The short answer
Local search is how people nearby find you when they look up "apartments near me," "plumber in Oakland" or your name. Google ranks local results on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. You can't change where you are, but you can make your Business Profile complete and accurate, earn steady reviews and make sure the number people tap actually gets answered.
How Google picks local results
Google says local results are based mainly on three factors (Google):
- Relevance: how well your Business Profile matches what someone searched for.
- Distance: how far your business is from the person searching, or from the place they named.
- Prominence: how well known your business is. Google notes that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.
Google is also clear that there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. The work is in the profile, the reviews and the business itself.
What local search experts weigh most
Each year Whitespark surveys local search specialists on what moves rankings in the Google map results. In the 2026 edition, the top five factors were (Whitespark):
- Your primary Business Profile category
- How close your address is to the person searching
- Keywords in your business name
- A physical address in the city being searched
- Being open at the time of the search
The report also calls out review signals as gaining importance this year. One caution on the third factor: Google's guidelines say your profile name should match your real-world business name, without added keywords or taglines (Google). Pick a clear name in the real world, then use it everywhere.
Where your customers are looking
- Renters: in an Apartments.com survey of more than 15,000 people planning to rent, 85% use or plan to use a listing site, 37% ask friends or family and 35% use a search engine (NAA). Your Google profile, listing sites and reviews all work together.
- Everyone checks reviews: only 4% of consumers say they never read online reviews for local businesses, and 74% use two or more review sites before choosing one (BrightLocal).
Set up your Business Profile
- Claim and verify the profile for each property or location. Google says verified businesses are more likely to show up in results.
- Choose your primary category carefully. Use the most specific one that describes your core business, and as few categories as possible.
- Use your real business name, exactly as it appears on your sign, website and lease or invoice.
- List accurate hours, including holiday and special hours. Update them before every holiday.
- Use a local phone number that rings at the location, not a central call center line, wherever you can.
- Service-area businesses: hide your street address and set the areas you serve instead, as Google's guidelines ask.
- Add real photos: the building, amenities, units, your team, finished jobs. Update them a few times a year.
- Add your website link to the page that matches the profile: the property page, not just your company home page.
Keep it working, month by month
- Ask for reviews as part of your routine, after a move-in, a finished repair or a closed job.
- Reply to reviews, good and bad, within a few days. Google recommends short, specific, personal replies.
- Check your profile monthly for edits you didn't make. Anyone can suggest changes to a public listing.
- Keep your name, address and phone the same everywhere: website, listing sites, social profiles and directories.
- Answer the phone. A search ends in a tap to call. If that call rings out at 7 p.m., the searcher moves to the next result.
How YesOneOne helps
Local search brings the call. YesOneOne makes sure someone answers it. Leigh picks up leasing calls at any hour and books tours on the same call. Emma answers for home and professional services, captures what the caller needs and books the visit. Every search that turns into a call gets a real next step.
See what happens when your Google listing rings at 9 p.m.
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