Each year since 2008 a Local Search Ranking Factors survey is being done – asking local search engine optimization experts around the world about the top techniques and strategies that work for them in their businesses.
The result of the survey is a list of top 20 local search ranking factors:
- Proper category associations
- Physical address in city of search
- Consistency of structured citations
- Quality/authority of structured citations
- HTML NAP matching place page NAP
- Quantity of structured citations
- Domain authority of website
- Individually owner-verified local plus page
- City, state in Places landing page title
- Proximity of address to centroid
- Quality/authority of inbound links to domain
- Quantity of native Google Places reviews (w/text)
- Product/service keyword in business title
- Quantity of citations from locally relevant domains
- Proximity of physical location to the point of search
- Quantity of citations from industry-relevant domains
- Local area code on local Plus page
- City, state in most/all website title tags
- Quantity of third-party traditional reviews
- Page authority of Places landing page URL
Read the full article and explanation of each ranking factor here