Google Maps SEO: How to Rank on Local Search Engine

Local SEO is a set of techniques used to achieve better positions in search engines for local queries. This helps people interested in your products and services find you more easily. A user’s search intent determines whether their query is generic or local. For example, if a person searches for “buy sunglasses”, then Google classifies it as a general search.

But if you search for “best Local SEO Agency”, the search engine particularly will know that what the user is looking for. An agency that achieves a good position for that search will end up receiving more clients, and its business opportunities will grow.

Currently, if you do not have your business on Google Maps, you practically do not exist for a large part of your potential customers. This tool allows you to optimize the information in your profiles and makes it visible in the area where your business operates.

So How to Boost Rankings in Local Search?

In tenths of a second the user knows what you offer, where and how to contact you. Would you like to reach the first page of search results and give your project a boost? Then take note of the valuable tips that you will find below.

#1. Correctly Optimize Your Website

It is necessary to properly configure the Homepage and the web data when filling in the Google My Business file. Google uses data from your website to make associations with your business parameters on Google Maps. For example, keywords, business category relevance, and domain authority. All these affect your final rankings.

These are the four key elements for the correct configuration of the home page of your website:

1. H1/Title

This Meta tag has to include the name of the company, the category and the area of the city in which it is located. And to position yourself, you have to follow the guidelines of the SEO title, that is, use keywords according to the search criteria of the users.

2. Description tag

In this section, we must highlight the location and the commercial category. Choose the most specific, because the competition is less and that way you will appear higher when someone searches for what you offer. Categories that only exist in English (marketing, for example) increase semantic relevance.

3. Web Content

Strengthen address, category, and title information with the use of elements like tags, bold, and keywords. Do not be afraid to use strategies that sound atypical at first, such as the use of icons to enhance the profile.

4. Strengthen the NAP

Include NAP (Name, Address, Phone) in the footer, this way it will always be present on all the pages of your website. Another strategy is the use of the Schema language, a protocol currently used by major search engines such as Google and Bing. Thanks to it, they determine key data sets or direct data, such as company location and commercial category.

#2. Images – Key to Better Positioning

It is proven that images have the ability to increase the CTR of company profiles. All the snapshots you upload about your business, services, products, work team, etc. must be of high quality. If your business is within the hospitality sector, pay special attention to this aspect.

Likewise, in addition to photographs, you can also add catalogs of products and services and videos. The more features and details that a business card offers, the more attractive it will be for the user. Do not go overboard with the keywords of these elements, as you can incur a lack of keyword stuffing.

The geolocation of images is another fundamental factor that is giving very good results in local SEO. To do this you must add information about the place where a photo has been taken, or the town it represents. To do this, you can rely on some image geolocation software that helps you perform this function.

#3. Be Patient with Your Positioning Strategy

If your business has just entered the market, know that you have just started a long-term career. Also, generating a successful link building strategy and receiving thousands of reviews in a short time is highly unlikely.

Take your time, and try not to neglect vital aspects of the project, such as the quality of the content and images. Keep your community informed, either through your website or with the “little blog” of My Business.

Last but not least, try to ensure that your business offers optimal service to customers. If your work ethic is poor and your product leaves a lot to be desired, no super SEO strategy can save you.

#4. Be Active with Publications on Google My Business

Regularly uploading content to your business profile on Google Maps will give it greater visibility. Posts are a way to drive traffic to your website or get phone calls to your business. Plan this section as a small blog or information panel that will help your community of followers.

All publication modalities allow you to upload texts of up to 1500 characters, a CTA and an image. Following are the 4 types of publication that you can configure in My Business:

• News. It is basically used to post news content that may be interesting to users. They can be consulted for a total of 7 days.
• Product. Highlight a product or service of your business indicating its price or a special promotion.
• Event. Show your customers the events that are going to be held in your business. You can include date and time of completion.
• Offer. It gives the possibility to add a discount code, a link to redeem it and the terms and conditions of use.

The interaction with this information can improve the positioning. Therefore, think carefully what you are going to upload.

#5. Register in Local Directories

Perhaps the most important thing to do while performing local SEO. You should register in digital directories in your region to strengthen your local SEO strategy.

If you don’t know which local directories to sign up for, do a local search for your products and services. You will see which websites are positioned, but you will also be able to check which directories are showing businesses like yours.

Another way to know the local directories where you should register is to look at the incoming links of your competition. These directories have the virtue of granting notoriety to website of your business.

Thus, the presence of the company will be more realistic in the eyes of clients and professionals.

#6. Google Trends

It’s a great way to improve the competitive advantage of your local business. It is especially useful to know the conversation that your audiences are having with your environment and with your competition.

You can use Google Trends in your strategies to boost your local business on Google. In order to obtain trend information on important searches and topics, Google Trends is a card that you should always have up your sleeve if you are looking to boost your business within your region.

#7. Build Credibility With Reviews

Google offers the possibility for the customer to leave a review that evaluates the service offered by your activity. These reviews positively affect your card’s placement in Google’s SERPs, so it’s important that you encourage customers to leave a review of the service you’ve offered.

The search engine considers the comments of those who used the service for positioning on Google Maps SEO. Since the reviews will be legible and visible to everyone, it goes without saying that your service will need to be of a high quality not only to offer the best to the customer, but also to make your words an incentive for other potential users.

Moreover, if you respond to the criticism of your users, you will be able to establish a relationship of trust and authenticity with them, which, along with other aspects, today are the basis for starting a really profitable and visible activity.

#8. Write Quality and Extensive Content

If anything is true, it is that one of the most important ranking factors is content. It doesn’t matter what niche your business belongs to. You can write content on any topic as long as you have something of value to say.

Extensive content allows you to better work on your keywords, their synonyms, and your link building strategy. Therefore, it helps increase the traffic your website receives. Therefore, having a well-planned content marketing strategy will help you position your local business on Google more easily.

Sum Up

Business listings on Google Maps have become more advanced than ever. It allows consumers to get the information they seek and make informed purchasing decisions.

Increasing your business’s online visibility on Google Maps will go a long way to accomplish increased sales and leads. By taking note on the aforementioned tips, you can boost your business ranking on local search.

About the Author!

Mirza Ali Raza is an industry-leading digital marketer and has a fruitful experience in Search Engine Optimization. Working alongside with Brand Reshape – Web development, he assists brands generate revenue and strives to propel their business to new heights. By having diverse skillset, Ali Raza has secured a remarkable spot in digital marketing sector.