their google my business ad. I would hate to see their rankings drop.

 

[Professor M]

It can lose some rankings positions in some areas but gain in others, only after the move you will see the effects.
If you move from outskirts to city center it should boost your rankings for city searches, if opposite direction should have a loss.

but if your client is moving within the city and it's a very competitive environment, it is very difficult to predict.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

@Professor M nailed it. I believe Google has really evolved in the last 5 years and moving a business is no longer a major cause of ranking decreases. It just means the business will now rank better when searching from the new area they moved to (vs the old area).