How do I rank higher on Google Maps?
Google ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence. To rank higher, choose the most accurate primary category, complete every part of your Google Business Profile, list all your services, add real photos, collect a steady flow of reviews and reply to them, and make sure your website clearly matches your profile’s name, address, phone number and services.
Key takeaways
- ✓Google uses three factors: relevance, distance and prominence.
- ✓Your primary category is the single most important setting.
- ✓A complete profile with services and photos helps relevance.
- ✓Reviews, and replies to them, build prominence.
- ✓Your website should back up everything your profile says.
Google is unusually open about how local rankings work. Its own help page says results are based on three things: relevance (how well you match the search), distance (how far you are from the searcher) and prominence (how well known you are).
You can’t move your premises. So if you want to know how to rank higher on Google Maps, everything below is about relevance and prominence.
How to rank higher on Google Maps: nine fixes
1. Get your primary category exactly right
If you’re a plumber, “Plumber”. If you’re a dental practice, “Dentist”. Pick the most specific category that describes your main business, because it has more effect on which searches you appear for than anything else you set.
Add secondary categories only if they’re genuinely what you do. Look at the businesses that already rank where you want to be: their main category shows under their name on the map, and it’s a good check on whether yours is right.
2. Fill in everything
Hours, holiday hours, phone, website, services, service areas, attributes and description. Empty fields are missed chances to match a search, and a half-finished profile looks like a business that might not be open.
Use the description (up to 750 characters) to say what you do, where and for whom, in plain words. No keyword lists and no links.
3. List every service
“Boiler repair”, “boiler installation”, “bathroom fitting” as separate services, in the words customers use, not trade terms. Add a short description to each where Google lets you. This is how you show up for specific searches rather than just your trade.
4. Add real photos, regularly
Your premises, your team, your van, your work. Real photos help people choose you, and new ones every few weeks show the profile is active. Skip stock images; customers can tell.
5. Get reviews steadily
A few every week beats fifty in one month and none after. Ask every customer, at the moment they’re happiest, using Google’s own review link or QR code. Never offer anything in return, and never ask only the customers you expect to be positive.
6. Reply to every review
Thank happy customers by name. Reply calmly and helpfully to unhappy ones, and offer to sort it out offline. It shows you care, and future customers read your replies as closely as the reviews.
7. Make your website match
Same business name, address and phone number as your profile. A page for each main service and each main area you cover, with your town and services mentioned naturally. If your website is out of date or slow, it’s worth knowing what a new one costs before you decide.
8. Be consistent everywhere
Directories, social profiles and listings should all show the same name, address and number. Old addresses and numbers are the usual problem, especially after a move.
9. Keep it current
Post updates, add new photos and set holiday hours before every bank holiday. A neglected profile slowly slips.
What not to do
Don’t stuff keywords into your business name, don’t use a fake address, and never buy reviews or offer incentives for them. Google can suspend profiles for all three.
| Factor | Can you change it? |
| Distance from the searcher | No |
| Relevance: category, services, website | Yes |
| Prominence: reviews, links, mentions | Yes, over time |
Ranking in the top three for every search isn’t realistic, because distance changes with every searcher. Ranking well in your core area for your main services is. For dental practices, there’s more in marketing for dental practices. See how we help businesses get found on Google Maps.
We’ll check your Google Business Profile and show you exactly what’s holding you back on the map.
Get your free checkFrequently asked questions
How does Google decide local rankings?
Google says local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence.
How do I get in the top 3 on Google Maps?
Choose the right category, complete your profile, list services, add photos, collect reviews steadily and make sure your website matches. Distance also plays a part, so rankings vary by searcher.
Do reviews help Google Maps ranking?
Yes. Google says review count and score factor into local ranking.
Should I put keywords in my business name?
No. Use your real business name. Keyword stuffing can get your profile suspended.
How long does it take to rank higher on Google Maps?
Profile improvements can help within weeks. Building reviews and prominence takes longer.
Sources
- Tips to improve your local ranking on Google — Google Business Profile Help
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google — Google Business Profile Help
- Maps user contributed content policy: fake engagement — Google
Co-Founder, ShiftDeploy
Samiullah is a co-founder of ShiftDeploy. He works with clinics, trades and local service businesses on getting found on Google, earning more reviews and turning more enquiries into booked work.