Grid Size & Radius
Choose the right grid size and radius to match your business's service area.
Grid Sizes
The gridSize parameter sets the number of scan points along each edge of the grid. A 7×7 grid creates a 7-row by 7-column pattern of 49 scan points.
| Grid Size | Grid Points | Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 3×3 | 9 | Quick spot-check. Minimal coverage, fast results. |
| 5×5 | 25 | Small service area or neighborhood business. |
| 7×7 | 49 | Recommended default. Good balance of coverage and cost. |
| 9×9 | 81 | Wider coverage for medium service areas. |
| 11×11 | 121 | Large service area or detailed competitive analysis. |
| 13×13 | 169 | Comprehensive city-level coverage. |
| 15×15 | 225 | Maximum detail. Best for enterprise-level analysis. |
Start with a 7×7 grid. You can always increase the size later for more detailed analysis.
Campaigns support extended grid sizes up to 21×21 (441 points). Individual scans via the run-scan endpoint support up to 15×15.
Grid Visualization
Each dot is a scan point where Local Falcon checks the search results for your keyword. The center point is your business location.
5×5 grid — 25 scan points, center = business location
Radius
The radius parameter defines the distance from the center point to the outermost edge of the grid (north, east, south, and west). A larger radius spreads scan points farther apart; a smaller radius clusters them closer together.
Radius Guidance by Business Type
| Business Type | Suggested Radius | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Neighborhood (restaurant, salon) | 1–3 mi / 2–5 km | Customers walk or drive short distances. |
| Local service (plumber, electrician) | 5–10 mi / 8–16 km | Service area covers several neighborhoods. |
| City-wide (law firm, hospital) | 10–20 mi / 16–32 km | Draws customers from across the metro area. |
| Regional (franchise, car dealer) | 20–50 mi / 32–80 km | Large coverage area, sparse population. |
Accepted range: 0.1 to 100 (miles or kilometers).
Measurement Units
mi— miles (used in the US, UK)km— kilometers (used everywhere else)
The measurement unit applies to the radius only. Grid point spacing is calculated automatically based on the radius and grid size.
Parameter Reference
Where grid parameters are used across endpoints:
| Parameter | run-scan |
create campaign |
get grid |
|---|---|---|---|
gridSize |
3–15 | 3–21 | 3–15 |
radius |
0.1–100 | 0.1–100 | 0.1–100 |
measurement |
mi, km |
mi, km |
mi, km |
Larger grids cost more credits. A 15×15 grid uses 225 scan points — over 9× more than a 5×5 grid (25 points). Choose the smallest grid that covers your business's service area.