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Google Business Profile, citations and the signals behind the local pack.

74 terms, each answer-first and checked against a primary source.

Aggregate rating Aggregate rating is the average star score calculated from all of an item's individual ratings or reviews. In structured data it is the schema.org AggregateRating type, and marking it up correctly can produce star rich results in Google Search.
Apple Business Connect Apple Business Connect is Apple's free tool for claiming and managing a business's place card, the listing that shows your hours, photos, and actions across Apple Maps, Siri, Messages, and Wallet. In April 2026 it merged into the unified Apple Business platform, with existing place cards migrated automatically.
Bing Places Bing Places for Business is Microsoft's free tool for creating and managing a business listing that shows in Bing search results and Bing Maps. It is Bing's counterpart to Google Business Profile, publishing your name, address, phone, hours, and photos.
Brick-and-mortar A brick-and-mortar business operates from a physical location that customers can visit in person, such as a store, restaurant, or office. The term contrasts physical storefronts with online-only businesses that have no place a customer can walk into.
Business category A business category is a label you pick from Google's fixed list that tells Google Business Profile what your business is, so Google can match it to relevant searches. The primary category describes the business as a whole and is a top local-ranking lever; secondary categories cover additional services.
Business directory A business directory is an online platform that lists businesses organized by category and location, with each entry showing the company name, address, phone number, and other details. In SEO, these listings create local citations that help search engines verify a business and rank it in local results.
Business listing A business listing is a business's entry on an online directory or platform (such as Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp, or Apple Maps) that displays its name, address, phone number, and other details so customers and search engines can find and verify it.
Business Profile insights Google Business Profile insights (shown under the Performance view) are the metrics Google reports on how people find and act on your listing across Search and Maps: profile views, the search terms used, calls, website clicks, direction requests, messages, and bookings.
Business Profile verification Google Business Profile verification is the process of proving to Google that you own or manage a business, which unlocks control of its listing on Search and Maps. Google confirms ownership through methods like a live video recording, phone, text, email, or a mailed postcard code.
Citation A citation is any online mention of your business's name, address, and phone number (NAP), such as a listing on Yelp, Apple Maps, or a local directory. Search engines use these mentions to verify that a business exists and is located where it says it is.
Citation building Citation building is the practice of creating and maintaining online listings of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) across directories, review sites, and maps. Accurate, consistent citations feed Google's prominence signal and support local pack and Google Maps rankings.
Data aggregator A data aggregator is a company that compiles core business information (name, address, phone, hours) and syndicates it at scale to directories, maps, apps, GPS systems, and voice assistants. Search engines license this data, so aggregator accuracy shapes how you appear across local search.
Duplicate listing A duplicate listing is a second Google Business Profile (or directory entry) for the same business at the same location. Google allows only one profile per business, so it hides duplicates from Search and Maps and splits your reviews and ranking signals across the profiles.
GBP attributes Google Business Profile attributes are descriptive tags on your listing that tell customers specific details about your business, such as wheelchair accessible, offers Wi-Fi, or women-owned. They show on Google Search and Maps and split into owner-set factual tags and subjective tags crowdsourced from visitors.
GBP optimization GBP optimization is the work of completing and maintaining a Google Business Profile (categories, hours, description, photos, reviews) so it ranks higher in Google's local pack and Maps. Google ranks these listings on relevance, distance, and prominence.
GBP suspension A GBP suspension is when Google restricts or removes a Google Business Profile for breaking its guidelines. A soft suspension keeps the listing visible but blocks editing, while a hard suspension pulls it from Search and Maps until you appeal and get reinstated.
Geo coordinates Geo coordinates are the latitude and longitude values that pin a location to an exact point on Earth (the WGS 84 system GPS uses). In local SEO they fill the GeoCoordinates schema field so search engines know a business's precise spot, not just its written address.
Geo-grid A geo-grid is a local SEO rank-tracking method that lays a grid of points over a map, runs the same search from each point, and plots the business's local-pack position at every point as a color-coded heatmap. It shows how Google Maps rankings shift from block to block.
