Prominence Factor

The prominence factor is one of the three pillars of ranking in Google's local results. It evaluates a business's overall reputation and online visibility. Unlike the proximity factor, the prominence factor is largely controllable by the owner. Prominence signals include: the number and average rating of Google reviews, citations (NAP mentions on other sites), backlinks to the website, presence in quality directories, mentions in local press, social media engagement, and brand search volume. The prominence factor explains why well-known brands or highly rated businesses often appear in the Local Pack even for relatively distant users. It is the factor where link building has the most impact on local SEO: quality backlinks from local sites (local media, associations, city hall, chamber of commerce) directly strengthen prominence. Whitespark's annual study ranks prominence signals among the most important for Local Pack ranking.