How to Rank Higher on Google Maps?
Posted: Sat Dec 07, 2024 6:34 am
Google Maps is the easiest way for searchers to find local information, and it’s an equally effective way for businesses to get noticed.
But the real question is how to rank higher on Google Maps and attract new customers and generate revenue, especially when 71% of small businesses already have an online presence.
The good news is that it’s not that difficult. All you need is the right guidance and you’ll find yourself at the top and getting more work.
The first step is to master Google Maps SEO. This guide will give you a step-by-step outline for ranking higher on Google Maps and increasing your business’s local visibility to potential customers.
Let's get started.
What is Google Maps?
Google Maps, powered by Google, is a mapping service that connects customers to businesses by providing users with locations, directions, and street-level imagery.
Users can search for businesses in a specific area and Google Maps will show them the most relevant results. As a business owner, you should optimize your business listing for Google Maps. This will help you create a stronger online presence and ultimately drive more foot traffic to your business.
Let’s say you own a small coffee shop that serves delicious coffee list of us cell phone numbers but it’s located in a backstreet, making it hard for customers to find. By optimizing your coffee shop’s listing on Google Maps, you can increase your brand visibility to potential customers, which can lead to a significant increase in foot traffic.
Why Is Ranking Important on Google Maps?
Why Ranking on Google Maps Matters
Achieving the top three positions on the Google Maps listing, also known as the Google Maps Pack, on search engine results pages (SERPs) improves your online presence. It helps improve website visits, inquiries, registrations, and other conversions depending on your business and what you offer.
A key element of local SEO, Google Maps gives you the chance to reach potential local customers and shoppers who are likely to make a purchase. The benefits of ranking higher on Google Maps are similar to ranking higher on SERPs. This includes :
More Visibility : 93% of consumers have used online searches to find a local business. 34% of these searches occur daily and 73% occur weekly.
More sales . 76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit that business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.
Faster conversions . Google Maps results are interactive and allow customers to take action directly from the listing itself, leading to faster and better conversions.
Google Maps listings are interactive because they show users your business’s phone number, email address, website URL, and physical address. This gives potential customers the opportunity to interact and engage with your company in a way that suits them best, thus increasing your chances of making a sale.
Ranking in Google Maps SEO and Ranking in Local SEO
Google Maps SEO and Local SEO are both important tools for business owners, whether they’re looking to increase their online visibility or drive more traffic to their store, but there are a few key differences between the two.
Google Maps SEO focuses specifically on optimizing a business’s listing on Google Maps to maximize brand visibility and ranking in Google Maps search results.
Local SEO, on the other hand, takes a more comprehensive approach that involves optimizing a business’s website and online presence so that it can rank higher in local search results on different search engines, including Google. This will help you get better visibility and rankings in local search results, which have a wider scope than Google Maps.
Here are examples of the two terms:
Google Maps SEO focuses on location-based keywords, such as the city or town name (e.g. "Los Angeles" or "New York City"), street name (e.g. "Main Street" or "Elm Street"), and nearby landmarks or points of interest (e.g. "Eiffel Tower" or "Statue of Liberty").
Local SEO also focuses on location-specific information, such as your business name, address, and phone number, collectively referred to as NAP.
Google Maps SEO and Local SEO have different goals, but when used together they can greatly increase your organization's visibility and bring in more customers.
How to Rank Higher on Google Maps - Step by Step
Here are nine steps you can take to rank higher on Google Maps:
Step 1: Add Your Business to Google Maps
The first step to ranking higher on Google Maps is to have a Google Maps listing in the first place.
If you have already made one, you can skip to Step 2. If you don't have an entry or are unsure, simply follow the steps below:
Open Google Maps on your computer[or smartphone .
Enter your business name in the search bar.
If your business appears in the drop-down menu with a location next to it, you have a listing. If a business name doesn't appear, you'll see the Add a missing location option in the drop-down menu. Click on that.
Follow the prompts that appear on your screen. This process mainly involves filling in basic business information such as business name, category, and location.
It’s super easy to add your business to Google Maps, so it’s always best to check and make sure your business listing already exists.
Step 2: Claim and Optimize Your Google Maps Business Listing
Claim and Optimize Your Google Maps Business Listing
The next step is to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business (GMB).
It’s important to understand that creating a listing is not the same as claiming one. The former will require you to provide a link, category, and location, while the latter will require you to go into more detail about your business. The important thing here is that the more information you add to your business listing, the better your chances of ranking higher on Google Maps.
You can’t proceed to the next steps without claiming your listing. GBP also shows Google that your business exists. And the information provided here is assumed to be accurate and most relevant.
What if someone else has claimed your business listing on Google Maps
Note: In the unlikely event that you find that someone else has claimed your business listing on Google Maps, you can do the following:
Ask your coworkers if they take ownership.
Allow Google to contact the person.
Follow Google's directions on the Google My Business page.
Contact Google's Twitter team for quick assistance .
Areas you should optimize when verifying your Google Business Profile
Add business hours : Update your business hours accurately so potential customers know when to visit your office or store.
Include up-to-date contact information and website : Include contact and website information so Google provides accurate information on Google Maps.
Include local contact information: Use a local phone number along with your area code. This will not only rank you higher on Google Maps, but it will also confirm to searchers that your business is located in that area.
Remove duplicate information : Avoid duplicate information and update accurate data to avoid being penalized by Google.
Optimize your business description : Provide a clear overview of your business and add unique features to attract searchers.
