Whether it’s for a restaurant recommendation, finding a plumber, or getting the best deal on gas, most people turn to Google Maps when making local buying decisions. That’s why it’s essential for local businesses to understand how to optimize their Google Maps business listing and rank higher in search results.
Having a fully optimized Google My Business profile is one of the most important factors in ranking well on Maps. However, there are many other things that can be done to increase a business’s Maps visibility and overall SEO performance.
In this article, we will discuss ten steps you can take to improve your Google Maps ranking and attract more customers to your business.
The most obvious step is to make sure your Google My Business profile is complete and up-to-date with accurate business information. This includes your name, address, and phone number (NAP data) as well as your category, description, and attributes. You also want to ensure that the keywords in your NAP data match the ones used by people searching for your products or services.
Another crucial factor is prominence. While it can be difficult to measure and quantify, Google’s documentation indicates that prominence is based on the overall reputation of your business both offline and online, including its website organic rankings, GMB reviews, and backlinks. In addition, your business’s proximity to the user is also considered when evaluating Google Maps results, although this is less of an actionable ranking signal than the other factors in this list.
A final, and perhaps most important, way to improve your Google Maps ranking is to promote your business on social media and through local events. This will help to establish your brand, build trust, and encourage positive reviews, all of which can contribute to your Google Maps ranking.
Once your Google Business Profile is complete and up to date, it’s time to start promoting your business on other websites and online directories. This can be a great way to generate local traffic and attract more potential clients. Just be sure to only publish your NAP data on quality websites and not spammy directories.
Finally, it’s important to have a mobile-friendly website. About 60% of Google searches are made on mobile devices, and a non-mobile-friendly website can negatively impact your Google Maps ranking.
Lastly, it’s important to monitor your Maps ranking regularly. This can be done through the Google My Business dashboard, or by using a tool such as Semrush to analyze your competitors’ listings. It’s also a good idea to check for duplicate listings, as these can be damaging to your Google Maps ranking.
There are a lot of things that can be done to improve your Maps ranking, but it’s important to remember that it takes time and effort to achieve success. By nurturing the areas of your business that matter most each month – whether through KPI goals or percentage of growth improvement – you can maximize your chances of ranking well on Google Maps and growing your business.