Local Search Grids: How are you using them?

[valentinb13]

Hi all – I've done some searches, etc...I'm just looking for feedback and insight in how you are using (if at all) search grid reports to improve SEO for local clients. They are cool looking and nice to see green pins all over the map (when it happens) but for the life of me, I have a hard time grasping how best to use the information other than from a competive analysis standpoint?

If you're willing to share, what are some specific things you do with the information provided in search grid reports to improve your or your client's visibility in maps?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Geogrids are easily my favorite local SEO tool. They can be used in so many different ways and I would say my three general categories for what I use them for are:

1. Understanding how you rank across your entire market, including service areas outside of your physical city.
2. Assessing whether or not you are being filtered and identifying who is filtering you.
3. Setting expectations. Geogrids can give you a sense of how far a business in a particular industry and geography can expect to rank from their physical location.

 

[JS Girard]

4. Attempt to approximate the address where a SAB was initially validated at when the information is not known.

 

[valentinb13]

Geogrids are easily my favorite local SEO tool. They can be used in so many different ways and I would say my three general categories for what I use them for are:

1. Understanding how you rank across your entire market, including service areas outside of your physical city.
2. Assessing whether or not you are being filtered and identifying who is filtering you.
3. Setting expectations. Geogrids can give you a sense of how far a business in a particular industry and geography can expect to rank from their physical location.

Thanks for responding —

1. This is the most obvious way I've used them — I just can't figure out how to use this information to drive strategy. For example, for lots of competitive industries it is difficult (or almost impossible) to rank outside your physical city, how does this help you drive strategy or do you use it to apply more to #3 for setting expectations?
2. How do you determine that you're being filtered and by whom? My understanding of the Maps filtering is that it commonly happens when two or more similar businesses share a similar address (like 2 pest control companies in a similar industrial park). Is there another way of being filtered out?

I guess one of my big issues with the tools are when they are presented to clients — because when they see lots of red/orange pins I think they have a fundamental misunderstanding that we should have them ranking in those areas when in reality there may be little chance of that happening.

 

[JS Girard]

How do you determine that you're being filtered and by whom? My understanding of the Maps filtering is that it commonly happens when two or more similar businesses share a similar address (like 2 pest control companies in a similar industrial park). Is there another way of being filtered out?

I've never needed a local grid to do that myself, but if you're curious about his process, the recent live audit webinar that Colan did had a case where he did exactly that. The link is to the youtube video. IIRC, the filtered GBP was the second that Colan did.

 

[Charley Vail]

I am going to start using Geo-grid tools for the first time and going to work with a client to get a benchmark of rankings before. Make updates to the pages/listings, then see how things move. I will make a post when I have findings!

 

[WilliamGMBE]

Geogrids are easily my favorite local SEO tool. They can be used in so many different ways and I would say my three general categories for what I use them for are:

1. Understanding how you rank across your entire market, including service areas outside of your physical city.
2. Assessing whether or not you are being filtered and identifying who is filtering you.
3. Setting expectations. Geogrids can give you a sense of how far a business in a particular industry and geography can expect to rank from their physical location.

Hi @Colan Nielsen ,

I was curious about point 2. Can you elaborate on it?

 

[Charley Vail]

Geogrids are easily my favorite local SEO tool. They can be used in so many different ways and I would say my three general categories for what I use them for are:

1. Understanding how you rank across your entire market, including service areas outside of your physical city.
2. Assessing whether or not you are being filtered and identifying who is filtering you.
3. Setting expectations. Geogrids can give you a sense of how far a business in a particular industry and geography can expect to rank from their physical location.

Do you have a guide on how to know if you're being filtered or not?

 

[JS Girard]

Do you have a guide on how to know if you're being filtered or not?

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-local-filter/

 

[WilliamGMBE]

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-local-filter/

Thank you for sharing @JS Girard . This is very helpful.

 

[JS Girard]

I should point out that, especially where there is a lot of competition or the client has little content/reviews, it is crucial distinguish "terrible ranking" (i.e. page 4-5-6) and "GBP invisible" (client is truly missing). The latter is a signal that filtering could be occurring and to check for potential filtering GBPs, the former is in fact the exact opposite as it proves there is no filtering. When checking many pages manually, it's important to be careful because if you manually move or zoom in the Finder, you remove filtering.

Also important to recall that filtering is done on a per-query basis. A GBP may get filtered for some queries, yet visible for others queries. It always depends on what's the filtering competitor.

 

[Charley Vail]

I should point out that, especially where there is a lot of competition or the client has little content/reviews, it is crucial distinguish "terrible ranking" (i.e. page 4-5-6) and "GBP invisible" (client is truly missing). The latter is a signal that filtering could be occurring and to check for potential filtering GBPs, the former is in fact the exact opposite as it proves there is no filtering. When checking many pages manually, it's important to be careful because if you manually move or zoom in the Finder, you remove filtering.

Also important to recall that filtering is done on a per-query basis. A GBP may get filtered for some queries, yet visible for others queries. It always depends on what's the filtering competitor.

Awesome insight, thanks!