How to set up your business so that it appears on Google Maps if someone searches for you has been discussed previously, but what happens if the searcher doesn’t type your business name in? You want to rank high in search results when someone searches for a service near you.
Google’s local SEO uses several factors to determine which results appear first. These include proximity, industry categories, and more. This helps small businesses to compete with big companies. We’ll break down several ways to increase your Google Maps ranking to get you on the first page.
Consistency
Consistency? What? What? You said you only had to set up your business once on Google.
No, you’re wrong! Pass, go, or collect the $200. If you’re looking to make that money, read on.
You will want to list your company everywhere if you’re going to give your business some killer local search engine optimization. This includes the SERPs (including Maps) and reaching the top of these rankings. It would be best if you had your website listed in local directories such as FourSquare and Yelp.
Consistency is key. You’ll want to ensure that your business is listed accurately and consistently in multiple places.
You should pay particular attention to your NAP on all platforms. NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone. Consistency in your NAP means that the three items are the same wherever your business is listed.
Search engines such as Google are robots. Therefore, Google, Fred T. Wilson, Fred T. Wilson, and Fred T. Wilson Co. are all three separate businesses. Notice how subtle the differences can be? It would be best if you were consistent. EXACT!
If you want to succeed, make sure that everything is correct.
Complete your profile
You’ll want to make sure that you have filled out all the information in your Google My Business account in order to boost your ranking on Google Maps.
Your business is included in this:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Logo
- Cover Image
- Categories
- Hours
- Website URL
To keep everything consistent, as we have mentioned, it’s important to ensure that the name on your Google My Business account is the same as the one listed on any other online profile like Facebook or Yelp. You also need to make sure that your phone number and address are accurate for your current location. You will have to go through your online profiles and update your address if your business has moved.
Add photos and your logo to the website so that people are familiar with you even before they visit. It will also help people locate your business when using Google Maps to navigate because they’ll know how it looks!
When you create your profile, it is important to select the category that best describes your business. Choose the category most closely related to your services and the search term that you believe people will use. Avoid using multiple categories, as it may hurt your ranking instead of helping. You only want to be ranked highly for one category.
It’s important to update your profile if your business hours change. A link to your site is also important to drive traffic to your business.
The Verification Process
Google My Business asks you to verify the business you are claiming when you create your profile or try to claim it. This process ensures that the information you provide is accurate and that only your company has access to it. This process is a little difficult and can be a bit tedious since your verification will most likely come via mail, such as a postcard.
You will not be able to edit your profile for up to five days. Even worse, the postcards are often misinterpreted as junk mail and thrown out.
Some businesses may be eligible to receive instant verification via email or phone. Others might be able to get it done over the telephone. Google has published a blog post that outlines the various ways to verify your company profile. Take a look at this and decide which is most convenient for you.
What Happens If My Google MyBusiness Profile Is Claim & Verified?
You’ll need to request permission to manage or own the business profile in this case. Google has published an article to help break down the request to access a Google My Business Profile. The length of time it takes and the amount of hassle you will experience depends on what level of access is requested. Requesting ownership of a profile for a business will take more time to process than managing it.
Reviews
Reviews can be a very powerful ranking factor for your business. They will help you gain more visibility on Google Maps. You can have users type their reviews directly into your Google Maps listing. Your other reviews and star ratings will also influence whether a customer decides to visit your business.
You should ensure that your customers have a positive experience, as a higher ranking will always result in a better ranking. It all starts with the user experience you provide online. This includes accuracy, customer service, and satisfaction with services.
You can ask your customers to leave reviews in order to improve your ranking. You can send requests to customers who have joined your email list, purchased something, or attended an activity and ask them for a review.
Negative reviews will come your way, but it is how you respond to them that counts. Avoid removing negative reviews or reacting harshly. It’s better to take the high road, thanking them for their feedback. Offer to compensate for any negative experiences and highlight positives.
Featured Posts
Featured Posts are a feature of Google My Business that allows you to add more information about your business to the SERPs. Your featured posts can include many things, but you should make sure they are timely and have a call to action that will drive traffic to your website.
The featured posts will appear on the right side of the screen if you are searching from a desktop computer or above your listing on the SERP when the searcher is using a mobile phone. These timely posts give you the opportunity to include important information on any current event or promotion at your business. In your call to action, you can include images and links to take them directly to the page of an event or sale.
It would be best if you created a calendar of content to ensure that you publish new featured posts every week. This will help you align your promotions with the featured posts. Delivering a message to your target audience that lets them know you’re paying attention is not difficult.
Your featured posts can be used to get orders online, to gather leads and contact details, to give customers a special offer or a freebie, to entice them into a contest, and much more.