TL;DR: Beating local competitors isn't just about ranking higher — it's about showing up where it matters most. This post breaks down how to use insights from your Scout Competitor Report to focus on the right metrics, apply the right tactics for your industry, and adapt your strategy by region.
You can't fix what you can't see. And when it comes to local search, most brands are still flying blind.
Your brand visibility might look "fine" at a high level. But zoom in, and local competitors may be quietly pulling ahead – ranking higher in the Local Pack in traditional search or appearing in more AI-generated answers, like Google's AI Overviews or ChatGPT.
That's where Yext Scout comes in.
Let's say you take a look at your Scout Competitor Report and spot something frustrating: a local competitor is outranking you. It's tempting to jump straight into fixing whatever looks "broken." But that's only half the picture. Rank alone doesn't tell the full story — and chasing the wrong metrics can waste time and budget.
Scout goes deeper. It doesn't just highlight gaps — it also shows where your competitors are pulling ahead, and more importantly, why.
This post helps you turn those insights into action, and visibility into growth. We'll walk through how to respond when a competitor ranks higher — and how to use Yext's products to make up ground (and then some).
Step 1: Make sure rank is the right metric for your strategy
Before you try to "fix" a low ranking, ask yourself: is that really the right goal?
Not every brand needs to chase the top spot. In industries like financial services and healthcare, our recent research shows that a #1 ranking isn't always the best indicator of local performance.
Instead of focusing only on visibility score, ask: Are we capturing the right traffic? Are we present in the moments that matter most when intent is high, and decisions are being made — like when they're looking to book an appointment, ask a question, or visit in person?
Scout helps you assess how you're performing in context: not just where you show up, but how you stack up against others in your category, your region, and your most important keywords.
Step 2: Apply the right best practices
It's easy to treat "best practices" like a checklist — but context matters. The brands outperforming you may not be doing more, but simply doing the right things based on their category and region. (Check out our recently published research for the full details.)
That said, you should always start with the best practice fundamentals across your listings and reviews, like:
Is your NAP data accurate across all key directories to help boost visibility everywhere? Do you have photos, service details, amenities, and other specific information included?
Are you replying to reviews promptly — especially negative ones?
Are your local landing pages optimized for mobile and rich with localized content — which encourages AI to cite them?
Each of these seemingly small actions builds trust with customers and with "traditional" search engines and in AI search.
Learn more about where AI models look for information.
Step 3: Focus on the metrics that matter for your industry
Scout shows which actions correlate most with performance — and that correlation varies by industry. Use that data to prioritize what you optimize first.
Here's what our research found:
Hospitality brands win by standing out visually and offering complete, compelling information. That means:
Up-to-date listings
Detailed business descriptions
Curated, high-quality photos
Strong review ratings
Food brands, on the other hand, rely less on photo engagement or profile completeness, and accuracy and freshness tend to drive trust. What matters most:
A steady stream of recent, highly rated reviews
Fast, helpful responses to customer feedback
Accuracy in hours and menu details
By focusing your strategy around the right trends, you'll make improvements that actually move the needle — not just check boxes.
Step 4: Adapt to regional tendencies
What works in one region may not work in another. Scout helps you detect local and regional nuances so you can tailor your approach. These differences may seem small, but they can dramatically impact visibility in competitive markets.
Some insights to guide your next move:
Northeast: Ranking factors have less influence on Local Pack visibility. Focus on consistency and profile completeness.
South and West: A slow response to reviews — especially on weekends — can hurt visibility. Automate or delegate review responses to cover critical off-hours.
Midwest: Brands that wait until Monday to reply to weekend reviews risk losing visibility. A simple process shift can protect your performance.
Scout takes guesswork out of the equation. Use these regional patterns to fine-tune your Listings, Reviews, and Pages strategies — and get results faster.
Action is what separates insights from growth
Your Competitor Report doesn't just show what's wrong — it shows what to do next. When you pair these insights with execution in Listings, Reviews, and Pages, you stop reacting and start winning.
Ready to take action based on your brand's current visibility? Click here.
FAQs
How does Scout choose which competitors to show in my report? Scout automatically identifies your 40 closest local competitors based on your industry, category, and geographic footprint. These aren't just broad national players — they're the brands most likely to be stealing visibility in your local market.
If I'm not ranking #1, does that mean I'm losing? Not necessarily. In some industries, being present in the right places — like AI-generated answers or trusted third-party listings — matters more than the top organic spot. The key is showing up where customers are searching with high intent, not just chasing rank.
Why do competitors outperform me in some regions but not others? Local brand visibility is shaped by regional behavior, platform preferences, and operational factors — like how quickly you respond to reviews. Scout helps you see what's working (or not) in each region, so you can adjust accordingly.
What should I do first if my Scout report shows I'm being outranked? Start by identifying which factors are driving your local competitor's advantage — whether it's more recent reviews, better profile completeness, or stronger local page content. Then focus your efforts on the levers that matter most in your industry and region.
