Calculator inputs
Enter profile strength, review signals, authority metrics, distance, and competitor pressure to estimate a practical local ranking score.
Formula used
Core score model
Overall Local Score = (Review Strength × 0.24) + (Relevance × 0.24) + (Prominence × 0.22) + (Distance × 0.15) + (Engagement × 0.15)
Review Strength = (Rating Normalized × 0.50) + (Review Count Normalized × 0.30) + (Review Velocity Normalized × 0.20)
Relevance = (Category Match × 0.50) + (Profile Completeness × 0.35) + (Posting Score × 0.15)
Supporting calculations
Prominence = (Website Authority × 0.40) + (Citation Consistency × 0.35) + (Photo Activity × 0.25)
Distance Score = max(0, 100 − Distance in km × 4.5)
Engagement = (Engagement Rate × 0.50) + (Response Rate × 0.30) + (Posting Score × 0.20)
Estimated Rank Position adjusts the score with competitor strength, then converts the result into a practical position range from 1 to 20.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the business name, target keyword, and city you want to evaluate.
- Add review quality, review count, and monthly review growth.
- Estimate local relevance factors such as category fit and profile completeness.
- Add authority signals including website authority, citations, and visual activity.
- Include distance, engagement, response rate, and competitor strength.
- Click Calculate Rank Score to show the result above the form.
- Review the component chart, weakest area, and recommended actions.
- Use the CSV or PDF buttons to export the current result summary.
Example data table
| Business | Keyword | City | Rating | Reviews | Distance (km) | Authority | Profile Complete | Competitor Strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Smile Dental | dentist near me | Austin | 4.4 | 126 | 3.2 | 56 | 92% | 74% |
| Peak Roof Repair | roof repair | Houston | 4.8 | 214 | 2.1 | 63 | 95% | 69% |
| Urban Legal Group | personal injury lawyer | Dallas | 4.2 | 83 | 6.8 | 71 | 87% | 82% |
FAQs
1. Does this calculator use Google’s real ranking formula?
No. It uses an estimated weighted model built from common local SEO signals. It helps compare strength, identify gaps, and prioritize optimization work, but it does not represent any official search engine algorithm.
2. What does competitor strength mean?
Competitor strength reflects how strong nearby listings are overall. Higher values mean you face tougher businesses with better reviews, authority, engagement, and profile quality, which can lower your predicted position.
3. Why does distance affect the score?
Local results often depend on proximity to the searcher. When a user is closer to your business or service area, distance usually works in your favor, so the calculator rewards shorter distances.
4. How should I estimate category match?
Use a high value when your primary category and services closely match the search intent. Use a lower value when your category is broad, weak, or only partially aligned with the keyword.
5. What is a good local score?
A score above 70 is usually competitive. A score above 85 suggests strong local visibility potential. Lower scores often indicate that reviews, relevance, authority, or engagement need focused improvement.
6. Can this calculator help agencies?
Yes. Agencies can use it for discovery calls, client reporting, opportunity scoring, and prioritizing local SEO tasks. It is also useful for comparing locations inside multi-location campaigns.
7. How often should I recalculate?
Recalculate monthly or after meaningful changes such as new reviews, profile updates, citation cleanup, stronger landing pages, or major competitor moves in the target city.
8. Is ranking guaranteed if my score improves?
No. Rankings change with searcher location, intent, personalization, competition, and platform updates. A better score improves your local positioning potential, but it cannot guarantee a specific result.