A local grid is a set of searches run at evenly spaced geographic points across an area, letting you see how a tracked business’s map rank shifts from one location to the next instead of reading a single overall position.
| Term | Local Grid |
|---|---|
| Category | Local SEO and Maps |
| Also known as | Grid Scan, Geo Grid |
| Where it appears | Analysis Run → Local Grid phase |
What it means in RankGear
The local grid runs as its own phase inside an Analysis Run. Rather than treating local visibility as one number, RankGear lays a matrix of coordinate points over the target area and issues a separate local search at each point, then records where the tracked business ranks — or that it was not found — at every point. The output is a spatial picture of ranking: strong near some coordinates, weaker as you move outward, and occasionally blank where the provider returned no usable data.
How to interpret it
Read the shape of the grid before you read any single cell. Because the grid is a comparison across many nearby searches, a pattern of results tells you far more than one point does. Before drawing conclusions, confirm the coordinate center the grid was built around, the provider the results came from, the grid spacing between points, the depth checked at each point, and that the tracked business identity matches the listing you actually intend to measure. A mismatch in any of these changes what the pattern means.
| Parameter | What it controls |
|---|---|
| Center | The coordinate the grid is built around |
| Spacing | Distance between adjacent grid points |
| Depth | How far down results are checked at each point |
| Provider | The source of the local ranking data |
| Business identity | The specific listing being tracked |
Example
A plumbing company runs a five-by-five grid centered on its shop at roughly one-mile spacing. Near the shop the business sits at position 2, but three miles out it fades to position 12, and one point on the northern edge comes back with a provider error, so that cell is left blank rather than counted as a zero. The center-strong, edge-weak pattern is the useful signal; it says visibility is tightly tied to proximity, not that the business is missing at the blank point.
Important considerations
- Map rankings are highly proximity-sensitive and can shift with coordinates, zoom level, provider data, and the time the searches ran — two grids of the same business can differ simply because they were centered or run differently.
- A provider error leaves a gap in the grid, not a rank of zero. Treat blank cells as missing data, not as evidence the business does not appear there.
- Grid position is a comparative indicator drawn from a specific provider, not a Google ranking score. It shows how the tracked business compares across points on that provider’s scale, and does not on its own explain or cause any ranking.
Related terms
Part of the RankGear glossary · how RankGear measures · the 870 factors.