Geo-targeting Geo-targeting is serving different content, search results, or ads to people based on where they are (country, region, city, or a set radius). It lets a site or campaign show the right language, currency, and offers per market instead of one generic version for everyone.
Geofencing Geofencing is a location-based marketing technology that draws a virtual boundary around a physical place (a store, an event, a competitor's address) using GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular signals, then triggers an action such as a mobile ad or push notification when a device enters or exits it.
Geotagging Geotagging is the practice of embedding geographic location data (usually latitude and longitude coordinates) into a file's metadata, most often the EXIF header of a photo or video. In local SEO it is a folk tactic of writing a business's coordinates into images before uploading them.
Google Business messaging Google Business messaging was a chat feature that let customers message a business directly from its Google Business Profile on Search and Maps. Google discontinued it on July 31, 2024, so profiles now route contact through calls, website links, and reviews instead.
Google Business Profile A Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly Google My Business, is the free Google listing that represents a business on Google Maps and in local search results. It holds details like name, address, hours, photos, and reviews, and is the core asset for appearing in the local pack.
Google Guaranteed Google Guaranteed was Google's badge and money-back guarantee for vetted Local Services Ads providers in home-service trades. In 2025 Google merged it, Google Screened, and License Verified into a single Google Verified badge and discontinued the reimbursement guarantee.
Google Local Guides Google Local Guides is Google's volunteer program that rewards Maps users with points for reviews, photos, videos, answers, and edits to place listings. Contributors climb ten levels, and Level 4 and above earn a badge shown next to their name on Google Maps.
Google Maps Google Maps is Google's free mapping and local-discovery product for web and mobile. For businesses, it is where a verified Google Business Profile appears as a map pin, in the local pack, and in navigational and "near me" searches, giving people directions, hours, reviews, and contact details.
Google Maps SEO Google Maps SEO is the practice of optimizing a business so it ranks higher in Google Maps and the local pack. Google ranks Maps listings on three factors it names openly: relevance, distance, and prominence, driven mostly by the Google Business Profile.
Google Maps spam Google Maps spam is any tactic that manipulates local rankings or misleads users through fake, duplicate, or misrepresented Business Profiles, such as keyword-stuffed business names, fake or virtual addresses, and fake reviews. Google's guidelines prohibit it and can suspend or remove offending listings.
Google Posts Google Posts are short updates, offers, and event announcements a business publishes on its Google Business Profile. They appear on the profile in Google Search and Maps, letting a business share timely content directly in local results without changing its website.
Google Q&A Google Q&A was a feature on a Google Business Profile that let anyone ask and answer public questions about a business, shown on Maps and in the local knowledge panel. Google retired the Q&A API in November 2025 and is replacing the feature with an AI-driven "Ask Maps" experience.
Google reviews Google reviews are the star ratings (1 to 5) and written feedback that customers leave on a business's Google Business Profile, shown in Google Search and Google Maps. Google factors review count, rating, and quality into "prominence," one of its three local ranking signals.
Google Screened Google Screened was a Google trust badge for vetted professional-services firms (law, financial planning, real estate, childcare) running Local Services Ads, earned by passing license and background checks. In October 2025 Google merged it into a single Google Verified badge.
Hyperlocal SEO Hyperlocal SEO is local search optimization aimed at a very small area, such as a single neighborhood, ZIP code, or a few blocks, instead of a whole city. It leans on Google's distance signal and neighborhood-level relevance to win "near me" and street-level searches.
Justifications In local SEO, justifications are the short snippets Google adds under a business in the local pack, local finder, and Maps to explain why that result matches the query, for example a quoted review, a "their website mentions..." line, or an "in stock" tag.
Local citations Local citations are online mentions of a business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) on directories, review sites, and other web pages. Consistent citations help search engines confirm the business exists at a given location and trust it enough to rank it in local results.
Local content Local content is website or Google Business Profile content tailored to a specific place or community, such as city landing pages, neighborhood guides, and locally focused posts. It signals geographic relevance so a business surfaces in searches tied to that location.
