Avoid the Google Local Filter: The 200-Foot Rule
If you’re a service business trying to rank on Google Maps in 2025, there’s one invisible landmine you must avoid: the Google Local Filter. It’s the kind of thing that can quietly sabotage your SEO without you even realizing it—and by the time you do, you may already be locked into a lease you can’t get out of.
In this post, we’re breaking down what the Google Local Filter is, how the 200-foot rule works, and how to proactively protect your Google Business Profile (GBP) ranking from tanking because of one simple mistake. This insight comes straight from Joe Burnich at Big West Marketing—a digital marketing expert who specializes in helping service-based businesses succeed online.
What Is the Google Local Filter?
Most business owners know that if you want to appear in the Google 3-Pack (those top Google Maps results), you need a properly verified Google Business Profile. What most don’t know is that Google doesn’t just reward solid optimization—it also filters out businesses based on location and category overlap.
Enter the Google Local Filter—an automatic rule that prevents multiple businesses of the same category from ranking within a certain proximity of each other. Specifically, if two or more businesses in the same category (like “carpet cleaner” or “electrician”) are located within about 200 feet of one another, Google may only show one of them in the local results. The rest? Filtered out—completely invisible to potential customers searching nearby.
Why Address Matters More Than Ever
Let’s say you want to rank in Tampa, Florida. Google doesn’t care if you say you serve Tampa. What matters is your business address. If your verified address isn’t inside the Tampa city limits, you’re not going to rank there.
That’s simple enough. But here’s where it gets tricky: Many business owners, in an effort to boost their rankings, go out and lease small office spaces closer to the downtown core. It seems smart—more central = better visibility, right?
Not necessarily. If there’s already a business in your category at that address (or within roughly 200 feet), Google may completely filter out your listing—regardless of how well-optimized your profile is.
Real-World Example: Why the 200-Foot Rule Matters
Joe recently shared a story about a carpet cleaning business in the Tampa area. The owner found a reasonably priced office space in a multi-unit commercial building—a move intended to improve their ranking in the city center.
But there was one major problem: another carpet cleaning business had already been registered at that address years earlier and had racked up solid reviews. Despite the new business having a legitimate address and solid SEO, Google filtered them out because of proximity and competition in the same category.
The result? No rankings. No visibility. No return on that office lease.
Who’s Most at Risk?
The Google Local Filter hits hardest in industries with high local competition or businesses commonly clustered in the same building. These include:
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Carpet Cleaners
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Electricians
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Plumbers
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Dentists
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Chiropractors
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Massage Therapists
If you’re in a shared office space or medical plaza, you need to do your homework before setting up your GBP address.
How to Protect Yourself from the Google Filter
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Avoid Shared Spaces with Similar Businesses
Before leasing or registering an address, search that address on Google. See who’s already ranking from that location. If someone in your category is already there, it’s a red flag. -
Keep Your Address Legitimate
You can use a residential or commercial address—but not a PO Box, virtual office, or UPS store. Google will eventually catch on and suspend or disable your listing. -
Don’t Chase Downtown Just for SEO
Being centrally located might seem like a strategic move, but it’s useless if you’re filtered out by proximity. It’s better to rank from your home in the suburbs than to not rank at all from a crowded commercial suite. -
Know Who Got There First
Google tends to favor the business that registered first—especially if they have strong reviews and activity on their GBP. Showing up second at the same address rarely works in your favor.
Can the Filter Be Bypassed?
In rare cases, yes—but it’s an uphill battle. You might still rank if:
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You’ve been established longer and have far more reviews.
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The other business has inconsistent info or violates Google’s terms.
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Google decides to rotate filtered listings for fairness (it’s rare, but possible).
However, counting on a loophole isn’t a strategy. Your best move is to avoid the problem entirely by picking a unique, category-free address.
Final Thoughts: The Google Filter Isn’t Going Away
The Google Local Filter isn’t new. It’s been around since the days of the Penguin and Panda algorithm updates—and while it’s changed and evolved, the core idea remains: Google doesn’t want multiple businesses of the same type ranking from the same place.
So if you’re planning your marketing strategy for the year, make sure your GBP address is working for you—not against you.
Before signing a lease or registering a new address, do a quick Google search. Check the Map Pack. Make sure your neighbors aren’t already in your niche. Because once your listing is filtered, no amount of reviews, photos, or optimization is going to make it show up.
And if you need help navigating this or want someone to take a look at your situation, that’s what Joe and the team at Big West Marketing are here for.
