One of the first things a shopper will see if they are looking for a local business is the Google Map business listings. But how do you get your business to get placed there?

Well, hold your horses. This article will explain more and discuss how you can obtain more local customers.

Written by: Ryan Walsh
Date: 11/09/2024
Subject: Local SEO

7 Minute Read

When people want to buy something that’s not every day, like food shopping, they often turn to Google for help. That’s where Google Business comes in. You can get your business to appear in the map results for some or all of the keywords that relate to your business.

Why it’s essential to have your business appear in the Google Maps results

Think of a large city, then think about how many competitors your business faces in that area. Now, if you could get your business to appear regularly at the top of Google results, next to a map, with information shoppers need to know, such as the following:

– Business reviews
– Opening hours
– Pictures of the business
– Phone number
– Company address

Well, putting this information right in front of shoppers when they are looking to buy the products or services you sell can help increase sales. However, it’s not simple to achieve these days simply because Google has reduced the number of businesses in the Google Map results to just three local companies.

Not so long ago, Google once showed up to 7 businesses here; even then, getting your business to appear in Google was difficult. Yet now, it’s reduced to just three firms to get your company to appear in the Google Maps results.

In this article, we will explain how Google’s algorithms decide which businesses should appear in the Google Map results and which should not.

For those who want to obtain the answer to this crucial question quickly, here’s what Google algorithms use to access which businesses should appear:

– Number of positive business reviews
– Accurate NAP information
– Number of good quality local backlinks leading the company to show authority
– How well-maintained the Google Business profile is
– How many times people have requested directions to that business
– How good is the company’s content marketing

Even if you don’t appear in the Google Business results, it’s still worth having an account.

So, let’s give you an example: you run a solicitors’ practice. Let’s say that only three large solicitors’ practices are consistently shown in Google Business results. So, you might wonder if creating a Google Business account and 100 business citations is even worth your business.

Well, we would say it’s worth setting up a Google Business account, even if your business doesn’t appear in the Google Business results, and here’s why:

 

Key business information

Shoppers will want to Google, say the name of your solicitor’s practice, to find essential information, such as the company address. They will want to know where to go and get directions from Google Maps. They may also want to see the opening hours; they may be running late and need to call the business.

Now, when you Google the name of the solicitor’s practices, let’s say ABC Solicitors, then yes, sure, the business website should appear in the Google organic results if it’s well-optimised. Yet, also, if you have a Google Business profile set up, then your business will appear as a Google

Business profile, allowing customers, with just one click, to obtain critical information that customers often want about a business, such as:

– Opening hours
– Customer reviews
– Address
– Website address
– Phone number

 

Relevance, distance, prominence

Google’s algorithms know that if you’re looking for a pet shop to cut your dog’s hair and you Google “dog saloons near me”, you’re not going to want to drive hours to another city to go to a top-rated dog saloon there is. You’re going to want to go to a local business, one that’s just around the corner. So, Google uses “distance” as one of the main ranking factors to determine whether your company should appear in

 

Google Business results.

Then there’s relevance. If you’re looking for a dog saloon, you won’t want to know about the local wedding shop, so Google’s algorithm will ask which businesses are the most prevalent for that query. For example, does the company have relevant backlinks? Do they have helpful and relevant content marketing about looking after your dog’s hair?

 

prominence?

How important is your company deemed in that area?
Have you won a lot of awards? Generated a lot of goodwill from customers, so have a lot of positive business reviews? Have you got a lot of good quality backlinks, do-follow, and relevant backlinks from other businesses?

 

How can businesses obtain a Google Business Profile?

So, Google Business Profile was formally known as “Google My Business.” The good news is that setting up is an absolute piece of cake. It’s unlike Google Analytics, where you must add a tracking code to your website.
Google Business

Simple Google “Google Business” and set up a Google Business account for each country your business operates in. If you have multiple stores in England, Wales, and Scotland, take the time to set up a business profile for each area where your business has a shop or office.

 

Verify the account

Sometimes, Google does not need verification. This is often because the business may have been based at the location long before it requested to set up a Google Business account. The company will have many business citations stating that the business NAP information is already online. Therefore, sometimes, a business does not need to verify its Google Business account.

 

By postcard

Sometimes, Google will ask to verify the account, and this is completed by a postcard, where a number is set out at the business address.

Then, the business must input that number to verify and set up the new Google Business account.

 

Make sure to add complete NAP information.

The NAP information you add to your Google Business account, that is, your business’s name, address and phone number, must match every single one of your business citations. This information is what SEO agencies refer to as business citations or NAP information. It is essential that this information is written on your company website, on business citations, and your Google Business account and is accurate and consistent.

Make sure that you keep your opening hours correct

Many shoppers use Google to check the opening hours of a local business in Cardiff. For example, your company might be in the city centre and have extended opening hours; on the run-up to Christmas, many shoppers use Google Business and your company website to see when you open and close.

 

This is why you don’t just need to set up a Google My Business account, but you also need to carefully manage it and make sure that you keep the following information up to date and accurate:

 

– Company address, if you’ve moved business address
– Delete any duplicate listings so that you only have one Google My Business listing per location
– Update the company hours
– Update the phone number if it changes
– Respond to negative business reviews
– Update your company NAP information

 

Update your GBP by adding new photos.

When you talk to any good SEO company, such as Walsh and Partners, we will tell you that the GBP that gets the most visibility on Google is often the profiles which are updated the most regularly. This stands to reason: if Google algorithm can see that you’re updating your account, you’re keeping your customers updated with the latest information, such as opening hours, and adding new pictures of your business, such as a new shop front, plus you are responding to customer reviews, this shows you’re an active business.

Obviously, a GBP that has not been updated, has not responded to customers’ questions and reviews, and has not been updated for a very long period of time may no longer be trading, and therefore, Google won’t want to show this business in its results.

 

Add schema markup to your website.

We recommend asking your web designers or SEO consultants to add schema markup to mark your company’s NAP information. This can make it clear to Googlebot what your company’s NAP information is, such as your company address, phone number, and business name.
Talk to the SEO experts.

Very few companies based here in Cardiff have the level of experience our agency has. We can offer to optimise your company’s on-page SEO, such as content marketing, and improve off-page ranking factors, such as building top-quality backlinks. SEO packages are available starting from £500.00.

Why not call us today?