How does the Google map pack decide who ranks?

Google describes three factors in plain terms: relevance, how well the profile matches what was typed; distance, how far the business is from the searcher or the place they named; and prominence, how well known the business is based on reviews, links, mentions and the strength of its website. You cannot change distance, so the work sits in relevance and prominence.

What should I fix first?

Start with anything that risks suspension: a keyword-stuffed name, the wrong address setting, or a duplicate listing. Then fix the primary category, because it decides which searches you are eligible for at all. Only after those two are settled do photos, posts and Q&A produce a return.

Is the score a ranking prediction?

No. It is a self-assessment of the items under your control, scored out of 100. A high score means nothing on this checklist is holding the profile back. Where you actually rank still depends on proximity to the searcher, how strong the competing profiles are, and the site the profile links to.

Can I ask patients for reviews if I run a clinic?

Reviews on your Google Business Profile are not advertising, so patients can leave them, but you cannot use testimonials about clinical care in your own advertising under section 133 of the National Law, and replies must not confirm or discuss anyone's treatment. Screen your ad and website copy with our AHPRA advertising compliance checker before it goes live.

How often should I redo this audit?

Quarterly is enough for most businesses, plus once immediately after any change of address, phone number, opening hours or ownership. Google also adds and retires profile features regularly, so a quarterly pass catches new fields you are not using yet.

Does the tool store what I enter?

No. Every toggle and the score are calculated in your browser and disappear when you close or reset the page. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no email gate on the report.

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Google Business Profile Self-Audit

Work through 30 checks covering the parts of a Google Business Profile you control: identity and categories, services, photos and posts, reviews, Q&A, attributes and hours, duplicates and tracking. You get a score out of 100, a plain-English reason each item matters, and a printable list of what is still outstanding. Runs entirely in your browser with no email gate.

Written by Sara Smith, Head of SEO, and reviewed by Lucas Durante, Founder, Odin Digital.

How the map pack ranks, in plain English

Google explains local results with three words: relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches what someone typed, and it is decided mostly by your primary category, your services and the wording on the page you link to. Fill those in properly and you become eligible for searches you were previously invisible for.

Distance is how far you are from the searcher, or from the suburb they named. You cannot change it. What you can change is how far your profile can reach before the drop-off bites, and that comes from the third factor.

Prominence is how well known the business appears to be: review volume and recency, mentions and links across the web, and the authority of the website behind the profile. It is the slowest factor to move and the one that decides whether you hold a map-pack position outside your immediate suburb.

What to fix first

Anything that risks suspension: keywords in the business name, the wrong address setting, or a duplicate listing you do not control.
The primary category, because it decides which searches you can appear in at all.
Services and the description, so the profile has matched text for the work you want.
A repeatable review request process, since review recency is visible in the results themselves.
Photos and posts, which fill the panel and give a returning searcher something new.
UTM tagging and a monthly look at calls and direction requests, so the work can be judged.

If the profile is complete and the map pack still will not move, the constraint is usually the website rather than the listing. That work sits in local SEO.

Frequently asked questions

How does the Google map pack decide who ranks?: Google describes three factors in plain terms: relevance, how well the profile matches what was typed; distance, how far the business is from the searcher or the place they named; and prominence, how well known the business is based on reviews, links, mentions and the strength of its website. You cannot change distance, so the work sits in relevance and prominence.
What should I fix first?: Start with anything that risks suspension: a keyword-stuffed name, the wrong address setting, or a duplicate listing. Then fix the primary category, because it decides which searches you are eligible for at all. Only after those two are settled do photos, posts and Q&A produce a return.
Is the score a ranking prediction?: No. It is a self-assessment of the items under your control, scored out of 100. A high score means nothing on this checklist is holding the profile back. Where you actually rank still depends on proximity to the searcher, how strong the competing profiles are, and the site the profile links to.
Can I ask patients for reviews if I run a clinic?: Reviews on your Google Business Profile are not advertising, so patients can leave them, but you cannot use testimonials about clinical care in your own advertising under section 133 of the National Law, and replies must not confirm or discuss anyone's treatment. Screen your ad and website copy with our AHPRA advertising compliance checker before it goes live.
How often should I redo this audit?: Quarterly is enough for most businesses, plus once immediately after any change of address, phone number, opening hours or ownership. Google also adds and retires profile features regularly, so a quarterly pass catches new fields you are not using yet.
Does the tool store what I enter?: No. Every toggle and the score are calculated in your browser and disappear when you close or reset the page. Nothing is uploaded, and there is no email gate on the report.

Google Business Profile Self-Audit

How the map pack ranks, in plain English

What to fix first

Frequently asked questions

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