If you have ever heard the term “heatmaps reporting”, there’s only one of the two things. You either know all about heatmaps reporting and can explain it in your sleep like me, or you’re like Winnie on my team who just nods whenever it’s mentioned.
Don’t worry, I’ll definitely send over this blog post to her.
Heatmap reporting is an integral part of ranking online, sadly a lot of people have turned it into a local SEO buzzword.
In this blog post, we’ll explain the components of a heatmap ranking audit, explain how to interpret rankings and explore how to use this data to enhance SEO efforts. Ps. If you would prefer here is a YouTube video on heatmaps reporting
But first, a heat map joke to get you heated up.
“Why did the heat map go to therapy?
Because it had *too many red flags*!”
I just had to do it 😏
Now, let’s get started.
What Is a Heatmap Ranking Audit?
A heatmap ranking audit is a geographical representation of a business’s local search performance for a particular keyword. Unlike traditional rank tracking, which provides a single ranking position for a keyword, heatmap audits show how rankings vary across different locations within a service area.
For example, a business may rank #1 for "solar panel installation" in one part of a city but only #7 in another. A heatmap audit visually displays this information, allowing business owners to see where they need to improve their local SEO efforts.
I’ll use a heatmap report from our tool, Paige, to explain the components of a heatmap ranking audit report. Paige by Merchynt is your ultimate AI assistant for managing your Google Business Profile (GBP). It makes managing your GBP effortless, from responding to customer reviews to optimizing business details and generating engaging posts. With this powerful, user-friendly tool, you can save time, enhance your local SEO, and ensure your business stands out. Paige can be used by businesses or white-labeled by marketing agencies.
When it comes to heatmap reporting, here’s what Paige can do for your business:
- Track your Google Search and Google Maps rankings across different locations.
- Compare your ranking progress from the day you signed up.
- Monitor how your business ranks for your target keywords over time.
- Get recommendations on how to improve your rankings in underperforming locations.
- Generate detailed reports tailored to your business needs.
- Use heatmap data to refine your Google Business Profile and content strategy.
Elements of a Heatmap Ranking Audit
1 - Keyword - This shows the keyword being analyzed, in this case, "divorce realtor". The heatmap ranking audit is tracking how this business appears in local searches for this keyword. So for example, if you have 10 keywords, you would get a report just like this for all 10 keywords consolidated into one single report.
2 - Baseline Audit - A baseline audit, is the very first audit that is generated for your keywords when you sign up. It helps you compare your ranking progress from the day you signed up.
3 - Average Ranking - The average ranking of the business across all search grid points in the initial audit. A ranking of 20 means the business was mostly invisible in local searches.
4 - Top 3 Placements - This shows the percentage of search grid points where the business ranked in the top 3 search results in the initial audit. In this case, it was 0%, meaning the business was not in the top 3 for any location.
Rule of thumb:
“If a business ranks between 1 and 3, it is indicated by a number in a green circle. The green areas represent the business’ strong presence. The yellow and orange zones indicate a decline in rankings in suburban areas. Red zones signify a lack of visibility in neighboring cities.”
5 - Improvement Percentage - The percentage increase in ranking performance from the baseline audit to the latest audit. Here, it shows an impressive 10,062.72% improvement, indicating a massive boost in visibility.
6 - Latest Audit Date & Updated Rankings - This is the date of the most recent ranking audit (Dec 3, 2024), along with the updated average ranking (8.66) and the percentage of search grid points where the business is now in the top 3 (31.95%). This shows significant progress.
7 - Heatmap Area - The geographical area under consideration for the ranking audit, which is typically defined by a service radius around the business location. This area can be 1 mile, 5 miles, 10 miles, or any custom range based on the business's target market. Each point within the black box represents a location where the keyword ("divorce realtor") was searched to see how the business ranks in Google Search and Google Maps.
Conclusion: The left side shows the initial audit heatmap (mostly red, meaning poor rankings), while the right side shows the latest audit heatmap (more green, meaning improved rankings). Green zones represent better local search performance, while red areas still need improvement.
