LocalFalcon Review

Intro

LocalFalcon is a specialized local SEO tool designed to track and visualize how businesses rank on Google Maps for specific search queries. It’s particularly useful for businesses, SEO professionals, and agencies focusing on local SEO, helping them monitor their visibility within the Google My Business (GMB) ecosystem. By providing a visual representation of ranking performance within a specific geographic radius, LocalFalcon helps businesses understand their local search presence, identify opportunities for optimization, and improve their rankings in the Google Local Pack. But how does LocalFalcon compare to Ranktracker, which offers a more comprehensive SEO suite focused on keyword research, rank tracking, competitor analysis, and backlink monitoring?

In this review, we’ll explore LocalFalcon’s strengths, limitations, and how it compares to Ranktracker in terms of functionality, usability, and overall value.

What LocalFalcon Does Best

LocalFalcon excels in providing insights into local search rankings on Google Maps. Some of its standout features include:

• Google Maps Rank Tracking: LocalFalcon tracks keyword rankings specifically for Google Maps results, allowing users to see how their business appears in the Local Pack or map results. This is critical for businesses focused on local visibility and wanting to improve their Google My Business presence.

• GeoGrid Visualizations: The platform’s unique GeoGrid tool allows users to visualize how their business ranks across a geographic area. Users can choose a specific location and see how rankings fluctuate based on the distance from the business. This visual approach helps businesses identify geographic areas where they need to improve their local SEO efforts.

• Competitor Analysis for Google Maps: LocalFalcon tracks how local competitors rank on Google Maps for the same keywords. This helps businesses understand their competitive landscape and pinpoint areas where competitors are outperforming them.

• Historical Data Tracking: LocalFalcon stores historical data on Google Maps rankings, allowing users to track how their rankings have changed over time. This feature helps businesses monitor the effectiveness of their local SEO strategies and make informed decisions.

• Google My Business Insights Integration: LocalFalcon integrates with Google My Business (GMB) data to provide users with deeper insights into their business’s local visibility, making it easier to monitor and optimize GMB listings.

• Customizable Reports: The platform provides customizable rank tracking reports that can be shared with clients or internal teams. This is especially useful for agencies managing local SEO for multiple clients.

Advantages of LocalFalcon

1. Google Maps Focus: LocalFalcon’s specialization in Google Maps rank tracking makes it a valuable tool for businesses and SEO professionals focused on local search. It provides unique insights into local rankings that are not typically available in broader SEO platforms.

2. GeoGrid Visualization: The GeoGrid feature offers a visual representation of local rankings across geographic areas, allowing users to see how rankings change based on proximity to a specific location. This is especially useful for businesses looking to improve their local SEO in different parts of a city or region.

3. Competitor Analysis on Google Maps: LocalFalcon provides competitor tracking specifically for Google Maps results, giving users a clear understanding of how they rank compared to local competitors.

4. GMB Insights Integration: The integration with Google My Business allows users to see how their business is performing directly in Google Maps and how users are interacting with their GMB profile. This helps businesses optimize their GMB listings for better local visibility.

5. Simple and Visual Reporting: LocalFalcon’s reports are easy to understand and visually driven, making it simple for users to track local SEO performance and communicate results to clients or stakeholders.

Where LocalFalcon Falls Short

While LocalFalcon is great for tracking local rankings on Google Maps, it has some limitations compared to more comprehensive SEO platforms like Ranktracker:

1. Limited to Google Maps Rankings: LocalFalcon is focused entirely on tracking rankings for Google Maps and GMB listings. It does not offer broader rank tracking for organic search results or other search engines, which may limit its usefulness for businesses that need to track rankings outside of Google Maps.

2. No Keyword Research: LocalFalcon does not provide keyword research tools, meaning users will need another platform to discover new keyword opportunities, analyze search volume, and assess keyword competition.

3. No Backlink Monitoring: The platform does not offer backlink monitoring or analysis, which is a critical component of off-page SEO. Users interested in tracking backlinks and managing link-building strategies will need a separate tool for this.

4. Limited Competitor Analysis: While LocalFalcon offers competitor tracking on Google Maps, it lacks comprehensive competitor analysis features like those found in Ranktracker, such as keyword performance, backlink profiles, and overall SEO strategy analysis.

5. No Technical SEO Tools: LocalFalcon does not offer broader SEO functionalities like site audits, technical SEO analysis, or content optimization. Users looking for a full SEO suite will need to supplement LocalFalcon with other tools.

Ranktracker vs. LocalFalcon: A Side-by-Side Comparison

While LocalFalcon focuses specifically on local SEO and Google Maps rankings, Ranktracker offers a more comprehensive range of SEO tools, including rank tracking, keyword research, competitor analysis, and backlink monitoring. Here’s how they compare:

• Rank Tracking: Ranktracker provides comprehensive rank tracking across multiple search engines (including Google) and devices, with real-time updates and detailed insights. LocalFalcon, on the other hand, focuses specifically on tracking rankings in Google Maps.

• Keyword Research: Ranktracker excels in keyword research, providing users with detailed insights into search volume, keyword difficulty, and competition analysis. LocalFalcon does not offer keyword research tools and focuses on tracking performance for pre-determined keywords in Google Maps.

• Backlink Monitoring: Ranktracker provides robust backlink monitoring, allowing users to track new and lost backlinks and analyze competitors’ backlink profiles. LocalFalcon does not offer backlink tracking or monitoring.

• Competitor Analysis: Ranktracker offers a comprehensive competitor analysis suite that includes tracking competitors’ keyword rankings, backlinks, and SEO performance. LocalFalcon provides competitor tracking within Google Maps but does not offer in-depth competitor analysis for broader SEO metrics.

• Local SEO Focus: LocalFalcon is built specifically for businesses focused on local SEO, particularly for improving their visibility on Google Maps. Ranktracker, while offering some local rank tracking features, is a broader tool designed to cover global and local SEO.

• Site Audits and Technical SEO: Ranktracker includes features for site audits and technical SEO analysis, helping users identify on-page issues and optimize their websites. LocalFalcon does not offer technical SEO tools.

Why You Might Use Both Tools

Using both LocalFalcon and Ranktracker together can provide a comprehensive SEO strategy, particularly for businesses that rely on local search visibility. LocalFalcon can be used to track Google Maps rankings and optimize Google My Business listings, while Ranktracker can provide broader SEO insights, such as keyword discovery, competitor analysis, and backlink monitoring.

For example, LocalFalcon can help businesses improve their local SEO visibility in specific geographic areas, while Ranktracker can help manage keyword rankings, track backlinks, and optimize for broader SEO goals.

Conclusion: Is LocalFalcon the Right Tool for You?

LocalFalcon is an excellent tool for businesses, agencies, and SEO professionals focused on local SEO and improving their Google Maps rankings. Its GeoGrid visualization, competitor analysis for Google Maps, and Google My Business integration make it particularly useful for local businesses that rely on regional search traffic. The platform’s simplicity and focus on local SEO make it ideal for users who want to track their performance specifically in Google Maps.

However, if you need a broader SEO tool that includes keyword research, rank tracking across multiple search engines, competitor analysis, and backlink monitoring, Ranktracker is a better fit. Ranktracker offers a complete SEO suite for users who need more advanced SEO insights and global rank tracking capabilities.

Ultimately, the choice between LocalFalcon and Ranktracker depends on your specific needs. LocalFalcon is perfect for users focused on local SEO and Google Maps rankings, while Ranktracker is ideal for users looking for a complete SEO platform with advanced features.