If you’re looking to get more business from local customers, boosting your Google Maps ranking should be one of the highest priorities in your marketing strategy. Research shows that 67% of consumers use Google Maps to find a business, so ranking highly on the platform is important. But, don’t assume that just creating a listing and popping up on the map will be enough to get you noticed. You have to understand what makes a Google Maps ranking so that you can focus your efforts on keywords and content that will help your business stand out in the search results.
The Google Maps ranking is based on a complex algorithm that is constantly updated and optimized. While Google does not share the specifics of this algorithm, there are a few primary factors that they prioritize. These are relevance, distance, and prominence. It’s a good idea to perform a local SEO audit to ensure that your entire website, not just your Google Maps profile, is optimized from a keyword, content, and linking perspective.
First, be sure that you have an up-to-date listing on Google Maps and have claimed it if you haven’t already. This is an important step because, without claiming your listing, you are only able to provide basic information about your business, such as the name, category, and location. Once you have a verified profile, you can provide supplemental information that boosts your rank and increases your appeal to potential customers.
Next, you want to ensure that the NAP (name, address, phone number) for your business is consistent across all online sources, including your website. It’s also a good idea to add additional categories that describe the types of products or services you offer, and include them in your listing. This will show up as a snippet of text below your contact info in the search results, increasing your visibility.
It’s also a good idea to encourage your current clients to leave a review of your business. Not only does this increase your Maps ranking, but it also helps establish trust in the Google search engine. However, don’t be pushy or forceful with this request — it should be an optional feature for your clients to enable them to express their positive experience with your company.
Another great way to boost your Maps ranking is to embed a Google map on your website. You can do this by going to your listing on Google Maps and clicking “Share,” then selecting the “Embed a map” option. You can then copy and paste the code provided into your website, and voila! This is a simple, effective way to show Google that your business is located where you say it is.
Becoming one of the top three results on Google Maps can significantly improve your visitations, phone calls, sign-ups, or whatever other conversion you are tracking. And since over 28% of people click the first result on a search and only 2.5% click the tenth, it’s important to make your listing stand out in the crowd!