How To Rank In Google Maps

Google Maps SEO

In order to rank amongst the top in the Google search results, Google maps marketing is required. What Google Maps Marketing does is, it uses loads of strategic tactics to level up your business so that it ranks amongst the top 3 in Google Maps search results.  

However, before ranking in Google Maps and making use of Google Maps marketing, ensure you have first set up and streamlined your Google My Business profile.

Google My Business

Google My Business is an excellent platform made available for free by Google to all businesses so that every local business gets the opportunity to be displayed in all arrays of Google products.

To take advantage of the free platform, you need to create a profile so that it pushes the brand to increase its revenue, traffic, and rankings. 

Setting up a Google My Business profile is quite simple.

Here is a step by step instructions on how to do so:

Create A Google Account

It is imperative to have a Google account before proceeding further. Make sure you are signed in to your Google account.

Open Google My Business Page

There will be a “Manage now” button displayed in blue colour. Tap on that button.

Listing the business and other essential details

Add your listing and include every important detail about your business. These include the name, description, address, contact details, website, reviews business hours, services or products and pictures.  Make good use of this free stage and attempt to incorporate as much relevant data as possible. However, the information you provide must be authentic.

Verify your profile

If you are opening an account for the first time, you will require confirming the physical location via a postcard sent by Google by means of mail.

On the off chance that you are guaranteeing a posting that as of now exists on Google Maps however not verified, you might have the option to confirm the profile by means of email or phone call.

This is the process of setting up a Google My Business profile.

Now that you are done with setting up a profile, it is time to optimize your Google Maps Ranking.

Use Sub Categories In Google My Business

Adding sub categories under your business name will help you to appear more in categories of searches.

Eg, Consider you own a grocery store named XYZ store. You can add a grocery store, department store, or market as a sub category to improve your ranking.

This will allow the consumers to know what your business is about, even if the name sounds unfamiliar.

Consistent Citations

A citation is a record of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP).

Google utilizes citations as an approach to approving your business area. Consider citations that might be compared to backlinks in the SEO system.

The more definitive and pertinent the citations are to your business, the more push that will give you in boosting your Google Maps rankings.

Citations need to be consistent if you have listings on various websites. Make sure you choose the most apt. Citations and keep them steady. A small difference in address may lead to lower rankings in the search results. If in case, there are inconsistent citations, you have to remove all volatility from different sites so that you can rank higher.  

Business Reviews & Replies

Reviews keep on being one of the most significant parts of positioning in Google Maps. They offer a significantly improved client experience. They help to develop social evidence, oversee client desires, and they can sell your item or administration before you even connect with your client.

With 82% of customers perusing on the web audits for neighborhood organizations, each entrepreneur needs to comprehend the significance and intensity of surveys.

Google comprehends the client’s longing to look through reviews before they visit a store or trust a brand.  It is important to remember that having the most reviews doesn’t mean you’ll rank higher.

There are various factors as to how a review can help contribute to higher rankings.

• The kind of language used to compose a review.
• Is there consistency in the reviews?
• Whether the star ratings have reviews attached to it.
• How many star ratings are given to the business?
• What the overall reviews imply?

It’s critical to set up frameworks and procedures to make sure the consumers lean in towards providing reviews. Entrepreneurs should consistently prepare themselves (and their group) to approach their clients for reviews.

It would also benefit a business to have review management either by buying services that do that or setting up a review management process. 

As much as a customer’s review is important, a reply to their feedback is another critical step in ensuring the reviews’ consistency. Replying professionally despite good or bad reviews is necessary. Words of gratitude and acceptance of criticisms must be rendered out to the reviews. If possible, carrying out a discussion community and ways to improve the business can be incorporated in the reviews section.

Keywords

Keywords are another effective means that help to improve the rankings of a business. Keep in mind, using the keywords that are popular in the locality will enable your business to end up higher in the Google Maps search list. There are SEO tools available online such as ‘Keyword Planner,’ which allows you to locate keywords that are relevant to the area you’re based at. Using such tools will generate better keywords that are ideal.