Having a Google Maps Ranking that is optimized for your local business can bring in more traffic and revenue for your company. However, it isn’t the only way for a business to get more views and clicks. This article will give you tips on how to optimize your profile to improve your local SEO and rank higher on Google Maps.
Google Maps is one of the most popular search engines for businesses locally and nationally. People use it to find directions to a place, restaurants, and even their homes. It is important that your business is ranked high in this search engine so that it can attract potential customers who are looking for a specific service or product that you offer.
Getting your business to appear in the Google Maps “pack” is a top goal for most local marketers. This pack of three businesses appears at the very top of a SERP and can be a major source of traffic for local companies. This means that the competition is fierce and you have to do everything possible to get into this coveted spot.
To do this, you have to understand how Google determines which businesses to rank in the Maps and how to influence that process. There are several ranking factors that go into it, including prominence and proximity. Prominence is supposed to be based on how well-known the business is both offline and online, so things like organic website rankings, GMB reviews, and backlinks should all impact it. Proximity is based on how close the business is to a searcher’s current location.
There are several other factors that go into it as well, but these are the most essential. First and foremost, make sure your business is verified and that you have a complete and accurate profile. Next, add as many photos as possible to your profile and make sure they are high quality. Finally, make sure your primary and secondary categories are correct and that you are using the most relevant ones for your business.
Once you have taken care of all the technical aspects of your listing, you should focus on acquiring reviews and building local citations. These are two of the most significant ranking factors for Google Maps, and they are easier to control than the other aspects of your listing.
You can also monitor your local ranking with tools like the Semrush Listing Management tool or Heatmap, which reveals your average Maps position and highlights competitors to help you see what needs improvement (available for Premium locations only). By following these tips, you should be able to boost your Google Maps ranking and get more traffic for your local business. Just remember that it takes time to see results, so be patient and continue working on your optimizations.