Local SEO
Rank checks
Live positions for every tracked phrase on the local pack and organic results, two credits per phrase per surface, with history; the other search lookups are separate actions.
Updated · 2 min read
A rank check asks the search results, for each tracked phrase in your city, where your business appears.
Where
- Web: a domain's SEO & search tab, Keywords, Check positions now.
- iOS: Local SEO, Keywords, Check all or a phrase's own Check. Both quote the exact number of credits first and let you pick local pack, organic or both.
- API/MCP:
GET /api/local-seo/ranks/quote,POST /api/local-seo/ranks/check(with arequest_key),GET /api/local-seo/ranks; toolscheck_local_ranks,get_local_rank_history.
Surfaces
A rank check measures two surfaces:
| Surface | Credits per phrase | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Local pack | 2 | The three-pack map results |
| Organic | 2 | The ordinary ranked results |
The app and web forms measure both by default; ten phrases on both is 40 credits. Over the API and MCP, a check with no surfaces given measures the local pack only.
Other search-result lookups are separate one-phrase actions in the catalog. They are not stored in rank history:
| Lookup | Credits | What it reads |
|---|---|---|
| Maps | 2 | Google Maps results with geography |
| Local Finder | 2 | The expanded list beyond the three-pack |
| AI Mode | 2 | The AI answer and its references |
History
Every check is stored per phrase per surface. The Keywords screen shows the latest position and the movement since the previous check; get_local_rank_history returns the full series. Reading history is free.
What "not found" means
The business was not in the results the provider read for that phrase and city. It is a position, not an error. A map scan shows whether you rank nearby and drop off with distance.
How this feeds other reports
An organic rank check enables the SERP disagreement section of the search intent report: phrases whose top results want a different kind of page than yours, or where Google ranks a different page of your site than you intended.
Common questions
Positions differ from what I see on my phone. Results are personalised by location and history. The check is run from a neutral position in the chosen city, which is the comparable number.
Can I schedule rank checks? Not on their own. The Local SEO overview reads the latest check; run one after each change or on a cadence you choose.
Keep reading
Related articles
- Local SEO quick startThree fields and one button: business name, city and up to five phrases. One check shows your map pack and organic positions and what your Google listing says.Local SEO ·Updated
- Business profile and keyword targetsThe saved business profile that every measurement centres on, location verification, local or national targeting, the service radius, and up to 25 tracked phrases per domain.Local SEO ·Updated
- Plans comparedEvery entitlement per plan: watched domains, cadence, alerts, DMARC reports, crawl depth, Local SEO credits, lookalike watch, exposure scans, API, Ask.Plans and billing ·Updated