10 Local Search Ranking Factors That Actually Matter for Google Maps & AI Visibility in 2026
Every year, the team at Whitespark surveys top SEO agencies across North America to find out what's actually moving the needle in local search. In our latest Facebook Live inside the Balanced Practice Community, I sat down with Chris Morin of Moonraker.ai — my go-to SEO expert — to break down this year's findings, including real-world examples for private practice owners and answers to live questions from our community. We covered the top 10 Google Maps ranking factors, the top 10 AI visibility factors, and 10 myths you can stop stressing about. This post gives you the quick-scan version, but if you want the full context, the tactical examples, and the honest back-and-forth Q&A, the video is absolutely worth your time.
Google Maps
Top 10 Google Maps Ranking Factors
Primary Google Business Profile (GBP) Category
This is the single biggest lever. Solo practitioners should choose a specific category; group practices can go a little broader.
Proximity to the Searcher
Maps rankings favor businesses physically close to whoever is searching. If you have flexibility, a location in a more population-dense area helps.
Keywords in Your Business Title
Google only allows your actual registered business name — no keyword-stuffing. If rebranding, consider incorporating a keyword into your official business registration.
Physical Address Within the Target City
Your address city directly shapes which local search results you appear in. Something to keep in mind when deciding where to set up office.
Business Is Open at the Time of Search
Google favors open businesses. If you see virtual clients in the evenings, use the "online service hours" section to reflect that availability.
High Numerical Google Rating
Aim for 4.4–5.0. Recent reviews carry more weight than older ones, so keep them coming in steadily.
Address Visible on Your GBP (Not Hidden)
Listing as a "service area business" with a hidden address puts you at a disadvantage. Showing your address makes ranking easier.
Additional GBP Categories
After nailing your primary category, add as many relevant secondary categories as apply to your practice.
Quantity of Native Google Reviews
More reviews help. For therapists navigating ethics, consider asking attendees of workshops or seminars — non-therapeutic containers — to leave a review.
Proper Map Pin Placement
Manually verify that your map pin is actually on your building — not down the street or in a parking lot.
AI Visibility
Top 10 AI Visibility Factors
Presence on "Best Of" or Expert-Curated Lists
AI systems love to pull from curated lists. In the therapy space, a blog post like "5 Best Modalities for Childhood Trauma" — listing your own service — is one ethical way to apply this.
Dedicated Pages for Each Service
Go deep on one thing per page: a specialty, modality, or location. Include FAQs. Depth beats breadth.
Prominence on Key Industry Directories
Psychology Today, Therapy Den, and training-related sites all count. Having a strong, complete profile on these platforms signals authority to AI.
Quality of Unstructured Citations
Consistent mentions of your practice name, address, phone, and website across Apple Maps, Bing Places, and Yelp build credibility — even without a backlink.
Reviews on Third-Party Sites
Diversify beyond Google. Reviews on Apple Maps, Yelp, Facebook, and LinkedIn all contribute to your overall authority profile.
Geographic & Keyword Relevance of Content
A dedicated location page helps significantly. For virtual practices, focus on a few key locations rather than trying to appear everywhere at once.
Quantity of Unstructured Citations
Newspaper mentions, guest blog posts, and press releases all expand your digital footprint and signal legitimacy to AI systems.
High Numerical Google Rating
A well-performing Maps listing ripples into AI visibility. Your Google rating matters here too.
Niche Focus of Your Website
Being known for something specific is a significant advantage. A site centered on one specialty outperforms a generalist site every time.
Scannable Content Structure
Use clear headings, logical hierarchy, and shorter paragraphs. AI systems parse well-structured content more effectively — and are more likely to cite it.
Stop Wasting Time On These10 SEO Myths You Can Let Go Of
According to the Whitespark survey, top SEO experts agree these factors have little to no impact on your local rankings.
Keywords in owner responses to reviews
Keywords in alt text or image file names*
Quantity of social media posts
Keywords in meta descriptions
Engagement on social profiles (likes, comments, shares)
Geo-tagging photos or adding image metadata
Follower count on social profiles
Running Google Ads
Length of your title tag
Having a sitemap (unless pages are missing from Google's index)
*Alt text is still worth using for website accessibility — just don't keyword-stuff it.
The List Is Just the Starting Point
The video goes much deeper. Chris walks through each factor with real examples tailored to private practice, and we fielded live questions from our community in real time. If you're wondering how any of this applies to your specific situation, there's a good chance it came up in the Q&A. Watch the full video here.
Want access to more trainings like this? Join our supportive therapist community inside the Balanced Practice Community for ongoing workshops, strategy tips, and tools to help you build a meaningful private practice.