Ranking on Google Maps – Our Local SEO Guide

If you’re a local business, your main goal is to get discovered by as many people as possible to grow your consumer base and generate more revenue. However, you can’t just rely on foot traffic to gain visibility. For more chances of reaping profit, it’s worth relying on technology to reach more customers.

One of the best ways of getting found is through Google Maps. If you sell product or service to a local audience and happen to appear in the top three spots of Google Maps, you can expect a significant improvement in visitations, phone calls, sign-ups, and other desirable conversions. 

Back then, Google yields seven results when people key in Google Maps-related queries in search engines or directly on the app. But now, Google only shows 3, and the searcher would need to click “more results” to see others. This just means that if you want more exposure, you would need to try your best to secure one of the top 3 spots. Being part of the top 3 indicates that you are more credible and more relevant, leading to people being more inclined to purchase from you. 

More and more people are using “near me” queries to search for local businesses, so securing a top spot is paramount. 

Why rank higher on Google Maps?

Whether searching on desktop or mobile, consumers rarely look past the first few results when performing a query. And since Google Maps only shows the top three results, you’ll reach more prospective customers if you reach one of those spots. What’s more, since Google Search results pages also display local results when applicable, having a high ranking on Google Maps can also mean a higher rank on Google Search. 

How do I get on Google Maps?

The first step to ranking higher on Google Maps is establishing your business on the platform in the first place. Follow these steps to claim your listing:

• Search for your business on Google Maps.
• If it appears, claim the listing. If not, add it as a place and claim the listing.
• You also need to enter complete data like your physical address, phone number, category, and attributes. Be sure to keep this relevant info as your business changes.

How do I rank higher on Google Maps?

To secure a top spot on Google Maps, here are some tactics that could help:

• Complete your Google My Business Listing: You need to maintain the completeness and accuracy of your Google My Business listing. This means that you have to list down as much information about your business as possible so Google can supply it to searchers. Make sure that you have details like phone number, website, store hours, business description, images, and more, on our listing. 
• Use a local number: Google isn’t too keen on using toll-free numbers because they’re typically used for spam. It’s best to use a local telephone number with the area code of your location. 
• Optimize your listing: Use local SEO keywords so you’ll show up in local searches. Instead of writing “accounting services with the best customer service,” replace it with “trusted Greenwood accounting services.”
• Get Google Reviews: Google takes into account the trustworthiness of your business when determining ranks, and reviews can help with that. It’s best to keep your listing open for reviews so that people can offer feedback on your product or service. Should you receive bad reviews, you have the option to respond to them to mitigate or even reverse the damage.

So there you have it. If you want more customers, securing a higher rank on Google Maps is crucial. Should you need help with marketing your small business, we’re a digital marketing agency based in Greenwood, get in touch with us today to see how we can help.