Regardless of your industry, there’s a good chance that your clients use Google Maps to find businesses and products. That’s why a high SEO Google Maps ranking is essential for your business growth.
Since 2016, Google has replaced its 7-pack local search results with a 3-pack map that only shows the top three businesses. The new design impacted local SEO significantly, making it even more competitive to rank in the map pack and drive clicks and revenue for your business.
Google considers a variety of factors when determining how to rank a business’s Google Maps profile, but some of the most important ones include proximity, relevance, and prominence. Proximity refers to how close your business is to the searcher; relevance refers to how closely your business matches the user’s query; and prominence refers to how well-known and well-liked your business is.
To improve your business’s chances of appearing in the Google Maps search results, it’s critical to have a fully optimized Google Business Profile (GBP). You should also ensure that all of your business locations are claimed and verified. Google will prioritize a GBP that has been updated recently, so you should make sure to publish frequent and relevant content on your profile.
When it comes to reviews, you should try to encourage as many of your customers as possible to leave one. The more reviews you have, the better your Google Maps ranking will be. It’s also important to respond to reviews in a basic customer service fashion, as this will signal to Google that you care about your reputation.
Another way to boost your business’s visibility in the Google Maps search results is to embed a Google map on your website. This can be done by opening your Google Business Profile, clicking “Share,” and then choosing the “Embed a map on your website” option.
Once your website has a Google Maps embedded, you can then link back to your business profile on Google to improve your rankings. This will show that your business is highly regarded by Google, and it will increase the likelihood that you’ll appear in the local pack.
The key to success with Google Maps SEO is to nurture each area of your strategy each month, whether that be through KPI goals or percentage of improvement. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep up with the ever-changing Google algorithms and maintain a high Google Maps ranking for your business.