Google Maps ranking is important for small businesses looking to attract local customers and boost their online presence. If your business doesn’t rank on the first page of Google maps, you are essentially losing out on potential clients who could have found you through a local search query.
The top three spots in the Google Maps listing — known as the “map pack” — are reserved for the most relevant and popular businesses in a given location. This is why it’s critical for every business to ensure they’re ranking in the map pack.
There are a few simple steps you can take to increase your Google Maps ranking and grow your business. These steps are sure to help you get noticed and convert more visitors into paying customers.
1. Keep Your GMB Listing up to Date
Make it a habit to update your GMB listing regularly, especially if you have changed any information about your business. This includes your name, address, and phone number (NAP), as well as your website URL.
2. Make Consistent Changes to Your Business’s Contact and Web Information
To boost your Google Maps ranking, it’s important to update your contact and web information as frequently as possible. This is a great way to show Google that you care about your local community and are always working to improve the customer experience.
3. Add Photos of Your Business and Products or Services
Adding relevant photos to your Google Maps listing is another great way to increase your rankings in the map pack. Research shows that businesses that post photos receive 35% more clicks and 42% more driving directions requests than those that don’t.
4. Build Your Local Citations
Building citations is one of the most effective ways to boost your Google Maps ranking. You can do this by getting your business listed on third-party directories like Yellow Pages, Manta, Yelp, and Angie’s List, as well as industry-specific websites.
5. Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
Creating an accurate and complete Google Maps profile is the best way to ensure your business gets discovered in the map pack. Google’s algorithm considers your business’s GMB profile as a primary source of information, so it’s crucial to make sure you have everything correct and up to date.
6. Build Your Online Reputation
Positive reviews and ratings are a major factor in how your business ranks on Google Maps. It’s also a trust signal that tells search engine bots whether or not your business is credible and worth engaging with.
7. Invest in a Review Management Tool
A quality review platform, such as Podium, will help you get more reviews and improve your Google Maps ranking. It’s a cost-effective way to get more people talking about your business and recommending it to others.
8. Optimize Your Website for Local Keywords
A strong online presence is key to attracting local searchers and making sure your business ranks well in the map pack. To achieve this, you need to optimize your website for local keywords, add content and backlinks that are related to your business’s services or products, and create an optimized Google Maps page on your website.