This document summarizes the results of Darren Shaw's 2017 Local Search Ranking Factors Survey. Some of the key findings include: 1. Proximity of a business's address to the user's search location became the number one local search ranking factor, surpassing physical address. 2. Consistency and completeness of citations across sources increased in importance as citation factors made up 10 of the top 50 factors compared to 7 in 2015. 3. While reviews remained very important, citations saw a larger increase and now outnumber reviews as a ranking factor. 4. Google My Business factors like attributes, categories, and business hours also rose in the rankings.

1. 2017 Local Search Ranking
Factors Survey Results
Darren Shaw
Founder, Whitespark
@DarrenShaw_

2. Data Aggregator
Study
@DarrenShaw_
Thank you,
David Mihm

3. Tidings.com

4. Definitions
@DarrenShaw_

5. GMB ListingDefinitions
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6. GMB ListingDefinitions
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7. GMB Landing PageDefinitions
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8. Local PackDefinitions
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9. Local ABC PackDefinitions
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10. Local Snack PackDefinitions
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11. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
REMEMBER
“If you want a snack,
look to the snack pack”

12. Local Sponsored PackDefinitions
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13. Local FinderDefinitions
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14. Changes Made
to the Survey
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15. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Foundational Factors
vs
Competitive Difference
Makers

16. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Impact of the Possum
Update

17. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Encouraging More
Comments

18. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Factors Dropped
&
Factors Added

19. Survey Structure
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20. Thematic Ranking
Signals
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21. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Specific Ranking Factors
in Local Pack/Finder
and
Local Organic Results

22. Foundational vs
Competitive Ranking
Factors
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23. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Impact of the Possum
Update

24. Negative Ranking
Factors
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25. Results & Observations
@DarrenShaw_

27. Increasing Importance
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28. Decreasing Importance
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29. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Physical Address in City of
Search is now the #2 Local
Search Ranking Factor

30. @DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Drumroll please…

31. The New #1 Local Search Ranking Factor
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Proximity of Address to
the Point of Search

32. Proximity of Address to the Point of Search
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33. Proximity of Address to the Point of Search
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34. Proximity of Address to Centroid?
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35. Proximity of Address to Centroid?
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

36. Proximity of Address to Centroid?
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
#1 #2 #3

37. New Citation Factors
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Consistency of
Structured Citations
Consistency on
Primary Data Sources
Consistency on
Tier 1 Sites
Consistency on
Tier 3 Sites
Consistency on
Tier 4 Sites

38. New Citation Factors
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Enhancement /
Completeness of Citations
Presence of Business
on Expert Curated "Best
of" and Similar Lists
Proper Category Associations
on Aggregators and Top Tier
Citation Sources
Prominence on Key
Industry-Relevant
Domains

39. Shifting Priorities With Citations
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40. Total Citation Factors in the Top 50
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2015: 7
2017: 10

41. Local SEOs Love Links
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42. Local SEOs Love Links
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Reviews: 45
Citations: 32

43. GMB Factors
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So long, Description field
We won’t miss you

44. GMB Factors
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Hello Attributes!

45. GMB Factors
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46. Spamming the GMB Business Title
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47. Spamming the GMB Business Title
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48. Age of GMB Listing
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Ranked Highly by Joy and Colan

49. Association of Photos
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50. Add Business Hours
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Because Nick Neels
said so

51. Impact of Possum
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

52. Impact of Possum
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

53. Impact of Possum
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The primary impact
has been identifying
and troubleshooting
filtered listings

54. Foundational Factors
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55. Competitive Difference Makers
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

56. The Basics of How To Rank in Local
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57. Behavioral Factors
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58. The Future of Local Search: Entity Authority
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw
Tidings.com/vault/local-ranking-2020.html

59. The Future of Local Search: Entity Authority
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

60. The Future of Local Search: Entity Authority
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

61. The Future of Local Search: Entity Authority
@DarrenShaw_ +DarrenShaw

62. Thank you
Darren Shaw
Founder, Whitespark
@DarrenShaw_