How to Track Your Local Rank on Google: Local Rank Tracking Tools & Tips

People often ask, ‘How do I track my rank on Google?’ The answer isn’t easy. Fortunately, there are a few good tools and tips that can help you. In this video, I am going to show you how to use a few rank checker tools with a focus on “local rank checking” on Google, that is “Local SEO” and rank issues. Let’s get started!

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ENTER YOUR KEYWORDS PLUS YOUR CITY NAMES

First, the easiest way to do this is to enter a keyword plus a city name. We’ll use the example of The Walkup Law Firm in San Francisco at https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/.  This is a “personal injury law firm” based in San Francisco, so they are competing on phrases like “accident attorney,” “bike accident attorney,” and “personal injury law firm.” Thus you need to know a) your keyword, and b) your city. Then combine them and do a Google search as in bike accident lawyer San Francisco.  Next, look at your results and measure their rank in the “local pack” and in the “organic listings.” You should also either turn off private results in Google and/or use “incognito mode.”



USE THE BRIGHTLOCAL TOOL

Second, you can use the BrightLocal local rank checking tool. This tool allows ten free searches per day.  What’s nifty is you can use “short tail” searches that do NOT include the city name and you can vary the city location by zip code. Thus enter a phrase such as “accident attorney” and set your location to San Francisco or the zip code 94111. You can then see how you rank in each city or zip code for “short tails.” This is a VERY useful tool and one I use often. I also recommend this Zip code tool so you can see the zip codes in and around a given city.



USE THE GOOGLE ADS PREVIEW TOOL

Third, sign up for Google Ads (you have to enter a credit card but do not have to be spending money), and then use their “Ad Preview” tool located in the top right under Tools > Ad Preview. There is also an unsigned in version of the tool, here. Similarly to the BrightLocal tool you can vary keyword and city or zip code. You can also use this tool for desktop, mobile, or tablet previews.  In this way, you can manually check your rank on Google for local searches.

Enjoy this fun, free, and fast local rank checking tools!

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About Jason McDonald

Jason McDonald is a top-rated San Francisco SEO Consultant. His consulting services include search engine optimization consulting, social media marketing consulting, and Google AdWords consulting. Jason's motto as a consultant is that he doesn't do SEO 'for you' but rather he does SEO 'with you.' That goes as well for his social media marketing consultant activities and Google AdWords consultant services. Besides serving clients in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jason consults with clients in Silicon Valley (San Jose), Oakland and other cities throughout the Bay Area. Beyond the Bay Area, Jason is available as an SEO consultant, Social Media Consultant, and as an expert witness in litigation involving social media marketing, search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising.