Google Maps SEO: A Complete Guide to Improve Website Ranking

As the online marketplace becomes hyper-competitive with each passing day, having just an ordinary website is not enough to make a difference. You need to put your business on the map, literally. Here comes the role of Google Maps SEO.

Today, people search for businesses mentioning "near me services," which makes it essential for your business to be present on Google maps. So if you still have not adopted Google Maps SEO for your website, you are surely leaving money on the table.

Today, people search for nearby events, restaurants, salon services, etc, and usually stop scrolling down after checking the top three Google search results. The top three businesses do not appear by chance. They understand how the mechanism works here. After creating a visually appealing website, you can not sit idle and hope for the best. You need to take steps to make your position in the top three results, which include content improvement, collecting authentic reviews, adding relevant keywords, and staying consistent.

In this article we have explained in detail how Google Maps SEO works and how to leverage it to improve your business's local search visibility. Let us begin with a brief definition of Google Maps SEO.

What is Google Maps SEO?

The term Google Maps SEO refers to the process of improving your business website to enhance visibility and secure a higher rank on Google Maps. When people search for a specific local product or service, the search result displays  a map with local business listings. The primary objective of Google Maps SEO is to make sure that your business appears at the top of the search results making it easy for your business to catch the attention of your target audiences.

Now let us discover how the search results are displayed on Google Maps.

Understanding Google's local search results

Generally, the search results on Google for local businesses differ significantly from the results displayed for informational queries. It happens due to the search terms used in such queries.

When you type electricians, best music classes, etc., on the Google search bar, it automatically understands that you are looking for local businesses and shows results based on map layout. That is why understanding Google Maps SEO is crucial for every business. The results also contain business ratings, reviews, and contact information.

Google recommends these businesses based on the following metrics:

Distance: How close your business is to the searcher.
Relevance: How well your business suits with the search query.
Prominence: Your business's online reputation, reviews, and authority.

Now that you have a clear idea of how local search results appear on Google, let us discuss why Google Maps SEO matters for your local business.

Why Google Maps SEO matters for local businesses?

•  Boost local visibility  

More than 80% of Internet users rely on search engines to get local information, and Google Maps is one of the main tools for that. Google Maps SEO not only improves your website ranking but also ensures that your business gets visible in the search results when someone searches for relevant products or services in your locality.

•  Improves conversion rates  

Google Maps SEO also increases your conversion rates which means more people become your customer. When a user searches for the "best cafe near me" or "nearby salon", it indicates that they need that service immediately. So if your business appears in the results at that time, you automatically reach customers who are ready to take action. That is why Google Maps SEO leads to faster conversion.

•  Builds trust 

Google always recommends well-structured and optimized Google my business profiles containing positive reviews, authentic information, and regular updates, which ultimately build trust among consumers. People usually prefer businesses that look professional and have higher ranks on Google Maps.

•  Offers affordable marketing  

The best thing about Google Maps SEO is that it drives organic traffic with long-term impact unlike paid advertisements. All you need to do is to optimize your website's Google Maps presence to catch the attention of your local audiences without spending a penny.

•  Competitive advantage  

As mentioned above, the online marketplace is extremely competitive, but not all businesses optimize their websites for Google Maps. So by harnessing the power of Google Maps SEO, you get a competitive advantage or a scope to stand out.

For all the above mentioned reasons, Google Maps SEO has become crucial for every business striving to make a difference.
 

How to improve website ranking with Google Maps SEO

1. Create and verify your google my business profile

The first step to improve your website ranking with Google Maps SEO is to set up your Google my business profile. It is easy to create a business profile on Google. At first, you need to look for your business on Google by typing its name. It is possible that Google has already created a basic business profile for you. In that case, you only need claim it to be yours by clicking on "own this business?"

On the other hand, if it does not then you might have to build a fresh profile from scratch.

While creating a Google my business profile, be extra careful about the following areas:

• Selecting categories: Make sure to select the most accurate category for your business.
• Profile completion: Do not leave your profile incomplete, fill all the details carefully to complete the profile creation process.
• Fully utilize available buttons: Fully utilize the available buttons like Order now,  Book appointments etc to encourage direct conversion.
• Add photos and videos: Adding authentic photos and videos relevant to your business strengthens your business profile.

2. Get more reviews

For an effective Google Maps SEO, collect as many reviews as possible from your customers. Google reviews is one of the most trusted review platforms which you can utilize to improve your Google Maps SEO.

• More than 70% users rely on Google reviews before making their buying decision.
• Positive reviews offer a competitive advantage to businesses.

Consider the following ways to improve and increase your Google reviews:

• Prepare a strategy to gain more reviews.
• Make sure to respond to all your reviews to show that you appreciate those who took time to review your business and take steps to improve the negative ones with genuine conversation.
• Work hard to improve your ratings.

3. Collect backlinks

Collecting backlinks from reliable local business website helps improve Google Maps SEO by boosting your business credibility and authority online. Google also considers websites to be trustworthy when their links are mentioned in popular website directories, blog posts, or news sites.

Here are some ways to get backlinks:

• Add your business to reputable local directories.

• Join hands with bloggers in your niche.

• Create your own blog posts and write informative and valuable articles relevant to your business.

• Collaborate with local and popular businesses.

4. Create relevant content

When it comes to Google Maps SEO, you need to mold your content accordingly using local keywords.

Here are some tips to create relevant content for Google Maps SEO:

• Search and find most suitable local keywords.
• Do not forcefully stuff keywords in content. It reduces quality. Try fit them naturally with the flow.
• Build location based pages on your website including contact page, about us etc.
• You can team up with local businesses to create location specific content.

5. Ensure NAP consistency

The term NAP signifies Name, Address, and Phone number, but it also includes your business details such as working hours, website link and email id. You need to make sure that all these information about your business is consistently updated across all online platforms. This is very important for Google Maps SEO because it allows users to add filters for local searches.

For instance, if a person searches for late night cafes, they will be asked to add time filters to make the search operation quick and easy. Not updating your NAP regularly may lead to a drop in your website rank.

Common Google Maps SEO mistakes to avoid

Now let us enlighten you about the common Google Maps SEO mistakes that you must avoid:

• Leaving your Google my business profile incomplete. 
• Not paying attention to reviews or keeping them unanswered.
• Not updating your NAP regularly.
• Using keywords in your content forcefully. Google usually penalizes unnecessary use of keywords in business descriptions.
• Ignoring mobile experience.
• Not following competitiors' activities.
• Adding incorrect category to your business profile.

Pro-tip: If you have an WordPress events website, you can display your events on Google Maps using the Google Maps add-on of WP Event Manager. To know more about its features and functionalities, discover the plugin now!

Wrapping up

Google Maps SEO is a must for your business website if you want to gain visibility locally. It has become crucial for survival in the market. You can begin with creating a Google my business profile with complete information, start collecting reviews, and maintain your visibility by adopting the Google Maps SEO strategies mentioned in this article to fully utilize the benefits it offers.