To check where you rank on Google as a plumber, roofer or builder, open the Performance report in Search Console and read your average position for each search. Google counts position from the top of the page, “where 1 is the topmost position”. Your map listing needs a separate check, town by town, because no single map position exists.
Search Console reports on your website. The map depends on where each customer is standing. So a trade business needs both checks, and each one answers a different question.
Do this today
- Open Search Console and go to the Performance report.
- Select the Queries tab and pick three searches that sound like work you’d take.
- Write down the average position next to each one.
- Run your main job and your town through a free checker, once on Google and once on Maps.
- Save the results with today’s date, so next month has something to compare with.
Why you can’t just search for yourself
Searching for yourself shows one version of the results, from one spot, at one moment. Google says “Time may be one of the biggest reasons why results vary between people.” Google adds new content soon after it’s published, so searches minutes apart may differ.
Your location changes the results too. Google shows the location it used in the footer of the results page, with a link to update it. Even without your exact location, “IP addresses are roughly based on geography”.
Your history plays a part. Google says “Sometimes, personalization changes the order of the search results.” The “Try without” link in the footer shows the same search without it. Your device matters as well, because Google adjusts results for mobile and desktop.
In our view, use your own search as a quick look, not a measure.
Check your average position in Search Console
Search Console is “a free service offered by Google” that reports on your website in Google Search. If your site isn’t set up yet, start with how to get your website on Google. Then follow these steps.
- Open Search Console and select your website.
- Open the Performance report.
- Turn on the Average position metric.
- Select the Queries tab to see each search.
- Use the date filter to set your period. The default is the past three months.
Now read the figures with their limits in mind. “A link must get an impression for its position to be recorded.” Google’s example is a result on page 3 when the person only viewed page 1. That position isn’t recorded. So the figure only reflects the times your link was counted as seen.
The report’s tabs cover queries, pages, countries and devices. There’s no tab for towns. Google also says “we might not track some queries that are made a very small number of times”. In our view, a local search made only a few times may not show.
In our view, ignore the single average for the whole site. Read one search at a time, and favour searches with a job and a town in them. Those are the closest thing Search Console has to a town-level ranking.
For clicks, impressions and what a good report contains, see what an SEO report should show a trade business.
Check where you show on the map
The Business Profile Performance report shows the searches people used to find your business, plus calls, website clicks and direction requests. It only works for verified profiles, and you need to be signed in to the account that manages the profile. It mixes “organic search results and Google Ads” and gives no position. To work on your place on the map, read our guide on how to rank higher on Google Maps for trades.
A free checker adds what that report can’t: a view from each town. Google says “Distance refers to how far each business is from the customer who’s searching.” So the same search can give a different order in each town you cover.
- Set a town in a free checker and choose Google Maps.
- Run your main job plus that town.
- Note your place in the list and the three businesses at the top.
- Repeat for your other towns.
If you don’t appear in any town, start with business not showing on Google Maps.
Free ways to check, compared
We opened each of these on 30 October 2026. Free limits can change, so check them on the day.
- Search Console. Covers your website. Shows average position by search, country and device. No town view.
- Business Profile Performance report. Covers your map listing. Shows search terms, calls and clicks. No position.
- Your own search. Covers Google and Maps. Shows one spot at one moment.
- BrightLocal Local SERP Checker. Covers Google or Maps by city. Up to 3 times a day without a subscription. It gives you results pages to open, not a rank number.
- Seobility Ranking Checker. Covers Google by country, with an optional city, on desktop or mobile. The free Basic plan lists 5 checks a day.
- SEO.ai Keyword Rank Checker. Covers Google by country, including the UK. No login. No city option listed.
In our view, no tool shows what every customer sees. Treat each result as a snapshot, and compare like with like.
How often to check your ranking
Google’s own data sets a sensible pace. The Business Profile searches figure updates at the start of each month and can take up to 5 days to show. Search Console data is normally available in 2 to 3 days.
In our view, once a month is enough for a trade business. Use the same searches, the same towns and the same device, or the numbers won’t compare. Don’t rewrite a page because of one bad week. A daily check mostly shows normal movement.
In our view, calls and enquiries matter more than position. Our local SEO checklist for a trade business covers the wider checks.
Questions about checking your Google ranking
Where does my business rank on Google?
Your business ranks in a different place for each search and each town, so there’s no single answer. Use Search Console for your website and a town-by-town check for the map.
What is a good average position in Search Console?
A good average position in Search Console depends on the search, and Google’s position help page sets no target. Position 1 is the top. In our view, a lower position on a search that brings work beats a high one on your own business name.
Does Google Trends show where I rank?
No, Google Trends doesn’t show where you rank. Google says it “merely reflects the search interest in particular topics”. It can show interest in a search, but nothing about your website.
Do I need a local rank tracker?
You don’t need a local rank tracker to start. In our view, a paid one is worth it only once a monthly check by hand takes too long.
Can I check a competitor’s ranking?
You can check a competitor’s ranking with a free checker, because it shows the businesses listed for that search. Search Console won’t do it, since it only reports on sites you’ve set up.
Can you do this for me?
Yes. Our free forecast shows which firms appear for your trade in your towns. Our page on local SEO for trades explains how we work.