How to rank better on Google Maps

Prominence in plain terms

Google lists prominence as one of three local ranking factors, next to relevance and distance. It reflects how well known a business is, using information from across the web. When two cafes sit equally close and describe themselves equally well, the one with more recent reviews, more mentions and a cleaner footprint tends to show first.

This guide covers prominence. If your profile fields are not complete yet, start with the profile setup guide. If you want to beat the top three in a specific area, read the local 3-pack guide.

Reviews: ask, reply, repeat

Reviews are the signal customers see and Google counts. Quantity, recency, rating and the words people use all matter. The method is simple and has to be steady.

• Reply to every review within a few days. Thank positive reviewers by name. For negative ones, stay factual, apologize where fair and offer to fix it offline.
• Do not offer discounts or gifts in return for reviews. Google's policies prohibit incentivized reviews.
• Do not filter who you ask. Asking only happy customers while steering unhappy ones elsewhere is called review gating and goes against Google's rules.
• Never write reviews for your own business or ask staff to do so.

Consistent listings

Your name, address and phone number, often shortened to NAP, should read the same everywhere: website, social profiles, directories, the chamber of commerce and industry bodies. Small differences such as Street versus St do not usually cause harm, but different phone numbers, an old address or a former business name do.

1. Make one master recordWrite the exact name, address, phone, website, hours and category text in a spreadsheet.
2. Search for old versionsSearch your phone number and previous addresses and note every listing that shows the wrong detail.
3. Fix the important ones firstStart with the major map and data providers for your country, industry directories and your own social accounts.
4. Claim, do not duplicateIf a listing exists, claim and edit it. New duplicates make the problem worse.

Local links and mentions

A handful of links from relevant local pages can add more prominence than dozens of generic directories. Think about who already knows you.

• Your local chamber of commerce or trade association, with a member page linking to you.
• Sponsorship of a local team, event or charity, where the organizer lists sponsors.
• Suppliers and partners, who can list you as a stockist or installer.
• Local news when you do something genuinely newsworthy, such as an opening, a donation or a community event.
• Landlords or business park websites that list tenants.

For a fuller method, see the guide on getting backlinks for your website.

A 30-minute weekly routine

A routine like this beats a burst of activity followed by silence. If you would rather hand it over, our local SEO service covers it, and you can ask for a quote.

What to avoid

• Buying reviews or review packages. Fake reviews get removed, and profiles with them can be suspended.
• Posting the same review request link in public with a reward attached.
• Attacking a competitor with fake reviews. It breaks the policy and can come back on you.
• Responding to criticism with accusations. Future customers read the replies.