Google Maps website ranking is an important component of local SEO and directly influences the number of visitors to your business and ultimately revenue. The reason why is because potential customers who use Google to search for businesses or products usually choose the ones that appear in the local pack (the three highest ranked locations). In this article, we will discuss the best ways to optimize your Google Maps business listing and achieve higher search engine visibility and client acquisition.
Google has made it clear that the quality and relevance of your website is one of the most important factors when deciding where to rank a business listing in the local pack. The good news is that there are several easy to implement tactics you can use to improve your website’s content and make it more relevant to users searching for businesses like yours.
Optimize your site for mobile devices
Most searches on Google Maps are performed using mobile phones. This means that it is essential to optimize your Google Maps business listing for mobile devices. For example, make sure that the contact information on your Google Maps business profile matches the contact information on your website, and that the link to your website functions well on mobile devices (no pinching or zooming required).
Make your website responsive. Having a responsive website is a must for any modern business, as it makes your content more accessible to your target audience and increases its visibility in search results. Moreover, having a responsive website will help your Google Maps business listing rank better in the local pack, as it will indicate to Google that your website is optimized for mobile devices.
Embed your Google Map on your website. It is important to embed your Google Map on your website because it tells Google that your website is located in the same location as your business listing. This can significantly improve your Google Maps ranking.
Encourage your clients to leave reviews on your Google Maps business listing. Reviews are one of the most influential ranking factors in Google Maps, and can help your business achieve a high ranking. However, it is vital to know how to properly manage and monitor your reviews to avoid negative user experiences that can damage your business’s reputation.
Use structured data. Structured data is a set of guidelines for marking up the content on your website to improve its structure and make it more search engine-friendly. For example, you can use structured data to mark up your business address so that it appears in the search results as a clickable link, and to provide more information about your business such as its opening hours or product availability.
To a certain extent, Google Maps resembles social media platforms like Facebook. As such, it is possible to publish posts that appear directly next to your business listing. By regularly posting on your Google Maps business listing, you can send a signal to Google that you are actively managing your business and this is another factor that will influence your Google Maps rankings.