Local rankings can feel random until you understand what Google is actually trying to do. In most cases, it comes down to three core signals: proximity, relevance, and prominence. In this post, you’ll learn what each one means, how they affect local seo, and what you can control to show up more often.

Proximity: “How close are you to the searcher?”

Proximity is the simplest one. It’s distance. Google looks at where the search happens and tries to show businesses that are physically nearby.

You can’t “optimise” distance the way you optimise a web page. If someone searches from the other side of town, you may not appear, even if you’re a better business. That’s normal in the local seo.

What you can do is make sure Google understands your location correctly. Keep your address accurate, use a clear service area setup where appropriate, and avoid conflicting NAP details across listings.

Relevance: “Do you match what they asked for?”

Relevance is your fit for the query. If someone searches “emergency plumber” and your listing screams “bathroom showroom,” Google won’t see a strong match, even if you’re five minutes away.

This is where local seo becomes controllable. Your categories, services, website content, and business description all help Google understand what you actually do.

To improve relevance, get specific. Choose the best primary category, add the right services, and make sure your service pages clearly match what people search. Avoid vague “we do everything” messaging. Specific wins.

Prominence: “Are you trusted and well-known?”

Prominence is reputation and authority. Google wants to show businesses people recognise and trust — the ones that look established, credible, and consistently chosen.

Prominence comes from signals like reviews, ratings, citations, local mentions, links, and even branded searches. It also comes from your website looking legitimate: clear service pages, proof, and consistent business information.

You can build prominence over time by collecting reviews consistently, responding to them, earning local mentions, and creating content that people actually reference. This is the long game of local seo, and it’s often what separates two equally close, equally relevant businesses.

How the three signals work together in real searches

Think of the map pack like a quick decision engine. Google tries to show results that are close enough, relevant enough, and trusted enough — in that order, depending on the query.

If you’re very close but irrelevant, you won’t win. If you’re relevant but far away, you might not show up. If you’re close and relevant but look untrusted, you can get outranked by a competitor with stronger reviews and authority.

That’s why “rankings” vary by location and device. It’s not always unstable. It’s local seo doing what it’s designed to do: personalise results based on place and trust.

What you should prioritise first

Start with relevance, because it’s the fastest lever you control. Fix categories, services, and page clarity. Then build prominence through reviews, local partnerships, and credible mentions. Proximity is mostly fixed, so your job is to make sure your location data is accurate and consistent.

If you do those three things well, you’ll show up more often in more places — and not just for one lucky keyword.

Conclusion: local SEO gets easier when you stop guessing

Proximity is distance, relevance is fit, and prominence is trust. Once you understand that trio, local seo becomes a set of controllable priorities, not a mystery. Want help diagnosing what’s holding you back right now? Explore our related posts or contact Seek Marketing Partners for a no-fluff local audit and action plan.