Local SEO & Google reviews glossary
Plain-English definitions of the terms behind getting found on Google and collecting more reviews.
Local SEO
Local SEO is the practice of improving a business's visibility for location-based searches — the queries people make when looking for a product or service "near me." It focuses on the Google Maps results and local organic listings rather than national rankings. See our local SEO service.
Local Pack (Map Pack)
The local pack — also called the map pack or 3-pack — is the group of three businesses Google highlights on a map at the top of local search results. Appearing here drives the majority of calls, direction requests and walk-ins for local searches.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the free listing that controls how your business shows up on Google Search and Maps — your name, hours, photos, reviews and more. Optimising it is the foundation of local SEO. See GBP optimisation.
NAP
NAP stands for Name, Address and Phone number. Keeping your NAP identical across your website, Google Business Profile and every directory is one of the most important local-SEO trust signals — inconsistencies confuse Google and customers alike.
Citation
A citation is a mention of your business's NAP on another website — directories like Yelp, Apple Maps and Bing Places, or industry and local listings. Consistent citations help Google verify your business and improve local rankings. See citation building.
Google Reviews
Google reviews are the star ratings and written feedback customers leave on your Google Business Profile. They are both a top local-ranking factor and the trust signal most customers check before choosing a business. Learn how to get more.
Review Gating
Review gating is the practice of filtering customers so only satisfied ones are sent to leave a public Google review, while unhappy ones are diverted elsewhere. It violates Google's review policies and can get reviews removed. Always ask every customer for an honest review.
NFC
NFC (Near-Field Communication) is the short-range wireless technology behind contactless payments. In a review product, a customer taps their phone on the card, plate or stand and their Google review page opens instantly — no app and no typing.
QR Code
A QR code is a square barcode that opens a web link when scanned with a phone's camera. On a review product it sends customers straight to your Google review page, working on any phone with a camera. Make one with our link & QR generator.
Prominence
Prominence is one of Google's three core local-ranking factors. It reflects how well-known a business is — driven by reviews (quantity, rating and recency), links, citations and overall web presence. More and fresher reviews directly increase prominence.
Proximity
Proximity is how near your business is to the person searching. It's one of Google's three local-ranking factors and the one you can't change — which is why the factors you can influence (reviews, profile, citations) matter so much.
Relevance
Relevance is how closely your business matches a search query. You improve it by completing your Google Business Profile, choosing accurate categories, and describing your services clearly so Google can match you to the right searches.
EEAT
EEAT stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness — the qualities Google's guidelines use to assess content and businesses. Genuine reviews, accurate information and a credible web presence all strengthen EEAT.
AI Overview
An AI Overview is the AI-generated answer Google now shows at the top of many search results. To be cited in them, your content needs clear, factual, well-structured answers — which is why on-page FAQs and concise definitions matter more than ever.
SERP
SERP stands for Search Engine Results Page — the page of results Google returns for a query. Local SERPs often include a map pack, shopping listings, AI Overviews and 'people also ask' questions alongside the classic blue links.
Rich Snippet
A rich snippet is a search result enhanced with extra information — star ratings, prices, FAQs — pulled from structured data (schema) on the page. Review and product schema can earn eye-catching star ratings in results. Generate markup with our schema generator.
Service Area Business (SAB)
A Service Area Business serves customers at their location rather than from a physical storefront — plumbers, electricians, cleaners and other mobile trades. SABs hide their address on Google but still compete in local search through reviews, service-area settings and citations.
Reputation Management
Online reputation management is the ongoing work of monitoring reviews and mentions, responding professionally, and steadily generating new positive reviews. It protects and grows the trust that drives local customers. See our reputation management service.
Backlink
A backlink is a link from another website pointing to yours. Relevant, local backlinks (from directories, partners, sponsorships and press) build authority and help your rankings. See local link building.
Knowledge Panel
A knowledge panel is the information box Google displays — usually on the right of desktop results or at the top on mobile — summarising a business or entity, including its reviews, hours and contact details, drawn largely from the Google Business Profile.
Put the theory into practice
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