Google My Business

How to Rank Higher on Google Maps

Nikki Bautista 3 mins read
How to Rank Higher on Google Maps

Having trouble reaching your business’ target market? While creating a listing on Google Maps can help increase your visibility and attract potential customers if you’re not ranking high enough, chances are your listing isn’t even being seen. Getting your business in the top rankings on Google Maps listings can help increase traffic to your store and boost your organic reach and conversions.

We share three simple ways to help your listing rank higher on Google Maps:

Claim and Verify Your Listing

One of the simplest ways to get your business to rank higher on Google Maps is to claim and verify your business listing. Creating a listing only allows you to provide the name, category and location of your business. With very little information provided, Google will have a hard time placing you in rankings. Claiming your listing allows you to add as many details about your business as possible, helping it rank higher on Google Maps.

Once you’ve claimed your listing, you will need to verify your business with Google. There are several ways to do this, but one of the most common is by sending a postcard to the physical address listed for your business.

Put Your Main Keywords in Your Business Name

Having keywords in your GMB listing’s business name can significantly improve your ranking. This is because there’s a large number of individuals who go to Google Maps to get directions for businesses or stores that they have previously been to. Most of the time, they would perform a specific Google search for (Business Name) + (Keyword such as roofing company or landscape designer) + (Geotag). If your GMB listing doesn’t feature the main keyword in its business name, you might lose ranking in these types of searches, as most companies commonly use keywords when creating their business name.

Categorise Your Business Accurately

Choosing the proper categories for your business can be leverage in Google My Business. Most business owners are not aware of the importance of GMB listing categories when ranking on Google. However, by selecting the most appropriate primary category and secondary categories, you are helping Google understand your business, making it easier for you to rank up on searches. Choose a primary category that best represents the core of your business. For instance, if the main service that your business provides is nail services, be sure to select “Nail Salon” as the primary category rather than “Salon”, as you would be competing for rankings with beauty and hair salons. If you find that there are other categories that apply to your business, you may select them as secondary categories.

Get More Reviews on Google Maps!

Reviews not only help you rank up on Google Maps, but they also help improve your click-through rate in search results. After all, businesses that are well-reviewed attract more customers. While not all reviews you get will be positive, what’s important is how you respond to negative reviews. Address the customer by name, express your regret over their unsatisfactory experience and assure them that the incident is a one-time thing and would never happen again. This shows that you prioritise customer satisfaction and quality services, which is appealing to customers.

Click through rates are one of the largest factors that Google considers when ranking listings so it’s important to present a positive business image. Some ways to increase reviews include putting your review link on invoices, business cards and email signature. You can also try asking previous clients for reviews, just be sure to not ask a lot of them at once, as a sudden influx of reviews can look unnatural to Google.

Learn more about how to get quality reviews on our blog.

While these steps can help your business rank better on Google Maps, the results won’t happen overnight. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t achieve your desired results right away, wait for a few weeks before checking your ranking again. If your rank has not improved, try to review your listing for things that can be improved.

Our Platform allows you to manage your GMB listing, its post and its information all in one place. You can also keep track of your listing’s visibility, reach and click-through rates, allowing you to immediately see the areas that need to be revamped.

Nikki Bautista

Nikki takes pride in her flexibility and dedication to work. She loves seeking new knowledge and making a difference in everything she does.

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