Google Maps ranking is the process of getting your business on the top of the search engine results page for certain keywords. It is an important part of local SEO, and it can be very beneficial for your business if you follow the right strategies.
Getting your business on Google Maps is an essential step for any local business, and it can help you drive more leads and sales. However, it can also be a difficult task. With all the other businesses trying to rank in this coveted spot, it can be hard to figure out how to get on the top of the list.
Proximity – How close you are to the user
One of the most significant factors in Google Maps rankings is proximity. When someone searches for a particular keyword, they will receive a list of businesses that are closest to them in proximity. This is why Google tries to show the most relevant and closest businesses first on the map, rather than listing all the possible results.
Structured Data – Information about your business’s address, opening hours, and other important details can be easily accessed by Google crawlers via structured data. This helps Google better understand the information you have on your website, which can increase your chances of ranking in the local pack.
Review – Positive reviews are a powerful ranking factor for local listings on Google Maps, so it is a good idea to ask for them. You can do this by placing a link to your Google Maps review on your business cards, invoices, and email signatures.
Google is constantly updating its algorithms and keeping up with the latest changes can be crucial in ensuring that your business remains at the top of the list for local search queries. The more time and effort you put into making your Google Maps profile as SEO-friendly as possible, the higher your chances of ranking on the first page for local searches.
Keywords – The key to SEO is finding the right keywords that are relevant to your target audience. These can be used in your business’s blog posts, social media, and even on your website.
Schema – A schema is an HTML file that allows Google to understand information about your business. By implementing structured data, you can ensure that Google knows the exact location of your business and can display it correctly on the map.
Google is also continuously changing its algorithm to ensure that it only delivers the most relevant, quality results for the users. These updates can include changes to the Google Maps ranking algorithm, like the recent Vicinity update that pushed out businesses that were dominating local search just because they had keywords in their business name.