- September 15, 2022
- 7 minute read
Here you will find what you need to know to boost your local SEO ranking.
Nowadays, being present on Google is crucial for your business and even more so if you have a local company that depends on people who go to your shop! But how is it related to Google Maps?
Location authority is what Google Maps looks for when choosing which businesses to show to the searcher. The higher your location authority, the more preference Google will give to your business.
Local ranking results are based primarily on a combination of factors, relevance, distance, and prominence. Together, these factors help Google find the best match for your local search.
When it comes to relevance, what is at stake for Google is: “Is this business relevant to the user’s search?”.
For example, the algorithm can decide that a business that’s further away from the location where you are searching is more likely to have what you’re looking for than a business that’s closer and so, rank it higher in Google Maps search results.
This action shows that this business, despite being further away, sometimes presents better results on the map, possibly because it has better content on the website and better ranking signals in general. For this reason, it appears ahead of a business that is closer to the search area.
According to Google: “Adding complete and detailed business information can help Google better understand your business and match your listing to relevant searches”.
Here are the signals that Google looks out for in terms of relevance:
Google defines distance as: “how far each potential search result is from the location term used in a search. If a user doesn’t specify a location in their search, we’ll calculate distance based on what we know about their location.”
Therefore the closer the user is to a specific local business, the more probable it is that the business will appear on the local maps.
Nonetheless, if another local business better fits the relevance of the search query, your business will be left behind.
When the user does not include a specific location, the Google boot will use the data it has collected for that particular user, like the browser’s location or previous searches, to determine the distance.
Prominence is perhaps the most complex of the Google local pack ranking factor categories, but simplifying prominence is about how popular a local business is offline. If you have an outstanding and well-liked company in your city, you are on the right track, as famous landmarks or popular brands are likely to appear first in local search results.
Regarding the prominence, Google looks at the following:
There are a lot of factors that influence Google Maps rankings and local rankings in general.
So, optimizing your local SEO (particularly your Google map pack) is not just about working on the Google My Business page, but the entire brand as a whole – from the website on-page optimization to the social media presence, external links and much more.
For better positioning on the map pack, Google evaluates all the brand signals available on the internet – such as link building, domain authority, anchor texts, consistency of information in contacts, CTR, mobile-friendliness, reviews and even the language used by reviewers.
For instance, if a client gives you a star rating but doesn’t write anything, this is less valuable in terms of positioning on a Google map pack. However, if a review includes keywords and locations that you’re targeting, this is much more effective as it serves as a trust signal to Google.
Still wondering if you should invest in Local SEO? Talk with our local SEO experts, and they will help set you up for success with a Google map pack optimization.
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