As part of each Zeus scan, Zeus checks how the business ranks in the Google map pack across its service area. These scans are free. They don't use map scan credits. Change the settings when Zeus scans the wrong place, the wrong searches, or too small an area.
What Zeus scans by default
Unless you change the map scan settings:
- Grid: a 5×5 grid (25 points), the same every time so month-to-month changes are real.
- Keywords: up to 9 searches local customers actually type, such as the business category, top services, "near me" searches and "service + town", picked by search volume. The client's service names are scanned too.
- Area: a radius from 2 to 5 miles, measured from the scan center to the client's service-area towns.
- Center: the scan center you set, otherwise the business's Google Maps pin. For a service-area business with no center set, Zeus uses the first service area, for example "Santa Rosa, CA", never the registered address.
How to change the scan center, map size, radius and keywords
- Open the client and go to Zeus.
- Click Settings (or Change on the map scan line under Summon Zeus). Map scan settings is at the bottom of Zeus settings.
- To move the center, pick A town or address, type it and click Save center.
- Change the map size, radius or keywords.
- Click Save map scan settings. You'll see "Saved. Zeus uses these from his next map scan."
Map scan settings explained
- Scan center: Auto (Google Maps pin), or Auto (service area) for a service-area business, or A town or address (for example "Santa Rosa, CA"). The line under it says "Centered on …" with the center in use. The auto radius is measured from here. It's the same setting as Center scans on in Local Search, so your scans and Zeus's share it.
- Map size: 3×3, 5×5 (default), 7×7 or 9×9. The hint shows points per keyword, for example "7×7 = 49 points per keyword".
- Map scan radius: Auto, a quick pick (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 or 15 miles) or Other for your own number, from 0.5 to 15 miles in half-mile steps. Auto stays between 2 and 5 miles. The hint shows what Auto would use, for example "Auto would use 3.5 mi (distances from the center to Petaluma, Rohnert Park …)".
- Keywords Zeus scans every month: starts with the keywords Zeus picks. Remove one with its ×, or type a new one and click Add (or press Enter). Click Let Zeus pick again to go back to his picks.
- Use service names as keywords: on by default. The client's services (Client Details → Services) are scanned too, and stay in sync when the services change. Turn it off to scan only the keywords in the list.
Under the settings, a line shows the size of each scan, for example "Each scan: 9 keywords × 25 points = 225 map searches". When it's bigger than the default it says how many times bigger, because each scan takes longer and costs more to run. The monthly scan stays free, and Summon Zeus costs the same credits whatever the size.
Click Reset to defaults to go back to Zeus's own choices.
Every Zeus map scan uses these settings: the monthly scan, Summon Zeus, and map scans you ask for in Zeus chat when you don't give a size or radius. Your own scans in Local Search keep their own grid and radius.
How Zeus compares scans
Zeus compares each scan only with his own previous scan, never with a manual scan of a different size. If you change the map size or radius, he doesn't compare the next scan with the old one. He reads more than the best rank: how much of the grid shows the client in the top 3, the average rank across all points, share of voice, and which competitors keep appearing.
Where to see the results
Open the client's SEO → Keywords tab and switch to Local Search. Zeus's scans are in the scan history with a Run by Zeus label. Open one to see the heat map, like any other scan. Changes worth acting on, like a map rank drop or a competitor outranking the client, show as findings on Zeus.
A "Win more of the map pack" finding says where on the map the business is outside the top 3 (by direction from the scan center), which businesses hold the top 3 there, and the steps to catch them. See action items.
When Zeus scans
- With the monthly scan, when Auto-scan monthly is on.
- When you press Summon Zeus and his last map scan is more than 7 days old. The Summon Zeus price already covers it.
Every grid point gets a real result. A big map can take longer than a few minutes, so Zeus keeps the scan going until every point is back. If a point fails at the data source, Zeus asks again, up to 3 times. A point that still fails shows as failed on the map and is named in This run. It's never counted as "not ranked". If Zeus can't run his own scan, he reuses a manual scan from the last 7 days and says so in This run.
How to turn it off
On Zeus, open Settings and set Local Map Rankings to Exclude from insights. Zeus then stops map scans and map findings for that client.
Examples
- A roofer with the pin at the owner's home: tick Service-area business on the client so Zeus centers on the first service area, or set A town or address to "Santa Rosa, CA".
- A plumber covering a whole county: set the radius to 10 miles and the map size to 7×7 so the outer towns are covered.
- A bad keyword: This run says the top 3 for "troubleshooting services" are IT companies. Remove it with × and add "drain troubleshooting" instead.
- A clinic with 30 services: turn off Use service names as keywords and list the 8 searches that matter most.
Limits and what it can't do
- Up to 15 keywords per scan, counting the client's service names when that switch is on. Add grays out at 15.
- Keywords are cut to 80 characters and duplicates are dropped.
- Radius 0.5 to 15 miles (your own Local Search scans allow 0.25 to 10).
- Map sizes 3×3, 5×5, 7×7 and 9×9 only.
- Scans aren't compared across different sizes or radii.
- Zeus never scans when Local Map Rankings is Exclude from insights.
Credits
Zeus's map scans are free, whatever the size. They're included in the free monthly scan and in the 5-credit Summon Zeus. Map scans you run yourself in Local Search cost 1 credit per keyword (see Local map scans).
Who can use it
Anyone on your agency team with the Clients tool can change the map scan settings and see the results. Client people can't change them; they see map results in their portal when Google Map Pack rankings is on.
Troubleshooting
- "Map scan radius must be between 0.5 and 15 miles, or Auto": type a number in that range, or pick Auto.
- "Up to 15 keywords": remove some keywords, or turn off Use service names as keywords.
- "Couldn't find "…" on the map. Try a city and state, like "Arcata, CA", or a full street address.": the scan center wasn't found. Type a city and state or a full address.
- "Tool access required": your Clients tool is switched off. Ask an Owner or Admin.
- Save map scan settings is grayed out: nothing has changed yet, or the radius isn't a valid number.
- The map shows the business far from where it works: the Google pin is probably the owner's home. Set the scan center to a town or address.
- No Run by Zeus scans in Local Search: check Auto-scan monthly is on and Local Map Rankings isn't Exclude from insights, then wait for the next scan or press Summon Zeus.
- Some points show as failed: they failed 3 times at the data source. They're not counted as "not ranked", and the next scan tries again.