The distance relationship considered in a local search, including how far a business is from the searching customer.
Proximity describes the distance relationship relevant to a local search. Google identifies distance as one of the main considerations in local results and describes it in relation to the searching customer’s location. When that location is not shared directly, Google uses what it knows about it.
The exact context can vary between searches. Do not assume every query is measured from one fixed city center or that all businesses have the same effective visibility radius. A location named in a query, the searcher’s position and the business’s address are different pieces of information.
Distance works alongside other considerations rather than acting as a universal rule that the nearest business must appear first. Listing a service area also does not physically move the business or establish a new eligible storefront. Accurate operations and profile information remain important.
Takeaway: Assess visibility from relevant customer locations and keep geographic expectations realistic. Avoid promises that a profile change will produce the same positions throughout a large territory.
Example
A person searching from one side of a city may see a different local result mix from someone across town. A business checking results only from its own office may miss that variation. A location-aware assessment should document where and when observations were made.
What to check
Do not create false addresses to simulate closeness to customers. Distinguish measured observations from predictions, and avoid universal claims that a particular mileage makes ranking either impossible or guaranteed.
For more detail, see Tips to improve local ranking on Google.