Chapter Glossary

Chapter Glossary

Local Pack

The block of typically three local business listings that appears near the top of a search results page for queries with local intent. Each listing shows a business name, rating, address, and a map pin, drawn primarily from Google Business Profile data.

Google Business Profile (GBP)

A free business listing managed through Google that serves as a primary source of local identity. It exists separately from a business website and supplies the information shown in the local pack and on Google Maps.

Proximity

One of the three core local ranking factors. It refers to how physically close a business is to the searcher's location at the time of the query. Search engines infer location from device GPS, IP address, and other signals.

Relevance

One of the three core local ranking factors. It describes how well a business's category, services, and profile information match what the searcher is looking for. A business with a precise, well-populated profile is easier for a search engine to match to a specific query.

Prominence

One of the three core local ranking factors. It reflects how well-known and credible a business appears based on signals such as review volume, citation count, links, and overall web presence.

Citation

Any online mention of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP), whether on a directory, a review platform, a local news site, or any other third-party source. Search engines use citations to verify that a business exists and is consistently described.

NAP Consistency

The degree to which a business's name, address, and phone number are identical across all online listings. Inconsistencies create ambiguity for search engines attempting to confirm a business's identity and location.

Service Area Business (SAB)

A business that travels to customers rather than receiving them at a fixed public address, such as a plumber or mobile dog groomer. SABs present a different local ranking challenge because they lack a storefront address that searchers can visit.

Near Me Query

A search phrase in which the searcher explicitly signals location-dependent intent, such as "coffee shop near me" or "urgent care near me." Search engines treat these queries as strong signals to prioritize proximity in the results.

Structured Data (Local)

Machine-readable markup added to a business website that explicitly tells search engines the business's name, address, phone number, opening hours, and other identity details. It helps search engines connect the website to the correct Google Business Profile and directory listings.

Review Gating

A practice in which a business filters customers before asking for reviews, directing satisfied customers to public review platforms while discouraging or intercepting negative feedback. Search engines and review platforms prohibit this because it distorts the integrity of the review signal.

Multi-Location Architecture

The way a website with multiple physical locations is structured so that search engines can identify each location as a distinct, locally relevant entity with its own address, profile, and content rather than treating all locations as duplicates of a single page.

YMYL (Your Money or Your Life)

A category of search topics, including medical, legal, and financial subjects, where inaccurate information carries meaningful real-world risk. Search engines apply heightened quality standards to local businesses in these categories.

Local Spam

Manipulative tactics specific to local search, including creating fake business listings, using virtual office addresses to appear in cities where a business has no real presence, and artificially inflating review counts. These tactics are detected and penalised through a combination of algorithmic signals and human review.

Apple Maps / Yelp / Bing Places

Local business directory and mapping platforms that operate independently of Google. Each has its own data sources, ranking logic, and user base, meaning a business's local visibility across the web is not determined by Google alone.