Your map tells you where you appear. The competitor sections tell you who appears instead, and what they have that you don't. They are measured across the same spots as your own figures, so you're comparing like with like.
There are two parts: Who you are up against, which covers every business Google showed, and You against the top three, which puts your Google profile side by side with the three strongest.
Who you are up against
This section lists every business Google showed for your searches, strongest first. Above the table are a few headline figures:
- Gap to the leader: how many points of top-three share separate you from the business holding the most top spots. If you're ahead, it shows Your lead instead.
- Businesses competing: how many businesses turned up, and how many of them reach the top three somewhere on the map.
- How far the top three reaches: when you pick a single search, the average distance from your door at which you're in the top three, next to the leader's.
The table gives each business its top-three share, how many spots it was found in, its average position where found and across the whole area, its rating, review count and Google category.
The "whole area" average counts spots where a business isn't in the top 20 as 21. A rival that only shows up near its own door can't look better than it is. Reading the map explains why that matters.
See a rival's map
- Scroll to Who you are up against.
- Click a business in the table. The map above switches to show its positions.
- To go back, choose yourself from Show positions for above the map.
This is the quickest way to see whether a rival is strong everywhere or only near its premises. It also shows who is taking the spots in your blind spots.
Businesses you can realistically overtake
Sometimes a box appears listing businesses that rank above you despite having fewer reviews or a lower rating than yours. For them, being close by and relevant is doing the work, not their reputation. They're a sensible next rung to aim for.
You against the top three
This section puts you next to the three businesses holding the most top spots across your area:
| Row | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Google rating | Whether you're level, ahead or behind. |
| Reviews | Your count against each of theirs. |
| Photos | How many each profile has. |
| Extra categories | How many categories each lists beyond its main one. |
| Main category | The single category each has chosen as its main one. |
A dash means Google didn't return that figure for the business on that scan. It doesn't mean zero.
Under the table, What stands out picks out the gaps that matter, such as the three averaging (say) 150 reviews against your 40, or two of them sharing a main category that's different from yours. Already in good shape lists what you've got right, so you don't waste time on it.
What to copy
Google says it ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence. Two of those three are yours to work on.
- Main category. If the top three share a main category and yours is different, check whether theirs describes your work better. The main category is one of the strongest signals Google uses to decide which searches you appear for.
- Extra categories. Add any that genuinely describe services you offer.
- Reviews. Review count is one of the few things you can change quickly. How to get more Google reviews covers how to ask.
- Photos, hours and description. Easy gaps to close. Google Business Profile optimisation goes through each.
Most of these turn up as jobs on your job list with the steps written out.
What not to copy
If a rival has your search term stuffed into its business name, it may rank well for it. Don't copy it. Adding keywords to your business name breaks Google's rules and can get a profile suspended. Win on reviews and relevance instead.
What you can't change
Distance is the third factor, and you can't move your premises. A business that sits in the middle of an area will tend to hold the top three there, however good your profile is. That's why rivals often win the spots near their own door, and why your own map is usually strongest around yours.
So judge a rival by where it wins. If it only holds the top three close to its premises, you may be chasing something you can't take. If it wins across the whole area, including near you, the gap is in the things you can change, and that's where your effort should go. It can also help to check you're tracking the right services: see choosing which searches to track.