Google's Local Search Algorithm Keeps Favoring Businesses That Stay Active. Here's What That Means for Rural Minnesota
Google continues to refine how it ranks local businesses in Maps and “near me” searches, and the trend is clear: activity matters. Businesses that regularly update their Google Business Profile, post updates, respond to reviews, and keep their information accurate are consistently outranking competitors who set it and forget it.
Recent analysis from local SEO experts shows that Google Business Profiles with weekly posts and fresh photos see significantly higher visibility in local pack results—the map listings that appear at the top of search results for local queries.
Why it matters for rural businesses
In smaller markets, there’s often less competition for local search terms. That’s good news but it also means the businesses that do show up consistently have an outsized advantage.
If you’re a plumber in Otter Tail County and your competitor hasn’t touched their Google profile in two years while you’re posting updates and responding to reviews, you’re going to win that search. It’s not complicated, but it does require consistency.
Google isn’t releasing exact algorithm details (they never do), but the patterns are clear:
Recency signals matter
Profiles with recent activity rank better than stale ones.
Review velocity counts
A steady stream of new reviews beats a bunch of old ones.
Completeness is rewarded
Filled-out services, business hours, attributes, and photos all contribute.
Engagement is tracked
When people click for directions, call, or visit your website from your profile, Google notices.
Treat your Google Business Profile like a living thing, not a one-time setup. A few minutes a week: posting a photo, responding to a review, updating your hours for the season can make a real difference in who finds you.
For seasonal businesses especially (resorts, guides, landscapers, snow removal), keeping your profile updated with current availability and seasonal services helps Google understand when to show you and when not to. If your profile still says “closed for the season” in May, you’re invisible when it matters most.
