How to Improve Your Google Maps Ranking

There's a lot of advice about ranking on Google Maps. It helps to separate what Google itself says from general experience — and from claims nobody can back up.

What Google says

Google explains that local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, and recommends businesses:

• Enter complete, accurate business information.
• Verify their location.
• Keep hours accurate, including special hours.
• Manage and respond to reviews.
• Add photos.

Google also states that review count and score factor into local ranking, and that prominence reflects how well known a business is across the web.

What general SEO experience adds

These aren't official Google instructions, but they're widely seen as helping relevance and prominence:

• The most accurate primary category, plus genuinely relevant secondary ones.
• Consistent name, address and phone across directories and your website.
• A helpful website that clearly describes your services and location.
• Mentions and links from local organisations and media.
• A steady flow of recent reviews rather than bursts.

What doesn't work (and can hurt)

• Keywords stuffed into the business name.
• Fake addresses or virtual offices.
• Bought or incentivised reviews.
• Duplicate listings for the same location.