Build a fair location performance benchmark
Compare peers without hiding the differences that matter.
Start with the operating problem
A benchmark needs a comparable group. Stores, clinics and service-area businesses have different customer journeys, opening patterns and review volumes. Start by defining industry, market, location type and maturity. A portfolio average is a useful summary, but it rarely explains which intervention will help a specific location.
Document the sample
State the collection dates, source coverage, inclusion rules and missing data. Use anonymized data only with appropriate rights and safeguards. Suppress small cohorts when they could identify a business or customer. An annual benchmark requires a stable method, not just a larger dataset.
Choose interpretable measures
Compare profile completeness, response coverage and geographic discovery with clear denominators. Business actions need context: a city-center venue may naturally receive more directions than a rural site. Percentiles can show distribution, but should not imply that every low-performing site has the same problem.
What to take into your next review
Keep competitor snapshots distinct from proprietary research. A public sample can identify hypotheses but does not establish a category-wide norm. Publish limitations alongside findings, and use the benchmark to prioritize investigation rather than to promise a ranking or revenue uplift.
A practical checklist
Use this checklist in your next portfolio review.
- Name the accountable owner and authoritative data source.
- Record the baseline, sample and observation period.
- Agree how exceptions are approved and escalated.
- Verify customer-facing changes after submission.
- Separate observed platform signals from attributed business outcomes.
How visible is
your location network?
Find the gaps. Understand the priorities.
Build a practical plan for every market.