Get more customers by putting your business on Google Maps. These top 10 tips will help you become more visible on Google Maps.
You are looking for a restaurant in a new area or a mechanic to fix a flat tire.
Where are you looking?
You’re not the only one who answered Google Maps.
Many people are now turning to Google Maps for local business information and to make informed purchasing decisions.
How can local businesses be ranked higher in areas where consumers are increasingly looking for local products and services.
These are the ten steps you need to follow to rank high, drive more traffic to your site and get more customers using Google Maps.
1. Register and complete a Google Business Profile
The first and most crucial step to establish visibility in Google Maps’ is claiming your Google Business Profile (GBP) – also known as Google My Business, GMB, or Google My Business.
This can be done by searching for your business name in Google or Google Maps and verifying that your listing is correct if it has not been verified.
After you have created a listing and are logged in to your Google account, it is possible to edit it from within search results.
GBP is a Google property and provides a primary signal for Google about your business’ existence. The information here is presumed to be right and current.
Google will cross-reference the details it finds with your website, other directories, and resources. We’ll be discussing the importance of these shortly.
2. Upload Linked Content (Including photos)
Once you have claimed your GBP listing it is just the beginning.
Google rewards active businesses that have higher visibility on Google Maps. It’s important to update your GBP profile regularly.
These updates could and should include special offers or hosted events and links to relevant blog posts or general business updates.
If possible, include photos in your updates. Visuals are more likely than text to increase viewer engagement in clicks or shares.
Links should be included in all posts. Ideally, they should lead to your primary product pages or service pages.
3. Local Organic Search: Optimize Your Web Presence
You must ensure that your web presence is local-optimized for Google Maps if you wish to rank highly on Google Maps.
To begin, you can perform a local SEO audit to determine where your focus should be from a keyword perspective, content perspective, and linking view. These are the three main components that build a presence.
Google must be able to crawl and index your website correctly. Your site should be structured well with relevant keywords that are localized and intent-driven. Also, your site content should be rich in logical links and internal and external links that will lead to the answers your audience is looking for.
Google rewards websites that direct searchers to the answers they need in a few clicks.
Websites should also load quickly and offer seamless navigation regardless of their device.
This is especially important for local searchers who increasingly start their smartphone searches.
4. Make use of the Local Business Schema
Google and other search engines prefer standardization when structuring content and business details. This has led to the creation of Schema.
Local Schema allows businesses to wrap code around content to make it easier to index and crawl by Google.
Google will cross-reference local business schemas that include many details from a Google Business Profile.
Google Maps will show your business prominently if it can validate your location quickly.
5. Add the Google Map to Your Contact Us Page
Although it is not stated explicitly that embedding Google Maps on your website will affect where you rank in Google Maps’ rankings, it is reasonable to assume this is Google’s preferred format.
Google can again ensure consistent user experiences for searchers. This should be the target of every business that wants to please customers.
6. Mind Your Reviews and Mine
Any business can create a GBP listing.
Customer reviews are another important factor determining if and where a local business appears in Google Maps.
Google is very interested in the number of reviews your business receives and the level of activity it takes to respond to them.
Every business wants to minimize the negative reviews that it receives. All negative thoughts must be addressed quickly.
This is a great way to show your commitment to customer service.
Customers can leave reviews online on many sites, such as Facebook, Yelp, and other industry-specific review websites. Still, reviews from GBP profiles will be more critical when it comes down to Google Map rankings.
If you have a positive customer experience, it is worth asking customers to leave reviews.
Automated review requests can be sent via email or SMS using services that allow you to automate specific customer actions (e.g., appointment completed, invoice paid, etc.) A central dashboard will enable you to manage multiple information sources and provide a single view.
Automating local businesses can help save time and increase customer satisfaction.
7. Use Your NAP to Update Local Listings/Citations
Your Name & Address, as well as your NAP, are the three most essential pieces of directional information you will find on your website and GBP.
Google and your audience will find it crucial to ensure that your NAP is consistent across all sources.
These third-party websites’ references to your business are called citations.
You can search your business name to find your NAP and note all places where your details are found.
Each instance should be reviewed, and you can contact the website or directory owner to correct any errors.
You can also use paid and free automated local listing services to identify and update NAPs and other business information, such as your website URL or services.
8. Create Local Backlinks
Inbound links, also known as backlinks, are an extension of our NAP strategy. Local third parties should look for relevant websites linking to your primary website pages.
Backlinks are a great way to validate your business from a local and product/service perspective.
Listings with links should be maintained in local directories. You will need to ensure they are in the correct categories if possible.
These links to your website should be “follow” links. This means that Google will follow the source of the association and recognize it as such.
While most directories recognize the value of “follow” hyperlinks and charge for their inclusion, you should also look for other sources, such as industrial sites, partner sites, or service organizations.
9. Engage with Your Community
Google, like GBP activity, also considers how actively a business in its local community establishes its authority and presence.
Local service organizations are often identified as a source of business engagement. Businesses that partner with prominent local businesses, sponsor local events, or partner with charities or chambers of commerce are considered part of the community.
Engaging can involve publishing and/or encouraging linked content, e.g., Event announcements, partner pages linked to these partner organisations, and of course physical engagement and possibly getting mentioned/linked by local news stories or other publications.
10. Pay observation to the SERPs and The Long Tail
You will need to track your progress if you want to improve any aspect of your local web presence. This is based on keywords that you are trying to find.
You can do your own Google searches, but in Incognito Mode.
Consider including local keywords and qualifying keywords when deciding which keywords to follow.
These long-tail phrases, consisting of three, four, or five keyword phrases, are not considered to have significant local search volume. However, these volumes can add up and local businesses should focus on relevant keyword groups rather than trying to catch more competitive phrases.
If you have a solid reputation for your local business, then the short tail top rankings will come.
Place Your Business on The Google Map
Now, take your laundry list and get your local business listed.
Although it isn’t that difficult to establish your authority and expertise online, it can be just as challenging as it was in real life. However, it will take time.
Google rewards businesses that answer their customers’ questions well, provide solid products and services, are active in their local communities, get positive reviews from their customers, and offer excellent customer service.
