Rank grid
Single-number local rank tracking is close to meaningless, because there is no single local ranking. Position depends on the searcher's location, so any one number is just a report from one arbitrary point.
A grid samples a lattice of points across the metro — often 7x7 or larger — and records your position for a keyword at each. The output is a map: green in the center, fading to red at the edges, with the boundary showing exactly how far your prominence carries you.
Read it as area, not rank. Progress looks like the green zone spreading outward month over month, and that's a measurement clients can see rather than take on faith.
It converts local SEO from an argument into a picture, and it's the baseline we set in the first 30 days so movement is provable.
Common questions
How often should I run a rank grid?
Monthly is right for most businesses. Weekly grids mostly capture noise, since map pack positions fluctuate daily.
What's a good grid result?
Top-three coverage across the area you actually serve. A tight green center with red everywhere else means prominence is the constraint, not relevance.
Related terms
Having this problem right now?
Want this handled for you?
RapidLocal runs your Google Business Profile end to end — categories, services, posts, review capture, and map pack tracking on a geo-grid so you can see it move.