There are three keys to ranking higher on Google Maps: relevance of your business to the search, proximity to the person performing the search, and the name of your business, or the fact that it is seen as a trusted or well-known business online.
Google relies on data from your business profile, reviews, website, and other factors to determine which local businesses to display. You can’t control all of the ranking factors, but you can work on the ones you can.
Start With Your Google Business Profile
Ensure your business name, address, phone number, website, hours and category are accurate. Any error can send a wrong signal to customers and make your business seem less trustworthy.
Select the category that is the most relevant to your business. Avoid adding categories you don’t need.
Choose the Right Business Category
Your primary category provides Google with an overview of your business.
For instance, if you run a bakery, it would make far more sense to have the category “Bakery” instead of a general category such as “Store”. When there’s a clear category, Google has an idea of when your business should show up.
You can also include additional secondary categories that are relevant if they are a true fit for your services. The basic rule is: pick categories of your actual business, not of all the queries you hope to be at the top of.
Complete and Useful Information:
Determine if the information is complete and useful. Don’t leave essential information blank on your profile. Include your business description, services, products, hours, website and other details that assist potential customers in understanding your business.
Maintain all information to be correct and current. Update your opening times for the holiday if they are changing. Having a full profile provides additional value to Google and to customers.
Get More Genuine Customer Reviews
Reviews are important for local businesses. Avoid purchasing reviews or requesting reviews that are not authentic. To make it easier, you can provide a direct link to your review page to your customers. Especially when answering reviews. Acknowledge and thank people for positive comments, and be polite when somebody has a problem.
Use Your Location Naturally
The location of your business is important because Google wants to present local businesses that can be of service to the local community. Make sure your address is correct on your Business Profile and website.
You can also include the areas you do excel in on your website. But avoid repeating the city name as much in your pages. It is helpful to put in writing that you serve customers in Dallas. It’s not writing “Dallas plumber Dallas service Dallas best plumber Dallas”. It’s not “Dallas plumber Dallas service Dallas best plumber Dallas.” It’s just weird-looking.
Develop a helpful community website.
Your website should complement your Google Business Profile. Make clear pages that inform them of your services, address, phone numbers and the usefulness of your business. If you have multiple locations, establish helpful location pages rather than having a single page with the city name changed 20 times.
Your site must benefit a REAL person first. Google is rather good at picking up on plagiarism that is done to attract rankings.
Keep Your Business Information Consistent
Look for your business name, address and phone number all over the web. Your website may include one phone number, and a directory may list a different one. Customers might be confused.
Consistently add valuable business data to reputable websites and directories. This provides search engines with more information about the business.
Add Fresh Photos and Videos Folder
Your Business Profile will be more useful and attractive with good photos. When relevant, include clear pictures of your storefront, products, services, your team, and the inside of your store.
For instance, a restaurant can present its dining area and food. A beauty salon can demonstrate its area and finished work. The new images also provide customers with a clearer view of what they can expect upon arrival.
Developing Content Around Your Area of Interest
You can make your website more beneficial to residents of your location by incorporating local content. Consider topics that relate to local issues, typical problems customers may have, or useful information on your industry.
For instance, a roofing company may develop a guide to get houses ready for the local climate. Avoid writing content without any local dimension for the sake of using a city name. Provide people with a usable item.
Build Local Links
Other reputable local sites linking to you can also help people find your business and can assist in your local search efforts. Links may come from local organizations, business groups, community websites and events, or local publications.
The keyword is relevant. There’s no need to have hundreds of random links from websites nobody knows about. A couple of helpful and reliable local contacts can be of great value.
Make Sure Your Profile is in Good Standing
Once your Google Business Profile is set up, don’t simply forget about it. Ensure that hours and services are accurate. If you have something to show, add new photos. Monitor customer queries and feedback. It doesn’t have to be posted each day. Imagine it as your shop window! You want it to feel accurate, helpful and well-maintained.
Summing Up: What Not To Do?
Any attempt to foist tricks on Google will end up causing more issues than helping.
Avoid making fake locations, purchasing fake reviews, adding keywords to the business name, or making pages with the names of meaningless cities.
Though these may seem like a good deal, they’re no way to develop a viable local business.
Build genuine reviews, useful website content, consistent business information, local links, and a strong customer experience.