Getting ranked in the top 3 positions on Google Maps is essential to ace local SEO and drive a lot of web traffic inflow for your business. Studies show that 85% of consumers who search for a local product or service on Google Maps, visit the business within 48 hours and make a purchase.
However, getting to this position is not easy. You need to make multiple optimizations across your brand to improve Google Maps Ranking. The good news is that most of these optimizations are the same as those you’d do for your website’s organic rankings.
As the number of searches for local businesses on Google increases, it becomes more important than ever to optimize your business listings. Local searchers are looking for specific locations and services, and you want to be the one that shows up to get them.
The first step in boosting your Google Maps Ranking is to ensure that your information is correct and up-to-date. This includes ensuring that you have unique photos for your listing, a detailed description that explains what services or products you offer, and keywords in your listing.
Next, you should focus on building and promoting your reviews. This is a critical factor in determining how well your listing ranks, especially if you have few or no reviews.
Responding to reviews is also a great way to boost your ranking, as it signals to Google that you care about customer feedback and are proactively addressing any concerns. Additionally, savvy businesses use tools like Podium to automatically solicit and track reviews from customers.
Having relevant citations is another crucial factor in improving your Google Maps ranking, particularly those from niche sites that relate to your business. These citations will be weighed alongside your Google My Business profile and your website when calculating your overall rankings.
Finally, it’s important to take steps to remove spam listings from your Google My Business page. Spam listings are listings that don’t accurately reflect your business or contain keywords that don’t align with your business. If you find a spam listing, try to report it using Google’s Business Redressal Complaint Form.
While optimizing for Google Maps isn’t as simple as it seems, you can use the tips in this article to help improve your rankings. As the search landscape continues to evolve, your efforts will be rewarded.