Google Maps is a popular way to find local businesses. But, it isn’t always easy to get your business listed on the first page of results. This is where SEO comes in, and there are a few important steps to take to improve your Google Maps ranking.
Claim Your Business Profile
Having a verified business listing on Google Maps is the most important step you can take to rank better in the search engine. Not only does it give you a higher ranking, but it also ensures that Google can verify your location and show your business to potential customers when they search for you on the map.
Optimize Your Business Description
The business description is a very important part of your Google Maps ranking because it provides a big picture of what your business is all about and offers unique attributes that compel searchers to visit you. You should write your business description in a way that aligns with your brand to help establish a connection with potential customers.
Choose Your Business Category correctly
The primary category you select for your business is very important for your Google Maps ranking. Make sure it represents your core offering well, and choose additional categories as needed to expand your reach.
Add Photos to Your Google Maps Business Listing
High-quality photos are another important element of your business listing on Google Maps. Uploading quality photos that convey what it’s like to be at your business will improve your Google Maps ranking and make it more appealing to consumers.
Build Citations on Your Google Maps Business Profile
Getting your name, address, and phone number (NAP) onto your Google Maps business profile is an important part of getting your business on the first page of Google. This is because Google relies on citations to determine your prominence in Google Maps and will look for them everywhere you are online, from social media to industry-specific directories.
If you are looking to build citations on your business’s Google Maps listing, try getting mentioned in articles or posting to industry-specific directories that have a good reach. It is also worth noting that getting a positive review from a local blogger will boost your ranking in the Google Maps Pack.
Prominence on Google Maps is a combination of your reputation, your online presence, your star rating, and any other signal that signals to Google Maps that you are a legitimate business. You can also increase your prominence by running campaigns to generate reviews and by building links across your website, blog posts, and social channels.
Remove Duplicate Profiles
Having multiple business profiles on Google Maps can be a huge issue for SEOs, as it can lead to confusion among searchers and the map app itself. This is why you should keep your Google Maps business profile as clean as possible by using a tool like Semrush’s Listing Management platform to track and clean up duplicates.
Remove Spam from Your Google Maps Listing
Unfortunately, there are a lot of spam listings out there in the world, and these can have a huge impact on your Google Maps rankings. Thankfully, there are many tools that can help you identify and remove these spam listings so that you can focus on the ones that actually have a chance of making it to the top of the search results. This can help you rank higher in the maps ecosystem, and it will be a huge time saver for your SEO team.