Proximity Factor

The proximity factor is one of the three pillars of ranking in Google's local results, alongside relevance and prominence. It measures the geographic distance between the user's position (or the location mentioned in the query) and the business address. This factor has grown in importance since the Google Vicinity update of 2021, which strengthened the weight of proximity in the local algorithm. In practice, a business located 500 meters from the user will generally be favored over a competitor 5 km away, even if the latter has better reviews. The proximity factor is the only local ranking factor over which the owner has no direct control (they cannot move their business). However, indirect strategies exist: strategically choosing location during creation or relocation, optimizing for queries including neighborhood or area names, and correctly defining service area for service area businesses.