Single search vs grid search: how to cover a whole area on Google Maps

Search Google Maps for “plumbers in Denver” and you get a list of plumbers near the point the search looks out from. The businesses close to that point fill the list. The ones on the far side of the city often don’t make it in at all.

That’s fine when you want one plumber. It’s a problem when you want every plumber worth calling across a whole city, because the list you’re working from is quietly missing whole suburbs.

Why one search misses businesses

Google Maps results centre on one point and weigh how close each business is to it. Each search also returns a limited number of results. In a small town that’s rarely an issue. In a busy city there are far more businesses of a type than one list can show, so the ones further out drop off.

How a grid search works

A grid search runs the same search from many points spread evenly across your area, then combines the results.

1. 1Choose a business type and a place, such as dentists in Manchester.
2. 2Split the area into a grid of search points, for example 5×5, which is 25 points.
3. 3Run the same search from every point, each one looking out from its own spot.
4. 4Merge everything into one list and remove duplicates, so a business found from two nearby points appears once.

Because each point sees its own neighbourhood, the combined list usually covers far more of the area than a single search from the centre. In LeadMapper this is a grid search, and duplicates are removed automatically.

Choosing a grid size

Match the grid to the area, then set the radius so the outer points sit near its edge.

• 3×3 (9 points): a small town or a single suburb.
• 5×5 (25 points): a suburb or a district.
• 7×7 (49 points): a large city area.
• Larger grids, up to 10×10 (100 points): very large areas where you want the most coverage.

More points mean more coverage, and more credits. Start with the smallest grid that covers your area, look at the results, and go bigger if the list feels thin.

Estimating the credits

In LeadMapper each search point is one search, and a search keeps collecting results until the area runs out. In a busy city that usually takes approximately 10 credits, and never more than 15, so a 5×5 grid is approximately 250 credits (at most 375) and a 7×7 grid approximately 490. A quiet regional town runs out sooner, often after approximately 4. You see the estimate before anything runs. See plans and how credits work.

When a single search is enough

• A small town, where one list already covers most of it.
• A quick look at a new market before you commit to a full sweep.
• A rare business type with only a handful of listings nearby.

Quick checklist

• Pick one business type and one area per search.
• Choose the smallest grid that covers the area.
• Check the estimated credits before you run it.
• Let it run in the background; the list fills in as points finish.
• Filter the merged list down to the businesses worth calling.