E13: How to Increase Your Ranking Radius

and boost reviews with psychology

December 02, 2025

Did you know that the Google API leak says that service areas are NOT used in the ranking algorithm? If you want to expand your ranking radius for real, today’s podcast episode contains some actionable tips:

  • build entity strength

  • get reviews that mention the locations you want to rank in

  • earn unstructured citations (local blogs, sponsorships, etc.)

  • write localized website content

  • lean into your niche in your website and GBP content (you may not rank for “restaurant” all over your city, but you can rank for “cubano sandwiches”)

We discuss these ideas from Miriam Ellis’s new article on Search Engine Land, plus:

  • Ben Franklin Effect applied to review requests (Sam Knight)

  • API Leak reveals that Service Areas are not a ranking factor (Claudia Tomina)

  • Google Local Pack links to places tab with pagination bug (Barry Schwartz)

  • GBP adds scheduling and multi-location publishing to Google Posts (Barry Schwartz)

Watch the new episode here 👇️

🎧 Or if you prefer listening, find it on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

P.S. If you like the podcast, please leave us a review and ask Izipizi to sponsor us (jump to 17:01 for context) 🙏

Darren