The SeoMap knowledge base.
Straight explanations of the metrics and mechanics behind SeoMap — no marketing, just what the numbers mean and how the scans work.
Core concepts
Desktop vs. Mobile Local Search Results: Why They Differ
The same search from the same address can return a different local pack on desktop than on mobile. Here's why, and how to track both instead of guessing.
Read article →Google CID / Place ID: Why Exact Matching Matters
A CID and a Place ID both identify one exact Google Business Profile listing, not a name. Here's why that's what keeps rank data accurate.
Read article →How Google Maps Rankings Vary by Location
A Google Maps ranking isn't one number — it changes with where the search happens. Here's why one ranking check never tells the whole story.
Read article →How to Read a Local SEO Heatmap's Colors
Every point on a SeoMap heatmap is colored by rank: green for top 3, amber for 4–10, red for 11–20, gray for not found. How to read it.
Read article →Local Pack vs. Organic Results Explained
Google shows two result sets for local searches: the map-based local pack and organic listings. They rank differently — here's how.
Read article →What Is a Local SEO Geo-Grid Scan?
A geo-grid scan simulates real Google Maps searches at every point of a GPS grid around a business, then color-codes each result into a visibility heatmap.
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Guides
AI Review Analysis: Sentiment and Themes From Reviews
One click summarizes a business's recent Google reviews into sentiment breakdown, recurring themes, and sample quotes — opt-in, at most once a week.
Read article →Common Local SEO Ranking Myths
Five assumptions about local rankings that quietly produce wrong conclusions — each one traced back to what's actually happening in Google's results.
Read article →Competitor Analysis: Who Dominates the Map Pack
"Who's our competitor" usually names one or two businesses from memory. A geo-grid scan's competitor ranking shows who actually wins the map pack, and why.
Read article →Google Search Console + Local Rank Tracking
Search Console shows which queries bring traffic. A geo-grid scan shows where a business ranks for them in the map pack. Neither alone tells the story.
Read article →How Agencies Use Heatmaps to Win Client Work
A red heatmap opens a sales conversation faster than a spreadsheet. A before/after comparison proves the work moved something. How agencies use both.
Read article →Local SEO for Multi-Location Brands: A Deeper Look
Tracking each location separately is the starting point. The harder part is doing it consistently across many locations without collapsing into guesswork.
Read article →REST API: Pulling SeoMap Data Into Your Own Tools
A read-only REST API with self-managed keys for projects, scans and grid points — for Zapier, n8n, Make, or your own scripts.
Read article →What to Track for Multi-Location Search Visibility
One blended average hides which location is losing visibility. Track each one separately when a business has more than one Google Business Profile.
Read article →White-Label Reports: Your Own Branding on Client Reports
Your own company name and logo instead of "SeoMap" on report exports and share views — part of the Agency plan.
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Metrics
ARP vs. ATRP: Why Average Position Misleads
ARP averages only the grid points where a business was found. ATRP folds in the not-found points too — the honest number local rankings need.
Read article →What Is Share of Local Voice (SoLV)?
Share of Local Voice (SoLV) is the percentage of a scanned geo-grid where a business ranks in Google Maps' top 3 — a single number for local visibility.
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Scans
Grid Size Guide: 5×5 vs. 7×7 vs. 13×13 vs. 21×21
Grid size is a resolution and coverage setting, not a quality setting. How 5×5, 7×7, 13×13 and 21×21 scans differ in cost and detail.
Read article →How to Track Local SEO Rank Changes Over Time
"We went from #4 to #2" is one point, not proof. How scan history becomes a real trend chart over time — plus the point-by-point comparison of any two scans.
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