A map-based visualization of local ranking observations at selected geographic points for a defined query and test configuration.
A local rank grid plots ranking observations at selected geographic points for a chosen search query. It helps show how measured visibility varies across an area instead of reducing a whole market to one position. The points and results belong to a particular test configuration.
Grid size, spacing and placement depend on the tool and chosen settings. They are not universally fixed at one-mile intervals. For example, BrightLocal’s documented setup allows selection of grid size and distance. A wider grid and a denser grid answer different geographic questions.
The visualization is a sample, not a complete map of every customer’s results. Query wording, collection date, result surface and tool methodology matter. An unobserved or out-of-range result should be interpreted according to the report’s rules rather than automatically treated as no visibility at all.
Takeaway: Use a grid to identify patterns worth investigating, while keeping the test settings visible. Compare consistent configurations before attributing a change to marketing work.
Example
A business checks the same service query at several points around its actual market. The results differ between the center and the outer points. That suggests a geographic pattern in the sample; it does not establish a precise boundary beyond which customers can never find the business.
What to check
Record the query, date, profile, surface, point locations and spacing. Review raw observations as well as color summaries. Avoid describing a grid average as a market-wide rank or a guaranteed measure of customer reach.
For more detail, see BrightLocal: Create a Local Search Grid report.