Why a geo grid rank tracker exists
Google ranks map results partly on distance from the person searching (Google Business Profile Help). So "where do we rank?" has no single answer. You might be first outside your shop and 15th across town.
A geo grid rank tracker solves that by running the same search from a grid of points, say 7 by 7 or 9 by 9, spread over your service area, and plotting your rank at each one. It's the main report behind our local SEO services. We use Local Dominator; other tools such as Local Falcon work the same way with different names for the numbers.
The point isn't the pretty map. It's being able to answer three questions every month: how much of our area sees us in the pack, where we're weak, and did last month's work change either one.
What each pin and color means
- The number is your position in the map results for a search from that point. 1 is first.
- Green pins are top positions, yellow and orange are the middle, red is low or missing. Exact shades vary by tool.
- 20+ means you weren't in the results there at all. Local Falcon's guide says a 20+ value means "your listing isn't showing up there at all" (Local Falcon: How to read a scan report).
- Your pin, usually at the center, is where your business or service area is anchored.
The summary numbers and which to trust
Most tools add a few averages above the grid. In Local Falcon's terms (Local Falcon: ARP and ATRP, and its scan report guide for SoLV):
- ARP, average rank position, averages only the points where you show in the top 20.
- ATRP, average total rank position, averages every point, including where you're outside the top 20.
- SoLV, share of local voice, is the share of points where you're in the top 3.
We lead with top-3 coverage, because that's where calls come from. An average can improve while you're still missing from the pack on most of the map. Then we look at how many points are 11th or worse, which shows how much of the map is effectively invisible.
Two real grids, before and after
A general contractor in Grand Rapids, Michigan:
- Average Maps rank for the main keyword: 10.35 to 3.38.
- Maps top-3 coverage: 24% to 68%.
- Grid points ranked 11th or worse: 63% to 0%.
The south edge of that grid, toward Kentwood, still ranks 6th to 9th. A good grid still tells you where to work next.
A roofer in Vancouver, Washington, for "roofing companies": average rank went from 14.81 to 5.66, and grid points outside the top 20 went from 59% to 0%. Top-3 coverage rose from 13% to 33%, so the average moved more than the pack share did. The northern areas, Hazel Dell and Minnehaha, still rank 8th to 16th.
Grids also go the wrong way. For an HVAC company in Woodbridge, Virginia, an AC repair grid added in July 2026 moved from 9.1 to 10.7, worse, while the main grid improved. We report both.
Common mistakes when reading a grid
- Comparing grids with different settings. A wider grid adds far-out points where you rank worse, so the average drops even if nothing changed. Same keyword, size, spacing and timing, or don't compare.
- Trusting the top-20 average alone. ARP ignores the points where you don't show. A business visible on a small patch can post a decent ARP while missing from most of the map. Local Falcon notes that a smaller scan area brings ARP and ATRP closer together, so a big gap between them is a sign of patchy coverage.
- Tracking one keyword. "Roofing companies" and "roof repair" can produce different grids. Track the three to five services that bring your best jobs.
- Misreading special markers. In Local Falcon, a "KP" point means Google showed a knowledge panel there instead of a pack, so only one business showed at that point.
- Reacting to one scan. Results move week to week. Look at the trend over two or three monthly scans before changing direction.
- Ignoring the edges. The center of a grid tends to look good for any business. The edges show whether you can win jobs further out.
How to read your own grid in five steps
- Check the settings first. Keyword, grid size, spacing and the time of the scan. If any changed since last month, the comparison is off.
- Read top-3 coverage. That's the share of the map where you're in the pack.
- Find the weak edge. Red and orange clusters usually sit in one direction. That's where location content or reviews from those customers help.
- Look at who's beating you there. Click a weak pin and note the top three. Compare their categories and service pages with yours.
- Compare against the leader. If your top-3 share is below roughly 25% to 50% of the market leader's, we build topical content. Above it, we build pages for areas where you rank 4th to 6th.
We scan the same grid every month at the same time, so changes reflect the work rather than the settings.