Understanding GBP Heatmaps

Your GBP heatmap shows how your business ranks in Google Maps across different locations in your service area. This visual tool helps you understand where you’re strong and where there’s room to grow.

Available at Growth tier and above.

What Is a GBP Heatmap?

A heatmap is a grid overlay on a map of your service area. Each point on the grid represents a simulated Google Maps search from that specific location.

The color of each point shows your ranking:

Color	Position	Meaning
🟢 Green	1-3	Excellent – You appear in the top 3 results
🟡 Yellow	4-7	Good – You’re visible but not dominant
🟠 Orange	8-10	Fair – You appear on the first page
🔴 Red	11-20	Needs work – Buried in results
⚫ Gray	20+ or not ranking	Not visible from this location

Why Rankings Vary by Location

Google Maps rankings aren’t the same everywhere. A searcher in one part of town may see different results than someone a few miles away.

Factors that affect location-based rankings:

Distance from your business – Closer searches often rank you higher
Competitor density – More competitors = harder to rank
Your GBP optimization – Service area settings, categories, content
Review strength – More and better reviews help rankings
Website authority – Your site’s overall SEO health

Reading Your Heatmap

Strong Areas (Mostly Green)

Green clusters show where you dominate. These are likely:

Close to your physical location
Areas with fewer competitors
Neighborhoods where you have strong reviews or citations

What we do: Maintain these rankings and expand outward.

Opportunity Areas (Yellow/Orange)

Yellow and orange areas are within reach. A little improvement could push you into the top 3.

What we do: Focus GBP optimization, build local citations, and generate reviews from customers in these areas.

Weak Areas (Red/Gray)

Red and gray areas indicate low visibility. This could be due to:

Distance from your location
Strong competitor presence
Missing local signals

What we do: Assess whether these areas are worth targeting. Some may be outside your realistic reach; others may be opportunities.

Tracking Improvement Over Time

Your heatmap is generated monthly. Over time, you should see:

Green areas expanding outward
Yellow areas turning green
More consistent coverage across your service area

What to expect:

Month 1-2: Baseline established
Month 3-4: Early improvements in fringe areas
Month 6+: Noticeable expansion of green zones

Grid Sizes Explained

We use different grid sizes depending on your service area:

Grid	Points	Best For
7×7	49	Small service area (single city)
9×9	81	Medium service area (metro area)
13×13	169	Large service area (regional)

Larger grids provide more detail but cover the same geographic area with more precision.

What We Do With Heatmap Data

Your heatmap directly informs our strategy:

Identify priority zones – Areas just outside green where small improvements yield results
Spot competitor strongholds – Areas where competitors dominate
Guide citation building – Target directories that help specific neighborhoods
Inform content strategy – Create content mentioning underperforming service areas
Track ROI – Show concrete improvement in your visibility over time

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I green close to my location but red further out?

This is normal. Google favors proximity. Our goal is to extend your green zone as far as possible.

Can I rank everywhere in my city?

Realistically, there are limits based on your location and competition. We optimize for the best possible coverage.

Why did a green area turn yellow?

Rankings fluctuate. A single month’s change isn’t alarming. We look at 3-month trends.

Do my competitors see their own heatmap?

Smart competitors might run similar analysis. That’s why we’re constantly optimizing to stay ahead.

Need Help?

Questions about your heatmap? Our support team is available 24/7:

Email us at support@getamplifiedmkg.com