Local Finder Google's Local Finder is the expanded, scrollable list of local businesses that opens when you click "More places" (or "More businesses") under the local pack in Google Search. It shows a ranked map-plus-listings view that continues past the pack's top three, with ratings, hours, and distance.
Local intent Local intent is the signal in a search query that the user wants nearby options, stated explicitly ("plumber near me," "dentist Chicago") or inferred by Google from the phrasing and the searcher's location. Queries with local intent trigger a map pack and localized results.
Local keyword A local keyword is a search term that carries geographic intent, either explicitly (a city, neighborhood, or ZIP, like "plumber austin") or implicitly (phrases like "near me"). These queries tell Google the searcher wants results tied to a place, not generic national answers.
Local link building Local link building is the practice of earning backlinks from geographically relevant sites, like local news outlets, chambers of commerce, and nearby businesses, to strengthen a business's authority in a specific area. Google treats these links as part of the prominence signal used to rank local and map-pack results.
Local organic results Local organic results are the traditional blue-link web results that appear below the local pack on a search with local intent. They link to a business's own website (not its Google Business Profile) and are ranked by Google's core web signals with the searcher's location factored in.
Local pack The local pack is the block of local business listings, usually three, that Google shows with a map above the regular organic results when a search has local intent. Also called the map pack or 3-pack, it is the most prominent spot in local search and the main target of local SEO.
Local rank tracking Local rank tracking is monitoring where a business ranks in localized search results (the map pack, local finder, and organic listings) for target keywords, measured from specific geographic points, since local results shift with the searcher's location.
Local ranking factors Local ranking factors are the signals Google uses to order business results in the local pack and Google Maps. Google names three: relevance (how well a Business Profile matches the query), distance (how far the business is from the searcher), and prominence (how well-known the business is).
Local search Local search is any query where the intent is to find a nearby business or place, like "plumber near me" or "coffee shop." Google answers it with a location-aware layout (a map plus a small pack of business listings) ranked mainly by relevance, distance, and prominence rather than classic web signals alone.
Local SEO Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a business so it ranks for location-based searches, like Google Maps, the map pack, and "near me" queries. Google ranks local results mainly on three factors: relevance, distance, and prominence.
Local SERP A local SERP is a search results page dominated by location features, mainly the local pack (a map plus three Google Business Profile listings) and Google Maps results, shown when a query carries local intent like "plumber near me." Google ranks the listings by relevance, distance, and prominence.
Local Services Ads Local Services Ads (LSAs) are Google's pay-per-lead ads for local service businesses, shown at the top of search results above text ads and organic listings. Advertisers pay per qualified lead (a call, message, or booking) instead of per click, and verified providers carry a Google Verified badge.
LocalBusiness schema LocalBusiness schema is Schema.org structured data (usually written as JSON-LD) that describes a physical business to search engines, covering name, address, phone, hours, geo coordinates, and price range. It is a subtype of both Organization and Place.
Location page A location page is a single web page dedicated to one physical business location, city, or branch. It carries that location's name, address, phone number, hours, and area-specific content so it can rank for "city + service" and "near me" searches tied to that spot.
Multi-location SEO Multi-location SEO is the practice of optimizing local search visibility for a single brand that runs several physical branches, so each location ranks and gets found separately in Google Search, Maps, and AI answers. Each branch needs its own verified Google Business Profile, a unique location page, and consistent NAP data.
NAP NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, the contact details a business publishes across its website, Google Business Profile, and directory listings. In local SEO, keeping NAP identical everywhere is a trust signal that helps you rank in the local pack and on Maps.
NAP consistency NAP consistency means your business Name, Address, and Phone number appear in the same format across your website, Google Business Profile, and every directory that lists you. Matching NAP data helps search engines trust the business is real and rank it in local search.
Near me search A near me search is a query where the user wants nearby results, whether they type "near me" literally (like "coffee shop near me") or the intent is implied. Google answers it by detecting the searcher's location, then ranking businesses on relevance, distance, and prominence.
Pigeon update Google Pigeon was a local search update released on July 24, 2014, that tied rankings in Google Maps and the local pack much more closely to core web search signals like links, content quality, and overall site authority. Search Engine Land coined the name; Google never officially named it.
