## **🔍 Why 'Roofer Near Me' and 'Roofer Vero Beach' Score Differently**

Although these two keywords describe the same service, Search Atlas treats them as distinct **search intent signals** — and for good reason. Each keyword carries a different geographic context that affects how rankings are measured and mapped.

- **'Roofer near me'** is a **proximity-based** keyword. Search engines resolve it dynamically using the searcher's real-time location. Search Atlas scores it relative to the pin or business address you've set in your Local project, simulating how a nearby searcher would find you.
- **'Roofer Vero Beach'** is a **geo-modified** keyword. It anchors the search to a named place, so scores reflect how well your business ranks when the location name is explicitly stated — regardless of where the searcher physically is.

Because the ranking algorithms weight these signals differently, it is normal and expected for the two keywords to return different scores even when they refer to the same service area. Tracking both gives you a more complete picture of your local visibility.

## **⚙️ How Radius Mapping Works in Search Atlas**

Radius mapping in Search Atlas generates a grid of ranking data points radiating outward from your business pin. Each point on the grid represents a simulated search performed from that location, giving you a visual heat map of where your rankings are strong or weak.

To access and configure your radius maps, navigate to **Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps** (Local SEO Heatmaps). Select your GBP project, then open the ranking map for the keyword you want to analyse.

1. Click **Settings** (or the grid configuration icon) within the map view.
2. Set your desired radius — for example, 20 miles.
3. Choose your **grid density** (number of data points). A higher density gives more granular insight but uses more report credits.
4. Confirm your **business pin location** is accurate. An incorrectly placed pin is the most common cause of unwanted ocean or out-of-boundary coverage.
5. Save your settings and regenerate the map.

## **🌊 Avoiding Ocean and Out-of-Boundary Coverage at 20+ Miles**

Coastal businesses — such as those in Vero Beach, FL — frequently encounter ocean coverage when expanding their radius to 20 miles or more. This happens because the grid expands uniformly in all directions from the pin, placing data points over water where no real searchers exist. Follow these steps to minimise irrelevant coverage.

1. **Reposition your business pin inland.** Navigate to **Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps** (Local SEO Heatmaps), open your project settings, and drag the pin slightly away from the coastline. Even a small adjustment can remove several ocean grid points.
2. **Use a smaller grid density over a larger radius.** A lower density reduces the total number of points, which naturally cuts down on water coverage while still capturing your target land area.
3. **Segment your coverage into directional zones.** Instead of one 20-mile radius map, create two separate maps — one targeting inland suburbs and one targeting the coastal corridor. This gives you cleaner, more actionable data for each zone.
4. **Focus keyword tracking on geo-modified terms for coastal areas.** Keywords like 'Roofer Vero Beach' or 'Roofer Sebastian FL' produce scores anchored to specific named places, so they are less affected by the physical shape of your radius grid.

## **✅ Best Practices for Accurate Local Keyword Configuration**

- Always track both **proximity keywords** ('near me') and **geo-modified keywords** (city name) for every core service to get a full picture of your local rankings.
- Verify your business pin placement before expanding your radius. Go to **Left sidebar → Local → Local SEO Heatmaps** (Local SEO Heatmaps) and confirm the pin sits at your actual business address.
- Reassess your grid configuration any time you expand your target service area — what works at 5 miles may produce noisy data at 20 miles.
- Use the **Rank Tracker** (**Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker**) alongside your map data to monitor keyword score trends over time across both proximity and geo-modified variants.
- Document which radius and grid settings you use so you can compare maps consistently month over month.

## **💡 Quick Troubleshooting Reference**

- **Scores differ between 'near me' and city-name keywords:** This is expected behaviour. They measure different intent signals. Track both.
- **Map shows coverage over the ocean:** Reposition your pin inland or reduce grid density.
- **Rankings look unexpectedly low at the edge of your radius:** Competition typically increases with distance from your pin. Consider targeting geo-modified keywords for those outer suburbs instead.
- **Grid is not updating after changing settings:** Save your settings and use the **Regenerate** button to force a fresh data pull.

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.