Google Maps is one of the most useful tools on the Internet. Millions of people use it daily to search for local businesses or services and find out how to get to them. That’s why, if your business doesn’t appear on Google Maps, you are literally off the map. Being on Google Maps is free and easy through Google My Business. However, ranking at the top of the results requires local SEO and continuous effort.
In this article, we go over the keys for your business to appear on Google Maps and, more importantly, to appear ahead of your competition.
Why is it so important to appear on Google Maps?
Local searches represent a significant portion of Google searches, with 86% of consumers using Google Maps to find local businesses. This translates into visits to physical stores and conversions. In other words, it’s crucial to appear in local search results. We talk about local search when the user looks for a service or store located in their geographic area (or another). Some examples of local searches:
- Gym in Coslada
- Daycare near me
- Where to repair my computer
- English classes in Barcelona
- Italian restaurant in Madrid
- Appliance repair in Hortaleza
In most cases, when a local search is made, the first thing Google shows in the results (above organic results) is a map where the most relevant businesses for that query appear. This is called the local pack.
Here is an example of a local pack for the search: appliance repair in Hortaleza:
If your business is not registered on Google Maps, it will never appear in the local pack and you may be losing a lot of sales.
In other words, if your company offers its products or services in a specific location, appearing on Google Maps allows potential customers to find you. By analogy, we can say that Maps fulfills the same function that the Yellow Pages did years ago.
Just reviewing some statistics from Google itself about local searches (those that look for something in a specific location) helps understand the importance of appearing on Maps:
- **46%** of Google searches are local.
- **86%** of consumers find local businesses using Google Maps.
- **30%** of searches made from mobile devices are related to location.
- **76%** of users who search for something near their location end up visiting a local business the same day.
- **28%** of searches for something nearby result in a purchase.
- Searches including the terms “where to buy” and “near me” grew **200%** between 2017 and 2019.
- With these figures, it is clear how fundamental Google Maps is for your business.
How to appear on Google Maps with your business?
We have two pieces of good news:
The first is that being on Google Maps is completely free. You just have to create a business profile on Google My Business and fill in the information. All you need is a Google account, which you already have if you use Gmail or any other service from the company.
The second is that your business may already have a Business profile because Google has created it. After all, what Google Maps wants is to be a valuable resource for users, and therefore it is interested in keeping its map as updated as possible.
Creating your Google Business profile is very simple. You just need to follow these steps:
- Log in to your Google account.
- Go to https://business.google.com/create/new
- Search for your business name. If a profile already exists, claim ownership; if not, create a new business profile.
- Then fill in the requested information and choose a verification method (business phone or postal mail).
Through verification, you will receive a code that you must enter in the Business profile to prove you own the business. It is preferable to use the phone as a verification method, because mail can take up to two weeks to arrive.
Once your profile is verified, you can complete all the information and manage it without limitations.
And now we have some bad news.
Having a Google Business profile is a necessary requirement to reach your potential customers, but not sufficient. Unless you are the only business in your area in your sector, there will be a variable number of competitors fighting with you for consumer attention. It’s no longer just about appearing on Google Maps, but about appearing first in the list of results. Only then will you be visible and secure a good share of the local search pie.
How to rank on Google Maps?
After creating or claiming your Google Business profile comes the hardest part: working on it to rank on Google Maps. This is known as local SEO or local positioning.
Local SEO requires time and effort. In addition to optimizing the Business profile, you will need to optimize your website and perform other actions, such as registering in directories. At Dos Setenta, we have created this Local SEO Guide to help you. You can download it for free through the following link:
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