What to measure
- Average rating and its trend.
- Number of new reviews.
- Share of reviews answered.
- Profile completeness and accuracy.
- Customer actions: calls, direction requests, and website visits.
- Standing against nearby competitors.
These follow what Google says it uses. Local results are based mainly on relevance, distance, and prominence, and prominence takes into account how many reviews a business has (Google’s guidance on local ranking). A branch cannot change its distance from the customer. It can change the rest.
Why averages hide problems
A healthy chain average can hide a branch that is far below it. Customers do not experience the average. They experience one branch.
Errors are also common: in a 2023 survey of US consumers, 56% said they come across incorrect business information online at least once every few months.
How often to compare
Monthly is frequent enough to act on and slow enough to show a real trend.
What to do with the ranking
Start with the lowest branches and find whether the problem is information, reviews, or service. Then look at the leaders and find what the others can copy.
Related: Location insights for chains
By Bremark. Last updated: