Question 1

What is LocalOutrank?

Accepted Answer

LocalOutrank is an AI-powered local SEO platform for UK small businesses. It analyses your Google Maps competitors, identifies their weaknesses, and generates a 30-day action plan using xAI Grok to help you outrank them in the local pack.

Question 2

Is LocalOutrank free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, completely free during beta. No credit card required. We're focused on building a product that delivers real value before we introduce paid plans. When we do charge, existing accounts will get a grandfather offer with at least 30 days' notice.

Question 3

How does LocalOutrank analyse my local competitors?

Accepted Answer

We query Google Maps directly in real-time to fetch your actual competitors, their ratings, review counts, and metadata. We then score each competitor on factors like review velocity, Google Business Profile completion, and rating strength - showing you where you can gain the most ground.

Question 4

What is the 30-day AI action plan?

Accepted Answer

After analysing your competitors, we ask xAI Grok to generate a prioritised action plan tailored to your business type and location. It identifies the highest-leverage tasks (like optimising your Google Business Profile photos, running a review campaign, or fixing NAP citations) that will move the needle fastest.

Question 5

Does LocalOutrank work for any type of business?

Accepted Answer

It works best for service and retail businesses that rely on local searches - plumbers, electricians, dentists, restaurants, accountants, salons, gyms, etc. Any UK business competing in Google Maps can use it. If you don't have competitors appearing in your local pack, the results won't be useful.

Question 6

Is LocalOutrank only for UK businesses?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we're UK-focused. We've optimised our guides, Google Business Profile advice, and citation directories specifically for UK business law and practice. If you're outside the UK, many insights will still be valuable, but your mileage may vary.

Question 7

How accurate is the Google Maps ranking data?

Accepted Answer

We query Google Maps directly, so the competitor list and rankings are as accurate as Google's current results. However, rankings vary by search location and device. We show you the most common competitor set for your search type and location - treat it as a reliable snapshot, not a guarantee.

Question 8

How often should I refresh my tracked analyses?

Accepted Answer

We recommend refreshing weekly or monthly to spot rank changes, new competitors, or shifts in review velocity. Daily refreshes aren't necessary since Google's local pack updates gradually. You can refresh once per search per day, and have 5 refreshes per month across all your tracked searches.

Question 9

What are the usage limits?

Accepted Answer

Free accounts have sensible limits to prevent abuse: 20 analyses per month (plus 5 per hour), 1 refresh per search per day (5 per month across all searches), and 50 chat messages per search per day. These cover the vast majority of users - if you need higher limits, reach out.

Question 10

What is an 'opportunity score'?

Accepted Answer

It's our proprietary ranking of how much ground you can gain against a competitor. We score based on their Google Business Profile gaps (missing photos, sparse description), review velocity (fewer recent reviews than you), and rating strength. A high score means they're vulnerable.

Question 11

How do I add my business details to get personalised insights?

Accepted Answer

Visit Settings and add your business name, website, and Google Business Profile URL (or customer ID). Once saved, our insights compare your metrics directly against your competitors - showing you exactly what you're doing better and what needs work.

Question 12

How is my data kept private and secure?

Accepted Answer

We follow UK GDPR principles. Passwords are hashed with Argon2id. Session data is stored in encrypted, HTTP-only cookies. We don't sell or share your data. You can export everything or delete your account anytime via Settings.

Question 13

When will you start charging?

Accepted Answer

When the product is consistently delivering value to enough users that paid plans make sense. We'd rather build something people love than rush a paywall. Early feedback shapes our roadmap, so if you're using it, tell us what works and what doesn't.

Frequently asked questions