Unlocking The Power Of SEO For Google Maps: Benefits And Strategies

Google Maps SEO is currently receiving significant attention within the SEO community because it can help build brand visibility and attract more customers to your website. Below are some practical insights on how to optimize Google Maps based on my recent experience.

What is Google Maps SEO?

Google Maps SEO involves a set of website optimization techniques aimed at increasing the visibility of a business's location on Google Maps. In simple terms, it is an essential part of marketing that makes it easy for customers to find your business.

Improving your ranking on Google Maps means attracting more customers, as nearly everyone nowadays uses this tool to search for locations.


6 Benefits of Google Maps SEO:

  1. Enhance brand recognition among customers, especially when your business appears in the top 3 listings, which boosts credibility.

  2. Increase local visibility, leading to higher traffic, more customer awareness, and ultimately higher sales figures.

  3. Achieve better accessibility to potential customers as your business ranks higher, resulting in increased inquiries via email, phone, and social media platforms, thereby improving conversion rates.

  4. Enhance customer experience by providing comprehensive business information, such as phone numbers, addresses, emails, websites, and images, instilling more trust in your products and services.

  5. Effective Google Maps SEO supports better website SEO, expanding the coverage for your business, products, and services. It also helps Google categorize and organize website data more effectively, leading to higher website rankings.

  6. Improve website relevance through the use of backlinks and Content Marketing on Google Maps.

What is Local 3-Pack?

The Local 3-Pack (also known as Top 3 Google Maps) refers to the top 3 business listings displayed in the search results when users search for keywords like "near me" or "near [Location]."

How Does Google Evaluate Location Rankings?

Google assesses location rankings based on relevance, distance, and prominence in displaying search results effectively.

Case 1: If a user searches for a keyword that includes your business name, Google Maps will display comprehensive information on the right-hand side.

Case 2: If a user searches for a keyword without including your business name, Google Maps will propose the three most relevant results based on the search request. The displayed information includes business names, rating scores, and addresses, all ranked in natural search order.

Google evaluates the rankings of these three results based on the following criteria:

  • Prioritizing businesses with actual locations closest to the searcher.

  • Businesses with reputable ratings and reviews from users.

Google Maps SEO in 2022

Implementing Google Maps SEO is not overly difficult, but to ensure comprehensiveness, precision, and accuracy, you need to follow specific steps and procedures.

Step 1: Set Up Google Maps

First, sign in with your email and access Google Maps. Then, enter your business address and select the "Add a missing place" option.

Here, provide accurate information such as the business name, category of activity, address, phone number, and operating hours. Once completed, remember to verify your business with Google (click "Verify this business" or access Google My Business) and then submit it.

Step 2: Optimize Images and Geotag

Select high-quality images for Google Maps SEO. Prepare 20-30 images of your company, products, services, and team members. Choose authentic and visually appealing images rather than using random pictures downloaded from the internet, as customers should see the professional image of your company.

Name the images appropriately. Since Googlebot doesn't view images but reads characters and letters, naming the images with LSI keywords (related terms or phrases associated with the main keyword) helps Google understand the image's content. Optimize the image names with relevant LSI keywords.

Geotagging is the most crucial step. Embed geographical location data of your business into the images. After that, publish them on the internet to enhance your website's reputation and gain trust from Google, leading to higher relevance points for the local business.

Step 3: Publish Information on Social Media

This step involves posting images and NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information on major social media platforms. Google will "scour" the internet and find your business on social media pages.

Step 4: Set Title for Google My Business

Google My Business (Google Business or Google Doanh nghiệp) is a utility platform provided by Google with detailed instructions on usage. It encompasses all business information displayed on the search results page (SERPs) and Google Maps.

Step 5: Adjust Categories

Determine the EXACT category for your website. If you are targeting the keyword "SEO service," observe which categories your competitors choose the most. You can fill in 4-5 subcategories. Select the categories that are the second, third, fourth most chosen by competitors. For the remaining categories, choose the ones most relevant to your business.

Step 6: SEO Google Maps for Multiple Keywords

Many believe that one URL can only be optimized for a limited number of keywords or that Google Maps can only be optimized for a few keywords. However, the reality is the opposite. You can optimize multiple keywords with a specific URL.

Step 7: Use Citations and Backlinks for Map

Use Citations for Maps: Citation is simply a record of NAP information, including business name, address, phone number, and website URL. Google uses Citations to verify the location of your business, and you can consider it as a Backlink in your SEO strategy. The higher the quality of the citation source, the more powerful your website is in boosting rankings on Google Maps.

Utilize Schema Markup to Insert NAP into the Website: Schema Markup is a structured protocol approved by Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Its purpose is to facilitate the easy identification of specific datasets within websites. By incorporating NAP into the Markup, you send a higher-quality signal to Google and other search engines about the relevance and authority of your local business.

Find out more:


Contact Info 

Ann Handley 

Work: MarketingProfs

Address: Boston, MA, US 

Phone number: 978-749-7372 

Website: https://annhandley.com/ 

Email: ann.handley@gmail.com

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