Many people are turning to Google whenever they are looking for businesses in a local area. When they are looking for pizza, for example, they search in Google. And here’s the thing, many of these people are ending up on Google Maps and discovering new local businesses.
If you want more customers, you should definitely try boosting your Google Maps rankings. Ranking in Google Maps can also indirectly help with organic rankings. There are a lot of ways you can try out there, as showcased by an infinite number of blog posts about them. But here are the easiest and the most effective ones.
1. Actually create a Google Maps listing
Naturally, you can’t rank in Google Maps if you don’t have a listing, to begin with. Create a Google Maps listing first by claiming your business on the platform. Simply choose the option “Add a missing place” and fill up the necessary details, such as the name of your place, the nature of the business, and the address.
Here are some tips for creating and claiming a Google Maps listing:
- Make sure your details are accurate and up-to-date. Tell Google that you are trustworthy by being consistent with your business name across the web, including Google Maps. Make sure that your address, phone number, and operating hours are also correct. This is a great way to gain local citations online.
- Write a business description. Your business description should provide a short but clear idea about your business, so searchers actually know what they are looking at. When writing, make sure to use your brand’s voice.
- Add photos to your listing. Google Maps loves photos, simply because they show that you care about your profile and your willingness to optimize it. Potential customers and searchers like photos too because humans are visual creatures.
Actually creating a Google Maps listing is of course the most important way to boost your Google Maps rankings. But it’s not always so simple. Even agencies need help sometimes. There are some who even white label their GMB services.
2. Post to your listing regularly
There are many Google Maps ranking factors you can target, and one of them is activity. Google Maps loves activity in their listings. The more active and visible you are in Google Maps, the more the platform recognizes you and incentivizes you for your efforts. High-quality photos are not the only ones you can upload. You can also post about events, promos, special offers, and other goodies related to your business. Read this article of ours about Google My Business post ideas.
Keeping your listing active and up-to-date also helps potential customers and searchers. They see that the business is legitimate, and it is active on the platform to gain their awareness and trust. These may be the things you need to finally get random searchers to convert.
3. Encourage Google reviews
Every business owner out there can just go to Google Maps and create and claim a business. But what separates random business listings and optimized ones is social proof. An optimized Google Maps listing has customer reviews on it.
Sure, you want positive reviews most of the time. But even the negative reviews can help tell Google Maps that you are a legitimate business and customers and searchers are finding you.
Encourage customers, especially those that seem satisfied with your products and services, to leave reviews on your listing. Respond to them as well to show how active you are in the platform and how willing you are to provide better products and services.
4. Embed the Google Map on your website
Include a Google Map embed on your website, preferably on your Contact Us page. This can help boost your Google Maps rankings because it further tells the platform and its complementary search engine that your business is indeed located where you tell it is. It’s confirmation.
It will also look nice for your website visitors because of the visual aspect. Of course, anything that is visual is just more appealing than just a bunch of words indicating your address. The improvement in the user experience can help you convert more of these random visitors. It can also indirectly help you in your rankings.
5. Target local keywords
If you are looking for pizza, Google and Google Maps will not lead you to a pizza parlor that is hundreds of miles away. Results are localized, and you need to take advantage of this to improve your Google Maps rankings.
Look for local keywords and then include them in your business listing and website.
- Find local keywords with powerful tools. There are a lot of keyword research tools out there, with Ahrefs and Semrush being some of the most popular ones. If you don’t want to use tools, you can also brainstorm and come up with common words people might search for, like “HVAC installation” and “plumbing repairs.”
- Include the keywords in your business listing. Optimize your Google Maps listing by incorporating the local keywords you find in there, especially in the business description. Of course, don’t appear spammy. The local keywords should flow naturally with your description.
- Include the keywords in your website too. Include local keywords on your most significant pages, such as your home page, blog post titles and bodies, and products and services pages.
Local keywords can boost your rankings across the board if you can optimize for them correctly.
There are many ways to boost your Google Maps rankings
You can find a lot of articles out there on how to boost your Google Maps rankings, and many of them are more extensive than this article. But the ways listed here are very simple and effective. And they save you from the massive complications of SEO and even Google Maps marketing.
Even if you do just these ways, your Google Maps rankings can improve and give you a wider reach and therefore more potential customers. You can even rank in the Google Maps Pack. But if you want to take your rankings to the next level, consider hiring Google Maps ranking companies that can help you.
