How to show up on Google Maps
When someone nearby searches for a type of business, Google shows a map with a few listings before any website. Getting into that short list isn't luck. Google says it depends on relevance, distance and prominence, and you can improve two of the three.
Start with a verified, complete profile
Nothing else matters until your business has a verified Google Business Profile. If you haven't got one, create it; if someone else created it, claim it. My guide to verification explains the process.
Relevance: match what people search for
- The right primary category. It probably matters more than anything else you control. See choosing categories.
- Services and products. List what you actually offer, in the words customers use.
- A plain description. What you do and for whom, without stuffing in keywords.
- Attributes. Things like wheelchair access, outdoor seating or free Wi-Fi, where they apply.
- Your website. A site that clearly describes the same business and services backs the listing up.
Distance: be honest about where you are
You can't change how far you are from the person searching. You can make sure Google knows exactly where you are: an accurate address, the pin on your actual door, and, if you travel to customers, service areas that match where you really go. Listing an address where you don't operate, to appear in another area, breaks Google's rules and risks suspension.
Prominence: be known
- Reviews. A steady flow of genuine reviews, and replies to them. See getting more reviews.
- Consistent details across the web. The same name, address and phone on your website, social profiles and the directories people use in your area.
- Mentions and links. Local news, associations, suppliers and partners mentioning or linking to you, genuinely.
- Activity. Recent photos, current hours and occasional posts show the business is alive.
What doesn't work
Adding keywords or a town to your business name, creating extra listings, buying reviews or posting fake addresses may give a short boost and then a suspension. Paying for "Google Maps ranking" services that promise a position is usually money lost.
Measure what changes
The profile's performance report shows how many people found you, called, asked for directions or visited your website. Check it monthly. Search Console shows the same for your website. My page on local SEO explains how I work on all of this together.