This heatmap ranking audit provides a clear before-and-after view of SEO improvements, helping businesses track and optimize their local search performance.
How to Interpret Heatmap Rankings
Understanding a heatmap report involves analyzing the following:
- Coverage & Visibility:
- If a business appears green (1-3) in most locations, it dominates for that keyword.
- If rankings vary significantly, it suggests inconsistent local visibility.
- Competitor Insights:
- If a competitor consistently ranks in top positions where you don’t, it’s worth analyzing their strategies (reviews, citations, GBP content, etc.).
- Location-Based Weaknesses:
- If rankings drop off in certain areas, those locations may need targeted local SEO efforts (e.g., location-specific content, citations)
How to Use Heatmap Data for SEO Improvement
1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile (GBP)
- Ensure your business name, category, and description are optimized.
Pro tip: Paige can optimize a Google Business Profile in just two minutes, saving you countless hours trying to rank higher on Google Maps. This optimization covers your description, services, review replies and more!
- Add high-quality photos and post regular updates.
Pro tip: When you upload images to Paige, she optimizes them for your keywords including their file names, and meta descriptions, plus geotags them, and then she uploads them to your GBP’s photos section at the optimal moment instead of all at once.
- Encourage customer reviews and respond to them actively.
Pro tip: Paige can automatically reply to reviews or simply suggest replies for you if you’d prefer. You can even train Paige to sound exactly how you’d like to based on the type of Google review you receive.
2. Improve Location Relevance
- Add location-specific keywords to your GBP content and meta descriptions.
Pro tip: Paige mentions cities by default in posts. These posts get sent to your Facebook, Instagram, and GBP.
3. Build Local Citations & Backlinks
- Get listed in local directories, industry-related sites, and relevant forums.
Pro tip: Use Paige's 1-click citation management add-on to instantly build and optimize your business citations across 40+ directories. Paige's citation management does not require any data entry and simply syncs all directories with Google, using your GBP as the source of truth.
Real-World Example: Using a Heatmap for SEO Strategy
Let’s consider a bartending restaurant in San Antonio. Visibility is everything, yet this restaurant was stuck at #20 for its target keywords. They needed a game-changer.
- Green zones: The company ranked in the top 3 in San Antonio.
- Yellow & orange zones: Rankings dropped in suburban areas.
- Red zones: No visibility in neighboring cities.
Action Plan:
With our tool Paige, we:
- Enhanced Google Business Profile (GBP) by regularly adding high-quality images and fresh content.
- Leveraged review tools to generate a steady stream of customer reviews and ensured timely responses to each one.
- Published engaging posts consistently, incorporating relevant keywords and target cities to boost local visibility.
- Maintained a steady flow of image uploads to keep the profile active and visually appealing.
- Listed the business on 40+ directories, ensuring accuracy and consistency by using the GBP as the primary reference.
- Fully optimized the GBP, refining categories, descriptions, services, and attributes for maximum search visibility.
- Added relevant questions and answers that potential customers would want to know, optimizing them with keywords to improve search relevance.
- Geotagged images with location data and meta descriptions, strategically dripping them onto the GBP to maintain engagement and boost rankings.
After six months, the heatmap showed improved rankings, with all locations turning green.
It's important to remember that ranking doesn't happen overnight. Google takes its time to assess a business's credibility and engagement. Factors like how often you update your Google Business Profile, post content, and interact with reviews matter. Google favors businesses that show consistent activity and trustworthiness. By keeping your profile updated and engaging with customers regularly, you'll gradually see improvements in your rankings!
Final Thoughts
A heatmap ranking audit is a powerful way to visualize your local SEO performance. By understanding and analyzing the data correctly, you can make informed decisions to improve your search rankings.
Regular heatmap audits help track progress, refine strategies, and ultimately lead to better visibility in local searches. If your business isn't leveraging this tool yet, now is the time to start!
Thanks, and I’ll see you at the next one.
