Local Search Ranking Factors 2021: What's New?
The survey chronicles Google's evolving local ranking algorithm and captures local SEOs' changing tactics over time.
Keyword stuffing local business names has grown in popularity as a local ranking tactic. That's one of many interesting findings from the 2021 edition of the Local Search Ranking Factors. Initiated by David Mihm almost 15 years ago and more recently taken over by Darren Shaw at Whitespark, the study documents the evolution of Google's local ranking algorithm and incremental changes in ranking emphasis over time.