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Google Maps marketing is the process of improving your business’s visibility in Google Maps. You do this primarily by optimizing your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to make it more likely that your business will appear for relevant local searches.
When your business shows up in local searches, you can:
- Build trust with potential customers
- Gain a competitive edge
- Drive more sales
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free listing that lets you manage how your business appears in Google Search and Google Maps.
Here’s an example of an optimized GBP listing, with photos, opening hours, contact information, and more:
- Google Maps (web and app versions)
- Local pack/map pack
- Local Finder
The local pack (sometimes called the map pack) appears in search results for relevant terms. It shows similar details to those on Google Maps.
And when users expand the local pack, they can find more listings in the Local Finder (while similar to Google Maps, the interface is slightly different).
Why Is Marketing with Google Maps Beneficial?
Google Maps marketing can help you:
- Build trust and credibility: When your GBP listing appears in local searches (especially at the top), potential customers may see your business as credible and trustworthy
- Tell your customers more about your business: A well-optimized listing shows that your business is active and reputable, and it provides customers with key information like your location, opening hours, and contact details
- Increase local visibility: Google Maps marketing makes it easier for nearby customers to find your business
- Gain a competitive edge: Appearing higher on Google Maps and in search results makes it more likely that customers will choose your business over your competitors
- Make it easy for customers to reach you: Google Maps marketing allows customers to quickly call, get directions, or visit your website
- Appear in voice searches: Many people search for local businesses on their phones through voice assistants, which often pull results from Google Maps
How Does Google Rank Local Search and Map Results?
It’s clear that appearing in Google Maps and local search results can positively impact your business.
But why do you need marketing to make that happen?
Because Google uses a wide range of ranking factors to decide where to rank websites. And knowing what these factors are can help you pinpoint your Google Maps marketing efforts for better results.
Google ranks local business listings by considering three key factors:
- Relevance: Google looks at how closely your business matches the searcher’s intent. The more relevant your business is to what the person is searching for, the better your chances of ranking higher.
- Distance: Google factors in how close your business is to the searcher’s location or the area specified in the search. The closer you are, the more likely you are to appear in top results for local searches.
- Prominence: Prominence measures how well-known your business is, and it’s influenced by factors like online reviews, ratings, and backlinks. The more established and popular your business appears, the better it can rank.
Next, we’ll walk you through the steps to optimize your business’s online presence for these three factors.
How to Start Marketing with Google Maps
1. Optimize Your GBP Listing
The more optimized your GBP listing is, the higher it can rank for relevant local queries.
How?
Because it helps Google better understand your business. Meaning its algorithms will be better able to match you up with relevant local search results.