OpenStreetMap is the open, community-built map-data source that supplies the bounded basemap RankGear draws the Local Grid report on.
| Term | OpenStreetMap |
|---|---|
| Category | Local SEO and Maps |
| Also known as | OSM |
| Where it appears | Local Grid report |
What it means in RankGear
When RankGear renders a Local Grid report, it needs a real map underneath the grid of sampled ranking points. That underlying basemap comes from OpenStreetMap — the same open geographic dataset that powers much of the mapping world. In practice it defines the streets, place labels, and geography you see behind the grid, and it establishes the geographic frame the grid points are plotted against. It is the canvas, not the ranking engine: OSM tells RankGear what the area looks like, while the rank checks that populate each grid cell come from the search provider you configured for the run.
How to interpret it
Because OpenStreetMap is the basemap rather than the data being measured, read a Local Grid report by first pinning down the run’s parameters, not the map tiles. Confirm the exact coordinate center the grid is anchored to, which search provider supplied the rankings, the grid spacing and depth, and the business identity you are tracking. A grid that looks shifted or off-target is almost always a matter of those inputs — a center a block off, or a spacing too wide or too tight — rather than anything about the map imagery itself.
Example
You run a Local Grid for a dental practice on a 7×7 grid centered on its address. The OpenStreetMap basemap draws the surrounding streets and neighborhoods so each of the 49 sample points sits in a recognizable place. At the point nearest the office the practice ranks in the top few; two blocks north it drops out of the visible results and is marked not found; at one far corner the provider returns an error and that cell records no result. The map is the same throughout — what changes cell to cell is proximity and provider response.
Important considerations
- OpenStreetMap only provides the visual basemap. It does not generate, weight, or influence the rankings shown in the grid; those come from the configured search provider.
- Local grid rankings are highly proximity-sensitive and can shift with the coordinate center, zoom level, provider data, and the time of the run — re-run with the same parameters before concluding anything has changed.
- Grid results are comparative indicators of visibility across a geographic area, not a Google ranking score. Patterns show where a business is seen more or less often, not why, and should not be read as a cause of ranking.
Related terms
Part of the RankGear glossary · how RankGear measures · the 870 factors.