LSA Spy Tool

You have direct access to LSA Spy via MCP. This skill tells you WHEN to use each operation and WHAT to do with the results.

When to Use LSA Spy vs Other Tools

Core Workflows

Check Current LSA Rankings

When: User asks "who's ranking in LSAs" or "how are we doing in LSAs" for a market.

1. list_markets — find the relevant market ID by category + city
2. get_rankings — current top-ranking businesses with positions
3. If looking for a specific business: find_business with the business name

What the data tells you:

• Position 1-3: These businesses get the vast majority of LSA leads
• Businesses appearing consistently: Strong review profile + responsiveness + budget
• Missing from results entirely: Either not running LSAs or profile issues

Check Who's in a Market

When: User wants the full competitive landscape, not just who's ranking right now.

1. list_markets — find market ID
2. get_businesses — ALL businesses that have appeared, with average rank and appearance frequency
3. Sort by average rank to find consistent top performers
4. Look for businesses with high appearance frequency but mediocre rank (they're spending but not optimizing)

What to look for:

• Number of total competitors: Saturated markets (50+) vs thin markets (under 15)
• Average rank spread: Tight (competitive) vs wide (a few businesses dominate)
• New entrants: Businesses appearing recently that weren't there before

Monitor Ranking Changes

When: User wants to track movement — who's going up, who's going down.

1. list_markets — find market ID
2. get_ranking_changes — set days parameter (7 for weekly, 30 for monthly view)

What the changes tell you:

• Business moved UP: Likely got more/better reviews, improved responsiveness, or competitors dropped
• Business moved DOWN: Lost reviews, slow response times, budget issues, or new competitors entered
• NEW entrant: Fresh competitor — check their review count and rating
• Business DISAPPEARED: Paused ads, lost Google Guaranteed/Screened badge, or got suspended

Market Intelligence

When: User considering entering LSAs or wants strategic overview.

1. list_markets — see all tracked markets
2. get_market_details — see tracked search queries for a specific market
3. get_rankings + get_businesses — understand competitive density
4. Cross-reference top rankers' review counts against user's business

Interpreting LSA Spy Data

What Drives LSA Rankings

LSA rankings are NOT like organic/map pack. The primary factors:

1. Reviews — count and rating (most important)
2. Responsiveness — how fast you answer/respond to leads
3. Proximity — distance from searcher
4. Business hours — being open when someone searches
5. Budget — having sufficient weekly budget
6. Badge status — Google Guaranteed or Google Screened active

Reading the Rankings

Key Metrics to Track

• Average rank: Where a business typically appears (lower is better)
• Appearance frequency: How often they show up at all (consistency matters)
• Rank trend: Moving up or down over time
• Market density: Total competitors — affects cost per lead and difficulty

What to Do Next

Default next step: LSA rankings without review context are incomplete. Always check the user's review count and rating against the top 3 LSA competitors before making recommendations.