Google Maps Marketing: Boosting your Business

Why you need Google Maps marketing?

Google Maps marketing is the process of utilizing Google Maps to make your business easier for customers to find—and choose. When it comes to getting found and chosen in our current marketplace, there are numerous options as to where you can put your money online. However, with the majority of customers searching in Google to choose a business and the exponential rise of “near me” searches, Google Maps is one of the most efficient ways to capture market share as a local business.

Connect with more customers

With over 154 million users, Google Maps marketing is one of the most important aspects of local marketing. When you turn your company’s Google Maps listing into an ultimate guide to your digital services and how to access them, you’ll see a rise in not only leads but conversion and revenue as well.

Tips for Every Business to Optimize Google Maps Efforts:

Only Use Exact USPS-Approved Addresses

To optimize your Google My Business profile, start by checking on what the exact USPS-approved address is for your business location.

Be sure to use this exact address information in your profile.

Include all relevant address information, like room or suite number and your full nine-digit zip code.

Proofread for any spacing or formatting errors, as these can interfere with your rankings on Google Maps.

In addition, check the box in your GMB settings for displaying address information.

Essentially, the more data Google has on your business, the higher chance you have of ranking in the Local 3-Pack.

Specify Service Areas

For businesses that serve a wider area beyond their front door, you’ll need to specify your marketing service areas in your GMB profile.

For example, if you are a caterer and you serve both home residents and businesses throughout a wide area, you’ll need to include this in your digital profile.

Start by adding your primary location address, then include the specific service areas where you also conduct business.

Verify Your Google My Business Listing

During the process of claiming your Google My Business Profile listing, you’ll be prompted to proceed to the verification process.

This verification process is completed directly through Google and most often conducted through postal mail.

Google will send a postcard containing a unique PIN to the address you list on your profile.

To ensure verification and a quicker facilitation, be sure to include the following information in your GMB Profile:

• Legal business name.
• Correct primary category and additional categories, if applicable.
• Correct physical location.
• Designation of service areas.
• Business hours.
• Local phone number.
• Website link.
• Products or services you provide.

Expect the verification process to take at least two weeks.

Reviews and Ratings:

Customer reviews are key for establishing a good reputation among your customers and scoring higher as a local business on Google Maps. Do not forget to encourage your happy clients to leave a review and share their experience, and always take your time to respond even if some of them are negative.

Additionally, negative reviews are a great way to discover your weaknesses and design a strategy that aims to improve them. So do not underestimate them! Ratings work in a similar way as reviews – obviously, the higher your rating is, the better, so take your time to analyze the situation and use it to improve your performance.

Citations and backlinks:

One of the most important ranking factors for a successful Google Maps Marketing strategy is the consistency of local citations and high-quality backlinks.

In Search Engine Optimization, external high-quality links with a good domain authority pointing to your website are an important signal to Google that your website is trustworthy and helpful to users. On another hand, citations that mention your company name, address and phone are also key for higher positioning.