Categorize your business correctly : Choose the primary category that best represents your business and any secondary categories that apply to improve your Google Maps ranking.
But the real question is how to rank higher on Google Maps and attract new customers and generate revenue, especially when 71% of small businesses already have an online presence.
The good news is that it’s not that difficult. All you need is the right guidance and you’ll find yourself at the top and getting more work.
The first step is to master Google Maps SEO. This guide will give you a step-by-step outline for ranking higher on Google Maps and increasing your business’s local visibility to potential customers.
Let's get started.
What is Google Maps?
Google Maps, powered by Google, is a mapping service that connects customers to businesses by providing users with locations, directions, and street-level imagery.
Users can search for businesses in a specific area and Google Maps will show them the most relevant results. As a business owner, you should optimize your business listing for Google Maps. This will help you create a stronger online presence and ultimately drive more foot traffic to your business.
Let’s say you own a small coffee shop that serves delicious coffee list of us cell phone numbers but it’s located in a backstreet, making it hard for customers to find. By optimizing your coffee shop’s listing on Google Maps, you can increase your brand visibility to potential customers, which can lead to a significant increase in foot traffic.
Why Is Ranking Important on Google Maps?
Why Ranking on Google Maps Matters
Achieving the top three positions on the Google Maps listing, also known as the Google Maps Pack, on search engine results pages (SERPs) improves your online presence. It helps improve website visits, inquiries, registrations, and other conversions depending on your business and what you offer.
A key element of local SEO, Google Maps gives you the chance to reach potential local customers and shoppers who are likely to make a purchase. The benefits of ranking higher on Google Maps are similar to ranking higher on SERPs. This includes :
More Visibility : 93% of consumers have used online searches to find a local business. 34% of these searches occur daily and 73% occur weekly.
More sales . 76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit that business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.
Faster conversions . Google Maps results are interactive and allow customers to take action directly from the listing itself, leading to faster and better conversions.
Google Maps listings are interactive because they show users your business’s phone number, email address, website URL, and physical address. This gives potential customers the opportunity to interact and engage with your company in a way that suits them best, thus increasing your chances of making a sale.
Ranking in Google Maps SEO and Ranking in Local SEO
Google Maps SEO and Local SEO are both important tools for business owners, whether they’re looking to increase their online visibility or drive more traffic to their store, but there are a few key differences between the two.
Google Maps SEO focuses specifically on optimizing a business’s listing on Google Maps to maximize brand visibility and ranking in Google Maps search results.
Local SEO, on the other hand, takes a more comprehensive approach that involves optimizing a business’s website and online presence so that it can rank higher in local search results on different search engines, including Google. This will help you get better visibility and rankings in local search results, which have a wider scope than Google Maps.
Here are examples of the two terms:
Google Maps SEO focuses on location-based keywords, such as the city or town name (e.g. "Los Angeles" or "New York City"), street name (e.g. "Main Street" or "Elm Street"), and nearby landmarks or points of interest (e.g. "Eiffel Tower" or "Statue of Liberty").
Local SEO also focuses on location-specific information, such as your business name, address, and phone number, collectively referred to as NAP.
Google Maps SEO and Local SEO have different goals, but when used together they can greatly increase your organization's visibility and bring in more customers.
How to Rank Higher on Google Maps - Step by Step
Here are nine steps you can take to rank higher on Google Maps:
Step 1: Add Your Business to Google Maps
The first step to ranking higher on Google Maps is to have a Google Maps listing in the first place.
If you have already made one, you can skip to Step 2. If you don't have an entry or are unsure, simply follow the steps below:
Open Google Maps on your computer[or smartphone .
Enter your business name in the search bar.
If your business appears in the drop-down menu with a location next to it, you have a listing. If a business name doesn't appear, you'll see the Add a missing location option in the drop-down menu. Click on that.
Follow the prompts that appear on your screen. This process mainly involves filling in basic business information such as business name, category, and location.
It’s super easy to add your business to Google Maps, so it’s always best to check and make sure your business listing already exists.
Step 2: Claim and Optimize Your Google Maps Business Listing
Claim and Optimize Your Google Maps Business Listing
The next step is to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP), formerly known as Google My Business (GMB).
It’s important to understand that creating a listing is not the same as claiming one. The former will require you to provide a link, category, and location, while the latter will require you to go into more detail about your business. The important thing here is that the more information you add to your business listing, the better your chances of ranking higher on Google Maps.
You can’t proceed to the next steps without claiming your listing. GBP also shows Google that your business exists. And the information provided here is assumed to be accurate and most relevant.
What if someone else has claimed your business listing on Google Maps
Note: In the unlikely event that you find that someone else has claimed your business listing on Google Maps, you can do the following:
Ask your coworkers if they take ownership.
Allow Google to contact the person.
Follow Google's directions on the Google My Business page.
Contact Google's Twitter team for quick assistance .
Areas you should optimize when verifying your Google Business Profile
Add business hours : Update your business hours accurately so potential customers know when to visit your office or store.
Include up-to-date contact information and website : Include contact and website information so Google provides accurate information on Google Maps.
Include local contact information: Use a local phone number along with your area code. This will not only rank you higher on Google Maps, but it will also confirm to searchers that your business is located in that area.
Remove duplicate information : Avoid duplicate information and update accurate data to avoid being penalized by Google.
Optimize your business description : Provide a clear overview of your business and add unique features to attract searchers.
Categorize your business correctly : Choose the primary category that best represents your business and any secondary categories that apply to improve your Google Maps ranking.