Google sifts through trillions of indexed web pages to present users with the best possible results when they search for something. As a result, local searches are extremely important and it’s vital that business owners focus on optimizing their Google Maps website ranking to drive more footfalls and convert searchers into customers.
For businesses with a brick and mortar location, being listed among the top 3 spots on Google Maps listings (aka the ‘Maps Pack’) will improve sign-ups, site visits, phone calls and other desirable conversions significantly. Hence, ranking among these top-3 positions is the ultimate goal of any local SEO campaign.
In order to ensure your Google Maps website ranking, you need to take the following measures into account:
Completeness – Make sure that your Google Business Profile has all the relevant information about your business, such as opening hours, website address and contact details. Having this information up-to-date is the first step towards an improved Google Maps website ranking.
Having your website loaded with local keywords is also a must. It helps Google see the relevance of your website to a particular location, which is another factor that contributes to your Google Maps website ranking.
Relevance – Is your Google Business Profile’s product and service data up to date? Is it accurate and authentic? A lot of people will research a business online before they visit it, so having accurate and useful information about your company is the key to an improved Google Maps website ranking.
Verification – Google will verify your data with your business to make sure that it is genuine and accurate. This is a must in order to get higher Google Maps website rankings, as it shows that you are a trustworthy and reliable business.
Reviews – Consumers love to read business reviews and it’s important that you ask your customers for their feedback. A survey by Brightlocal revealed that 87% of consumers will read reviews before they make a buying decision. Moreover, if you reply to your reviews promptly, it will also boost your Google Maps website ranking.
Embedding your Google Maps – The easiest way to embed your business’s Google Maps is through your website. By doing so, it allows your customers to directly reach out to you from their desktop or mobile devices.
Duplicate profiles – Having more than one Google Business Profile for your business is a big no-no. Whether it was an intern who set up the wrong profile, or an unscrupulous actor creating a duplicate listing to negatively affect your Google Maps success, having more than one is bad for your Google Maps website ranking.
Optimizing your Google Maps website ranking is a time-consuming process and it can be difficult to keep track of all the different platforms that your business has been cited on. However, a solution like Semrush’s Listing Management tool makes this job much easier and helps you stay on top of your Google Maps website ranking as well as other online listings.