Proximity Filter Issue: Why Is It So Hard to Rank City-Wide?

[nralla6]

Hi everyone,


I’m struggling with the proximity filter in Google Maps rankings and wanted to share my case here. Maybe some of you faced the same problem.


I run my business in a small city with around 200,000 population. When someone searches from outside the city, my business is ranking #1 for the main keywords. But inside the city, if the user is not in my direct neighborhood, my visibility drops a lot. In short, my business is strong in my own area, but I can’t expand much beyond it.


I already tried most of the obvious solutions:

• Full Google Business Profile optimization (categories, services, photos, posts, etc.)
• Review and Q&A strategy
• Citations and backlinks from local/niche sites
• Map embeds / MyMaps usage
• Local-focused content optimization

Still, the proximity effect is too strong and I can’t rank city-wide.


Do you have any experience with this? Are there any advanced or creative methods to overcome the proximity filter?


Note: My English is not very good, this text was written with the help of AI.


Thanks in advance.

 

[latin_sydney]

Get a GBP in the centroid. Use multiple GBPs and ads.

When brand penetration is strong tv, radio etc .. i.e roto rooter, Google lifts proximity filters, rewarding you with wider visibility.

Realistically the max you are going to rank is 5-10 miles radius.

 

[fisicx]

I'd argue that the proximity filter is doing exactly what it is designed to do: filter out businesses further away from my location.

If I'm looking for a plumber near me that's all I want to see in the map pack. I'm not interested in a citywide set of results. I want someone in my precise location.

However, are you posting about the work you do around the city? Does your website have proof you operate city wide. Are you posting on SM about the work you do around the city? Are the review (and your responses) indicating where you did the work? I know some who do well when they reference postcodes.

 

[nralla6]

Get a GBP in the centroid. Use multiple GBPs and ads.

When brand penetration is strong tv, radio etc .. i.e roto rooter, Google lifts proximity filters, rewarding you with wider visibility.

Realistically the max you are going to rank is 5-10 miles radius.

Hello,


Thank you for your reply. For me, a 10-mile radius is already more than enough, because my city is basically around 10 miles across. I’m also already running ads.


What I want to clarify is this: I can show and verify an address in another area, but I cannot keep someone there all the time. My business is a beauty salon / beauty center, so customers might show up at the address without notice. In that case, I shouldn’t be visible there in person.


Would this cause problems with Google’s policies? In other words, is it possible to open a profile just to show Google “I’m here too,” even if customers don’t actually visit that location?


Thank you.

 

[nralla6]

I'd argue that the proximity filter is doing exactly what it is designed to do: filter out businesses further away from my location.

If I'm looking for a plumber near me that's all I want to see in the map pack. I'm not interested in a citywide set of results. I want someone in my precise location.

However, are you posting about the work you do around the city? Does your website have proof you operate city wide. Are you posting on SM about the work you do around the city? Are the review (and your responses) indicating where you did the work? I know some who do well when they reference postcodes.

Yes, I do create proof that I operate city-wide. However, my city is small and my sector is a beauty salon / beauty center. So unlike a car repair shop or a plumber, I can’t really say things like “I worked in this neighborhood, I went to that neighborhood.”


It’s the same for social media — making posts neighborhood by neighborhood doesn’t really fit my business. But if using different postcodes on social media would help, I can try that. The issue is that my city only has two different postcodes anyway.


In the reviews, my customers often mention that they came from distant neighborhoods and were satisfied. I also highlight that in my responses.


But I didn’t fully understand the use of postcode on the website. I’m not sure how exactly I can implement that. Could you explain a bit more?

Thanks for everything.