Local Falcon builds rank tracking grids around your business location to show exactly where you rank across a geographic area. This matters because local rankings vary dramatically even within the same city — you might rank #1 on Main Street but disappear completely three blocks away.
The tool scans search results from hundreds of locations in a grid pattern around your business. You'll see ranking data visualized as heat maps, making it obvious where your local SEO efforts are working and where they're failing. This is crucial data you can't get from Google Search Console or traditional rank trackers.
What You'll Need
A Local Falcon account with credits for scanning (plans start at $30/month). You'll also need your business's Google Business Profile URL, a list of target keywords, and competitor business names. Have your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information ready — Local Falcon requires precise business details to generate accurate location grids.
Step 1: Set Up Your Business Profile
Time: 10 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Navigate to the Dashboard and click "Add Business" in the top navigation. Enter your exact business name, full address, and phone number exactly as they appear on Google Business Profile. Small variations here will skew your grid results. Select your business category from Local Falcon's dropdown menu. This affects how the tool builds your scan grid and determines competitive benchmarks. If your business has multiple locations, add each one separately — geogrid data doesn't transfer between different addresses. The "Scan Radius" setting controls how far out Local Falcon builds your grid. Most local businesses should start with a 5-mile radius for urban areas or 15 miles for rural locations. You can adjust this later, but changing radius requires new scans with fresh credit usage.
Step 2: Configure Your Scan Grid
Time: 8 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Click "Scan Settings" next to your business listing. Local Falcon offers three grid densities: Basic (25 points), Standard (100 points), and Premium (400 points). Start with Standard — it provides enough data points without burning through credits too quickly. Set your device type to "Mobile" since 80% of local searches happen on mobile devices. The Desktop option exists mainly for industries where people still search from computers, like B2B services or high-consideration purchases. Choose your target location within the scan area. This becomes the center point of your grid. Most businesses should center the grid on their physical location, but service-area businesses might center it on their highest-value service area instead.
Step 3: Add Target Keywords
Time: 12 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Click "Manage Keywords" and start with your three most important local keywords. Don't overthink this step — focus on the terms that drive actual customers to your business. Local Falcon scans are credit-intensive, so resist adding every possible keyword variation. Enter keywords without location modifiers. Local Falcon automatically tests each keyword with "near me" and your city name variants. Typing "pizza near me Brooklyn" wastes characters — just enter "pizza" and let the tool handle localization. Test seasonal keywords strategically. If you're an HVAC company, run "air conditioning repair" scans in summer and "furnace repair" in winter. Running both year-round burns credits unnecessarily since search volumes shift dramatically by season.
Step 4: Run Your First Scan
Time: 5 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Hit the "Scan Now" button next to your business profile. Local Falcon will display the credit cost before processing — typically 1-3 credits per keyword depending on grid size and scan area. Scans take 5-15 minutes to complete depending on your grid density. Watch the scan progress in real-time through the status bar. If a scan fails partway through, Local Falcon automatically refunds unused credits and provides error details. Common failures include overly broad geographic areas or temporary Google API issues. Don't run multiple scans simultaneously for the same business. Local Falcon's system works best when processing one location at a time. Queue additional scans instead of running them in parallel to avoid data conflicts.
Step 5: Analyze Your Heat Map Results
Time: 15 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Open your completed scan from the Dashboard. The heat map displays your rankings across the geographic grid using color coding — green areas show strong rankings (positions 1-3), yellow shows middle positions (4-10), and red indicates you're not ranking in the local pack. Click individual grid points to see detailed ranking data for that specific location. You'll see your exact position, which competitors outrank you, and whether you appear in the map pack versus organic results. This granular view reveals ranking patterns invisible in aggregate tools. Look for ranking drop-offs around competitor locations. If you rank well citywide but poorly near a competitor's address, that competitor likely has stronger proximity signals or more location-specific citations in that area.
Step 6: Set Up Competitor Monitoring
Time: 10 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Click "Add Competitors" from your scan results page. Enter competitor business names exactly as they appear on Google Business Profile — spelling variations will return different businesses. Add up to 5 competitors per scan to keep data manageable. Local Falcon will scan your competitors using the same grid and keywords. This creates comparative heat maps showing where competitors outrank you geographically. Use this to identify areas where competitor proximity gives them ranking advantages. Enable competitor alerts in the Notifications section. Local Falcon will email you when competitors gain or lose significant ranking positions within your scan area. This early warning system helps you respond quickly to competitive changes.
Step 7: Schedule Ongoing Monitoring
Time: 5 minutes | Tool: Local Falcon Set up automated rescans from the Scan Schedule tab. Weekly scans work for most businesses, but highly competitive industries might benefit from bi-weekly scanning. Monthly scans are sufficient for stable local markets with minimal competition. Configure alert thresholds to notify you of significant ranking changes. A 3-position change threshold catches meaningful shifts without flooding your inbox with minor fluctuations. Set separate thresholds for high-priority keywords versus secondary terms. Download your baseline scan data as CSV files for external analysis. Local Falcon's export includes exact coordinates, rankings, and competitor data that you can import into Google Sheets or business intelligence tools for deeper analysis.
Pro Tips
Export your heat map data before running new scans — Local Falcon overwrites previous data rather than storing historical comparisons. Create a spreadsheet tracking your top 5 grid locations over time to spot long-term ranking trends. Set calendar reminders to check your scans the day after major Google algorithm updates, as local pack results often shift within 24-48 hours of core updates.
Common Pitfalls
Don't scan keywords that don't actually drive local traffic. "Best pizza in America" might seem relevant, but local customers search for "pizza delivery" or "pizza near me." Running scans during major local events or holidays skews results — postpone scanning during festivals, storms, or other temporary disruptions that affect search behavior patterns.
Expected Results
After completing these steps, you'll have detailed geographic ranking data showing exactly where your business appears in local search results across your service area. You'll identify ranking weak spots that need citation building or proximity optimization, plus competitive intelligence showing where rivals have geographic advantages. Most businesses discover 20-30% ranking variation across their local area — data that's invisible in traditional rank tracking tools.
Quick Facts
About Local Falcon
Geogrid rank tracking that shows local rankings visually
View tool review →Local Falcon Alternatives
5 alternatives compared
View alternatives →