Learn How to Rank Higher in Google Maps
Are you looking to optimise your Google Maps UK SEO? Google Maps is one of the most powerful marketing tools that you can use to get your business noticed online. With the right Local SEO strategies, you can make sure your business is among the first results in local search results and on Google Maps.
In this guide, we’ll be discussing how to optimise your Google Maps UK SEO for maximum visibility. We’ll cover topics such as creating your Google Maps listing, optimising your SEO, using tools and resources to help optimise your listing, and more. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to get your business higher on Google and increase your visibility in local search results.
We got this Cheltenham based client dominating in 3 months by doing four things:
1 – Fixing meta tags
2 – Optimising landing H1 📈
3 – Building a few service pages
4 – Optimising their Google My Business profile
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business (GMB) is a free service that allows businesses to create a profile on Google Maps. Your GMB profile will include basic information about your business such as location, opening hours, contact details, and images. It also allows customers to leave reviews and post questions about your business.
Google Maps is a great way to reach potential customers who are searching for businesses in your area. It also makes it easier for customers to find your business on Google. That’s why it’s important to make sure that your GMB profile is up-to-date and optimised for the best results.
How to Create Your Google Maps Listing
Creating your Google Maps listing is the first step towards optimising your Google Maps UK SEO. To do this, you’ll need to sign up for a Google My Business account. You can do this by going to the Google My Business website and clicking “Get Started”.
Once you’ve created your account, you’ll need to add your business information. This includes your business name, address, contact information, and opening hours. You’ll also need to add a few photos of your business to make your profile more attractive to potential customers.
Once you’ve added all of your business information, you’re ready to start optimising your Google Maps listing.
Would you like us to create and optimise your Google My Business profile? Buy here
Checklist for Optimising Your Google Maps SEO
Optimising your Google Maps SEO is essential for getting your business noticed online. Here’s a checklist of things you should do to optimise your listing:
- Use keywords in your business description.
- Keep your contact information up-to-date.
- Post photos and videos of your business.
- Respond to customer reviews.
- Ask customers to leave reviews.
- Add links to your website and social media accounts.
- Ensure your listing is accurate and up-to-date.
By following this checklist, you can make sure your GMB listing is optimised for the best results.
Tools and Resources to Help Optimise Your Google Maps Listing
There are many tools and resources that can help you optimise your Google Maps listing. Here are some of the best ones you should use:
- Google My Business: This is the official tool from Google that allows you to create and manage your GMB listing. It’s easy to use and provides detailed instructions on how to optimise your listing.
- Google Maps Optimiser: This is a powerful tool that can help you optimise your GMB listing. It helps you identify the best keywords and phrases to use on your listing and provides detailed reports on how your listing is performing.
- Local SEO Checklist: This is a free tool that helps you optimise your local SEO. It provides a checklist of things you should do to make sure your listing is optimised for maximum visibility.
By using these tools and resources, you can make sure your GMB listing is optimised for the best results.
How To Get Your Business Higher On Google with Google Maps
Getting your business higher on Google Maps is essential for getting more customers. Here are some tips for making sure your business is among the first results on Google Maps:
- Claim and verify your listing: Claiming and verifying your listing is the first step towards getting your business higher on Google Maps. Make sure to claim and verify your listing as soon as possible.
- Optimise your listing: Make sure to optimise your listing with the right keywords and phrases. This will help your listing appear higher on Google Maps.
- Get reviews: Reviews are one of the most important ranking factors for Google Maps. Ask your customers to leave reviews on your listing and respond to reviews promptly.
- Promote your listing: Promote your listing on your website and social media accounts. This will help more people find your business on Google Maps.
By following these tips, you can make sure your business is among the first results on Google Maps.
Google Maps Ranking Factors
Google Maps has a number of ranking factors that determine where your business appears in search results. Here are some of the most important ranking factors:
- Relevance: Relevance is one of the most important ranking factors for Google Maps. Make sure to use the right keywords and phrases in your listing to ensure it appears for relevant searches.
- Distance: Distance is another important ranking factor. Make sure to include your exact business address in your listing to ensure your business appears for local searches.
- Reviews: Reviews are one of the most important ranking factors for Google Maps. Ask your customers to leave reviews and respond to reviews promptly.
- Prominence: Prominence is another important ranking factor. Promote your listing on your website and social media accounts to increase its prominence.
By understanding these ranking factors, you can make sure your business is optimised for the best results.
SEO Citations and Local SEO
SEO citations and local SEO are two important strategies for optimising your Google Maps listing. SEO citations are links to your website from other websites. These links help Google recognise that your website is relevant to a particular topic or keyword.
Local SEO is another important strategy for optimising your Google Maps listing. This involves optimising your website, creating new blog content and listing for local searches. Make sure to use the right keywords and phrases in your listing and website to ensure your business appears for local searches.
By using SEO citations and local SEO, you can make sure your business is optimised for the best results.
Keep your Google Maps Listing active
Once you’ve optimised your Google Maps listing, it’s important to keep it active. This means regularly updating your listing with new information, responding to customer reviews, and promoting your listing on your website and social media accounts.
By keeping your Google Maps listing active, you can make sure it appears higher in search results. This will help more customers find your business and increase your visibility in local search results.
Conclusion
Google Maps is one of the most powerful marketing tools you can use to get your business noticed online. With the right SEO strategies, you can make sure your business is among the first results in local search results and on Google Maps.
