Whether you’re trying to find a new restaurant for lunch, a locksmith to help with a broken lock or a local mechanic to fix your flat tire, most people turn to Google Maps for answers. And, for businesses that offer local products and services, getting listed among the top three business listings in the Google Maps “Pack” results in a big boost in sign-ups, site visits, phone calls and other desirable conversions.
However, the process of securing and maintaining a high SEO Google Maps ranking can be time-consuming for busy business owners. That’s why this article will highlight a few simple but effective tips to help you optimize your Google Maps listing for better search engine visibility.
A great business listing starts with excellent and accurate company data. Make sure to use the most up-to-date information, including opening hours and location, in addition to selecting and categorizing your business properly. Providing detailed, high-quality photos will also enhance your business’s profile and increase your chances of being displayed in relevant searches.
Another important step is to monitor your rank regularly, just as you would with regular search engine results pages (SERPs). This can be done manually by conducting a few Google searches – it’s better to do so in Incognito Mode – or via one of many available online tools that specifically focus on monitoring both Google Maps and traditional SERPs based on specific keywords.
When it comes to Google Maps, the proximity of the user to the searched business is the most important factor. Google wants to deliver a list of business listings closest to the searcher, which is why it is critical to always verify your business locations, and keep your information up-to-date.
Reviews are also a significant ranking factor. Google wants to provide users with quality, relevant and trustworthy results, so displaying high numbers of positive reviews is an essential part of optimizing your business’s Google Maps rankings. Encourage customers to leave a review by offering incentives like coupons or discounts, and always answer reviews in a professional and courteous manner.
Posts are a feature of Google My Business that appear directly on your business listing, and allow you to publish offers and news about your company. They are a great way to engage with consumers and to show Google that your company is actively managing its listing, which is a ranking signal.
There is a bit of a gray area with the use of “data scraping” in Google Maps rankings, and it’s not something that we recommend. While there is nothing illegal about this type of information collection, it is usually abused by SEO firms that want to quickly and inexpensively improve their client’s Google Maps ranking. However, it is possible to use this tool for legitimate research purposes, provided that you do not collect and distribute the data without permission from Google. There are, however, other, more ethical ways to get data on your competitors that you can then use to inform and optimize your Google Maps listings for better search engine visibility.