Near me searches are queries that ask for something close to the searcher, such as “pharmacy near me”, without naming a place. The result depends on where the person is.
How does Google handle them?
Google says local results mainly depend on relevance, distance and prominence. Distance is how far a business is from the searcher. In its help for business profiles Google says that when a customer does not share where they are, it uses what it knows about their location. Businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to appear.
What can a business influence?
The searcher’s position cannot be changed, so the information Google holds about the business matters.
- keep the Business Profile complete, including address, hours and category
- keep name, address and phone number identical on the website, in the profile and in directories
- give each real location its own page with local content
Whether repeating the phrase “near me” in titles and text helps is disputed among practitioners. Google gives no rule for it (assessment based on practice articles).
Example
Someone walking through a city searches “bike repair near me”. Google shows the shops that fit best on distance, relevance and prominence. A shop with an incomplete profile is less likely to appear. The example is invented.
Sources
- Improve your local ranking on Google - Google Business Profile Helpsupport.google.com
- How to rank for near me searches - Thryv (secondary)thryv.com.au
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