Possum update The Possum update is a Google local search change from September 1, 2016 that filters local listings by a business's physical address and affiliation and gives more weight to the searcher's location, so affected listings get hidden rather than removed.
Prominence In local SEO, prominence is one of Google's three local ranking factors (alongside relevance and distance). It measures how well-known and trusted a business is, judged from signals like the number of sites that link to it, its review count and ratings, and its position in ordinary web results.
Proximity Proximity is how close a searcher is to a business, one of three main signals (with relevance and prominence) Google uses to rank local results. Google measures the distance between the searcher's location and each business address, and closer businesses tend to rank higher for the same query.
Relevance In local SEO, relevance is how well a Google Business Profile matches what someone is searching for. It is one of Google's three local ranking factors, alongside distance and prominence, and it decides whether your business is even a candidate to appear for a given query.
Reputation management Online reputation management (ORM) is the practice of monitoring, earning, and responding to the reviews, ratings, and search results that shape how people and search engines perceive a business. For local businesses it feeds directly into Google's prominence signal and local rankings.
Review gating Review gating is the prohibited practice of screening customers by sentiment first, then steering only the happy ones to post a public review while diverting unhappy ones to a private channel. Google bans it, and the FTC's 2024 reviews rule targets review suppression.
Review generation Review generation is the practice of actively and systematically asking customers to leave online reviews, usually Google reviews, after a purchase or visit. Done correctly it means requesting feedback from every customer, not only the satisfied ones.
Review management Review management is the ongoing practice of monitoring, responding to, and generating customer reviews across platforms like Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Trustpilot. It protects reputation and builds the review volume, ratings, and recency that shape how local businesses rank.
Review schema Review schema is structured data (using the schema.org Review and AggregateRating types) that tells search engines about the ratings and reviews on a page, making it eligible to show star ratings and review counts as a rich result in search.
Review signals Review signals are the review-related inputs Google uses to judge a local business's prominence: total review count, average star rating, review recency and velocity, the words reviewers use, and coverage across platforms. Stronger review signals help a business rank in the local pack and on Maps.
Review velocity Review velocity is the rate and consistency at which a business earns new customer reviews over time. In local SEO it acts as a freshness signal: a steady, ongoing stream of genuine reviews tends to outperform a large but stale review count.
Service area A service area is the set of geographic zones (cities, postal codes, or regions) a business lists in its Google Business Profile to show where it serves customers. It lets service-area businesses like plumbers or cleaners appear in local search without publishing a storefront address.
Service-area business A service-area business (SAB) visits or delivers to customers at their locations instead of serving them at a storefront. On Google Business Profile it lists the cities or postal codes it covers rather than a public street address. Plumbers, cleaners, and electricians are typical examples.
Share of Local Voice Share of Local Voice (SoLV) measures how often a business appears in Google's local 3-Pack across a grid of map points, scored from 0 to 100. A score of 100 means it ranked top-three at every point scanned for a given keyword; lower scores show partial coverage.
Star rating A star rating is the 1-to-5 score Google displays for a business or product, calculated as the average of all published ratings (5 is highest). It shows up in the local pack, Google Maps, and organic rich results, backed by review data or AggregateRating structured data.
Store locator A store locator is a website feature, usually a search box plus a map, that lets visitors find a business's nearest physical branch by entering a ZIP code, city, or their location, then returns each store's address, hours, phone, and directions.
Structured citation A structured citation is a listing of your business's name, address, and phone number (NAP) on a formatted online directory such as Google Business Profile, Yelp, or Bing Places, where dedicated fields for each detail make the data easy for search engines to read and trust.
Unstructured citation An unstructured citation is a mention of a business's name, address, or phone number (NAP) inside ordinary web content like a blog post, news article, or event page, rather than in a formatted business-directory listing. Search engines read these mentions as signals that a local business is real and relevant.
Vicinity update The Vicinity update is Google's local search algorithm change from late 2021 (rolled out November 30 to December 8) that increased the weight of physical proximity in Map Pack rankings and cut the ranking boost businesses got from stuffing keywords into their Google Business Profile name.

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