Google Maps listings are a powerful tool for local business marketing, and ranking in the top three positions can boost sign-ups, site visits, phone calls and other desirable conversions. But the competition is stiff and optimizing your Google Business Profile for search isn’t an easy task. Luckily, there are steps you can take to rank higher in the “Map Pack,” or Google’s local 3-pack of results.
According to Google, there are three key factors that determine a business’s ranking on the Google Maps SERP: relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance refers to how well your business’s information matches the search query. This can be improved by ensuring that your primary business category is correctly matched to the keywords you are targeting for your GMB listing. Distance is determined by how close your location is to the searcher’s current location, and can be improved through optimization of your address. Prominence refers to how well-known your business is, both online and offline, and can be improved through off-page SEO activities such as link building, social media presence, directories and articles.
The best way to increase your Google Maps rankings is by focusing on the interactions that users have with your listing. This includes clicks on your business name, phone calls and directions. Google also takes into account reviews from customers, and it is important to ask your customers for feedback. You can do this by including a link to your Google review page on your website and by including it in all of your promotional material, including invoices and business cards.
Another way to improve your Google Maps ranking is by using local business schema. This is a form of structured data code that helps Google crawlers understand what your content is all about, and it’s a great way to help your listing appear in the local search results for certain keywords. You can get started with this by adding the Local Business Schema markup to your site.
With more people searching on mobile devices, it’s even more important to ensure that your Google Maps listing is optimized for mobile use. This can be done by ensuring that your website is responsive and that all of your contact and location information is accurate.
Getting your Google Maps ranking up is not an easy task, but it’s essential for local businesses. Luckily, there are tools like Podium that can automate this process for you so that you can focus on growing your business. In addition, a tool like Semrush can provide you with a detailed look at how your Google Maps rankings are performing so that you can track your progress. This can give you the peace of mind that you’ve done everything you can to optimize your Google Maps ranking, and it will make a big difference in the amount of traffic your business gets.