11 Steps for Improving Your Google Local Map Ranking
Here is one of the most relevant search engine marketing questions many small businesses find asking themselves: “How do I get to the top of Google Local Map results?”.
This doesn’t take months to do and often can be achieved within a couple of days, if not hours. Some business owners will find themselves struggling with getting a high ranking, because of the competition within their city.
Small businesses now have the opportunity to be seen first before organic search results are displayed, by securing placement and continuously improving psoitioning in the maps section of various search engines. Maps listings include phone numbers, links to the business website and other critical business information that isn’t normally displayed in organic listings.
There are ways that you can improve your Google Local Map listing and here are a few steps that can help in improving your ranking on Google Local.
Step 1: Claim your Google Local Map listing, if you haven’t already.
Step 2: Login to Google Local online.
Step 3: Verify your information and make sure your description is specific with keywords. Use keywords to describe your location and what your business is by as well as search keywords that customers will use to find you.
Step 4: Use keywords in your company and organization name. For example in my Google Local Map listing I used the following as my company and organization name (Keywords are in bold) – Tucker Hosting – Web Hosting and Web Design Don’t be deceptive by changing your company name, but if your keywords are in the extended business name or LLC, make sure this is the name in which you register.
Step 5: Don’t forget to categorize your listing and make sure that you complete all 5 categories. The 1st category is the most important, but the next 4 follow in at a close second when it comes to ranking importance. Try to use Google’s suggested categories.
Step 6: Customer reviews will also help in improving your Google local listing rank. Don’t write your own review, but ask your customers for a recommendation. You can not have too many. Don’t fake them either, it’s easy to see. Just like any other review, people will trust products or services when they have lots reviews, especially if they have kept above three stars.
The secret is that Google focuses rank mostly on the businesses closes to the center of the city. If you are not near the center of the city the prior steps are vital to improving the rank of your Google Local Map listing in order to compete with the businesses that are closer to the center of the city than you.
Here are the other five steps:
Step 7: Add lots of high quality photos – They only recently they allowed this. Add as many photos as you can and a company logo.
Step 8: Add a Coupon – Google allows printable coupons to be added by your listing.
Step 9: Create links to the Google Places Page – Add a link from your homepage to the listing and encourage current customers or website visitors to review your company.
Step 10: Add Videos- If your company already has videos on YouTube you can place them right there on the page.
Step 11: Contact Tucker Hosting to find out more information on how their Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts can provide the highest long-term return on investment of all marketing methods.
As with any local business SEO strategy, your Google Maps listing should be optimized for obtaining the best results. 82% of internet searches are made through Google for local business information. With the right strategy, your small or medium business can get spotted immediately on the front page of local search results. Call Tucker Hosting for a free consultation: 434-515-1573