In this guide, we’ve discussed how to optimise your Google Maps UK SEO for maximum visibility. We’ve covered topics such as creating your Google Maps listing, optimising your SEO, using tools and resources to help optimise your listing, and more. We’ve also discussed Google Maps ranking factors, SEO citations and local SEO, and how to keep your listing active.
By following the advice in this guide, you can optimise your Google Maps Business listing and get your business higher on Google. If you need help optimising your Google Maps listing, use our bespoke managed SEO campaigns and you can ensure your business is among the first results on both Google Maps and in local search results!
Answers to 10 frequently asked Google My Business questions
Indeed, it is true! It won’t cost anyone anything to add a business to Google, which is the best part!
Google is striving to connect the offline world to the online world through Google My Business, a fully free business listing service. In addition to assisting visitors in their search, your business listing gives you the opportunity to describe your company’s history to them. Therefore, both Google users and businesses benefit from this.
No, Google+ and Google My Business are not the same. Google+ is a social networking platform created by Google and was actually shut down in April 2019. It is designed to connect people with similar interests and activities, as well as to help users find and share content.
Google My Business, on the other hand, is a free tool offered by Google to help businesses manage their online presence on Google Search and Maps. It allows businesses to create, manage, and optimize their business profile on Google. With Google My Business, businesses can update their business information and track customer reviews, respond to customer questions, and advertise their services.
In short, Google+ is a social networking platform while Google My Business is a tool designed to help businesses manage their online presence on Google.
It has been known for some rivals or irate customers to claim a business listing and direct consumers to their own establishment in an effort to undermine a GBM listing.
What should I do in this circumstance, then? Fortunately, Google provides guidance on how to proceed and properly claim the listing for your company.
To request ownership of a Google business listing that has previously been confirmed,
– Enter your Business Name and Address at business.google.com/create.
– Click Continue after selecting the appropriate company from the search results.
You’ll notice a message suggesting that someone else owns your business if another individual has confirmed your business.
– This is the crucial phase now! Tap the form’s Request Access button.
Hit “Submit.” The current listing owner has 7 days to react after you’ve completed the process of requesting ownership.
Now, two results may happen!
- Your request will either be granted initially or denied later. You will receive an email notification from Google My Business in both situations.
- The third scenario is that seven days pass without a response. You might be able to choose to take ownership of the listing in this situation. There’s a risk that the listing cannot be transferred if you don’t see an option.
Your visibility is greatly influenced by the information you provide on Google My Business, which also makes it simpler for clients to find you in the real world. This is why it’s crucial to have accurate, complete, and current information in your Google My Business listing.
For address changes,
– Ensure that your Google My Business account is logged in.
– Go to Menu on the GMB dashboard and click Info.
– Enter the new address in the Address field and then click Apply.
Tip: Make sure the information you enter complies with the Google My Business Guidelines.
At the same location, various firms may run under various Google My Business accounts. This situation occurs frequently, especially in bigger cities, etc.
These statistics will debunk any questions you may have if you work in marketing as to why Google My Business reviews are so important.
– Before making a purchase, over 95% of consumers examine online reviews.
– 93% of nearby customers consult online reviews to determine whether a local business is good or bad.
– 72% of consumers wait to act until they read reviews.
– Reviews on Google My Business go beyond what customers think of your goods; they have the power to have a big impact on people’s buying choices.
That’s why you’ll need more reliable business ratings in today’s cutthroat marketplace. But keep in mind that Google customer evaluations don’t just appear; you’ll need to put in a lot of work to obtain meaningful client feedback!
Although it won’t seem fair to you, anyone at random has the ability to recommend an adjustment to your business listing.
Try to approach it from the other direction! Why would Google allow any arbitrary person to alter the business listings?
Consider that if Google gave business owners complete editorial freedom, it might result in a situation where they made a lot of spam edits, which is also an issue. To prevent spam, you merely need to strike a balance!
However, Merchants are informed via email from Google My Business when these changes go live.
Posting relevant content and details about your company on Google My Business not only improves the relevance and activity of your business listing but also aids in SEO, allowing you to rank higher!
Naturally, information about your neighbourhood business, its goods and services, and related topics will also be included in the posts you share on Google My Business. The more details you offer about your company and its location, the more detailed metadata you’ll be adding to your Google My Business listing.
Posts on Google My Business are a definite approach to increase visibility, lead generation, and sales.
There are so many companies that have violated Google’s rules and ended themselves in trouble on Google My Business. Avoid having yours become one of them!
– Avoid promoting phoney reviews! To gain reviews on Google My Business, use legal channels.
– Avoid using too many hashtags in your Google My Business posts. Although you can use up to 1,500 characters for your post, the average character length is between 150 and 300. Use these characters judiciously and avoid wasting them by including a lot of hashtags.
– Be sure to precisely pin your company’s location on Google My Business! It is the biggest error you are making if you are missing this.
The Google My Business forum or Google Support are the greatest resources for finding answers to those queries. Here, their product specialists will teach you everything about Google My Business, from how to get started with it to what’s new.
These resources are a terrific method to learn in-depth about the complex features and insider tips and techniques of Google My Business. They are not only helpful when you have a problem.
Yes, we created and optimised 100+ profiles for our local Google Business customers in Cheltenham, Gloucester and the rest of the UK. We offer two simple solutions when it comes to Google Business Maps SEO services.