A useful local SEO competitor analysis starts with the businesses Google shows in the map results—not just the companies you already know. Check who appears across the places your customers search, then compare their reviews, recent review activity, photos, Google Business Profile categories, review replies and ads. Use the differences to decide what to improve on your own listing and website.
Aaptly measures Google search results from a mobile grid of 49 spots in each city. Its September 2026 measurements across 30 cities show why it helps to compare against businesses in your trade: in the middle city, the least-reviewed business in the regular map top three had 498 reviews for plumbers, 370 for law firms and 917 for dentists. “Middle city” means half the measured cities were above that figure and half below. These are Aaptly’s measurements, not rules. See the local market reports for trade-wide results.
Choose the right searches and service area
Start with the services that matter to your business. A plumber might check “plumber” and “emergency plumber.” A law firm should use searches that reflect its practice areas. A dental office might compare general dentistry with a priority service such as implants or pediatric dentistry.
Then decide which parts of your service area to check. A business can appear prominently in one part of town and less often elsewhere. Looking at a single search from one location can hide that variation. Keep the searches and places consistent when you compare your business with competitors, so you are comparing like with like.
Aaptly’s New York plumber report, based on mobile searches run in September 2026, checks “plumber” and “emergency plumber” from 49 spots across the city. The New York plumber report shows how results vary by spot, rather than treating a single search as the whole picture.
Identify the competitors Google actually shows
Record businesses that appear in the regular, unpaid map results across the areas you checked. These are your search competitors, whether or not they compete with you in every other way. Note which businesses appear repeatedly and which show up for only some searches or locations.
Keep paid placements separate from regular map results. Ads show which competitors are paying to appear for a search, but an ad is not the same as an organic map ranking. Track both if you want to understand the full page customers see.
Compare their reviews and recent activity
For each competitor, note its review count and whether it is continuing to receive reviews. The total count gives you a snapshot; recent reviews show whether a competitor is still collecting customer feedback. Compare those signals with your own listing, then consider how you ask satisfied customers for honest reviews as part of your normal process.
Aaptly’s reports track review totals and new reviews over the last 90 days. Some reported counts stop at 100, which the report marks as 100+.
Check photos, categories and replies
Look at the images competitors use and whether their listings show real examples of their work, team, office or services. Compare the quality and usefulness of your own photos.
Next, note each competitor’s main Google category. The category should fit the business and its primary service. Compare it with your own listing and make sure your choice describes the business accurately.
Finally, check whether competitors reply to reviews. Replies show how businesses handle public feedback. Review the tone and usefulness of those replies, then make sure your own responses are professional and appropriate. Don’t share private client or patient details in a public response.
The New York dentist report records these details alongside rankings. In Aaptly’s mobile Google measurements run in September 2026, seven of the eight leading listings used “Dentist” as their main category, and three of the eight replied to most of their reviews. The New York dentist report also reports the typical listing’s photo count and where paid listings appeared in the map results.
The same signals can look different in another field. In Aaptly’s September 2026 New York law firm measurements, four of the eight leading listings used “Personal injury attorney” as their main category, and five of the eight replied to most of their reviews. See the New York law firm report for the accompanying ranking, photo and ad data.
Review the searches and ads around your services
Competitor analysis should include what customers search for, not only what listings look like. Compare the searches in the report with the services you offer and the language customers use. This can help you find service pages or listing information that are missing or unclear.
If you are considering ads, review the report’s paid-placement observations and Google Ads top-of-page bid ranges. They can help you understand where ads appeared and what bids were shown for relevant searches.
Turn the comparison into an action list
Finish by writing down the gaps you can address. Start with the basics: confirm your listing information and category, add useful current photos, respond appropriately to reviews and create a consistent way to invite feedback. Then check whether your website clearly explains your services and service area.
Choose actions based on what you found rather than copying every competitor. Recheck the same searches and locations after making changes so you can see whether your visibility and listing details have changed.