There is no single mileage that defines how far your business can rank on Google Maps. Your position can change as a searcher moves across town, and it can differ between searches for services you offer. A listing that appears near the top around your office may be harder to find in another neighborhood.
Aaptly measures mobile Google Maps results from 49 search locations in a 7-by-7 grid over a city. In New York, the leading HVAC listing ranked first at 6 of those locations; the leading law firm did so at 7, and the leading dentist at 2. The searches were run on September 29, 2026. These are measurements, not ranking rules. See the reports for HVAC companies, law firms, and dentists.
Aaptly measured rankings, reviews, and profiles across 30 cities. Check how your listing appears across the places your customers are, rather than relying on a search near your address.
Check rankings across your service area
Start by listing the neighborhoods, towns, or parts of the city where you want to be found. Then check your visibility from more than one location in those areas. A grid-style check can show whether you rank well near your office and where competitors appear ahead of you.
Use the same searches your customers would use. A plumber might compare searches for a general plumbing service and an urgent repair. A law firm or medical practice should check searches that reflect the services it provides.
Check your primary category
Make sure your Google Business Profile category accurately describes your business and its main service. In the New York reports, 6 of the 7 leading HVAC businesses used “HVAC contractor” as their main category. For dentists, 7 of the 8 leading businesses used “Dentist.” Among the leading law firms, 4 of 8 used “Personal injury attorney.”
Choose a category that fits what you do, rather than matching a competitor if the category does not describe your business. Review your services and profile details too, so customers can understand what you offer.
Build a steady review record
In Aaptly’s measurements across 30 cities, the middle-city figure for the least-reviewed business in the regular, unpaid top three was 391 reviews for HVAC companies, 370 for law firms, and 917 for dentists. Half of the measured cities were above each figure and half were below. See Aaptly’s local market reports.
Review totals varied by trade. Ask customers for honest feedback as part of your normal follow-up, and respond to reviews professionally. Keep the process consistent rather than seeking a burst of reviews to imitate a competitor.
Keep profile photos current and useful
Review your photos for accuracy and usefulness. Show the work, setting, team, or services a potential customer would want to understand before contacting you. Use photos that represent your actual business, and replace outdated images when your offerings or appearance change.
In the middle city, the typical listing had 9 photos for HVAC companies, 1 for law firms, and 1 for dentists.
Track changes by place and search
After updating your profile, keep checking the same locations and searches. Record where your listing appears near the top and where it does not. If visibility differs by area, review whether your profile describes the service being searched, your category fits, and your reviews and photos give customers current information.
Measure visibility across your service area, then work through the parts of your profile and customer feedback that you can improve.