Google Maps has become an important part of many users’ lives, particularly for local searches. This is because many people prefer to see business listings and directions on a map before clicking on organic results. As a result, getting your website ranking high on Google Maps is an important aspect of your marketing strategy. Having a high Google Maps website ranking will help you attract more customers and increase your online reach.
Google has three broad categories that it uses to rank Google Maps websites: relevance, distance and prominence. The first of these, relevance, is the consistency between a searcher’s request and information that Google provides. This includes both on-page SEO (the elements of your website that you control) as well as local SEO (your GMB profile and its content).
It’s also important to keep your business’s NAP information consistent, as this is used by both on-page and local SEO to determine your relevance. You can do this by ensuring that all of your contact information is correct and up to date. Another way to improve your relevance is to incorporate keywords into your title and description. While it’s important not to overdo this, including relevant keywords in your listing can help Google identify you as a good match for the query.
A business that has a high Google Maps website ranking will likely have a robust online presence, which can include a strong social media following and a well-designed website. However, it’s also important to focus on your business’s local SEO efforts, as this will ensure that potential customers can easily find you. This can be done by focusing on a few key areas, including optimizing your website for mobile devices and adding a Google Maps button to your website.
The number of reviews you have is an important factor in your Google Maps website ranking, as this is an indication that you’re providing a quality experience for your customers. You should try to encourage your customers to leave a review, but be sure to only ask for honest feedback. If you receive a negative review, you should respond promptly and professionally to resolve the issue.
In addition to reviews, your Google Maps website ranking is influenced by the number of clicks and driving direction requests that you receive from customers. You can increase your chances of getting clicked and requested by posting photos of your products, services or location. Consumers are naturally drawn to images, so adding attractive and engaging photos to your listing can make a huge difference in your rankings.
Prominence is one of the hardest factors to influence, but it’s a critical component of your Google Maps website ranking. This is because Google wants to ensure that it’s showing the most relevant listings for a user’s query. Prominence is determined by how high you are on the list of search results, how close to a user’s location you are, and how much competition you have from other businesses in the area.