Maps Optimization Tool

Google Maps brings potential clients to your door

Google maps optimization is changing the face of search engine results. It is a fairly recent change to the search engine system that has a highly interactive visual element. Approximately 30% of the visual space on a search engine results page to a submitted query is dedicated to a map that identifies the locations of relevant businesses and marks them with small red balloons. The goal of any business wanting to increase customer traffic, is to appear as a red balloon in these query results. It is becoming known as the 7-pack. Typically, Google will show up to seven relevant businesses next to the map with their red balloon markers. These are the top seven most reliable and relevant results for the query entered into the search engine.

There are many different factors used to gauge whether a site is considered reliable and relevant and SEO partner companies use these likely elements to increase the recognition for businesses. To start, Google maps optimization relates directly to location, so if you want to appear in the results for a certain area, you better have a business located there. If you also want appear in the results for nearby cities, then that would require some additional SEO partner work.

Unlike the phone book, where the alphabetical system predominates visibility, the business category seems to have a larger effect for a Google maps optimization search. In almost any phone book you can find businesses that have names such as A1 Auto, which is meant to get them listed at the beginning of the automotive section. Ranking well on a Google maps optimization search is not all that different than trying to be at the beginning of the phone book. It is a viable tactic to getting more business. However, with the Google search, it is better to have your business listed in an appropriate category, than to have a lot of keywords added to the business name. Keywords in the business name are important, but they also tend to happen naturally. Harry’s Automotive, Prairie Real Estate, or Austin Appliance Repair all have keywords as a natural part of their business name.

Just as links are important in SEO work, building citations with the correct business contact information is important for Google maps optimization. In this case, citations are directly referencing the business name, address, phone and email address. The more the Googlebots see the correct contact information on the internet, the more they will consider it an indicator of business verification and reliability. Without this reliability, the successful results from user searches could drop and injure Google credibility as well. It is in the search engine’s best interest to only provide reliable results to queries. Similarly, if Google finds a lot of citations for a business, but the contact information does not match, it can drop the credibility of your site.

Reviews and ratings are helpful with the sentimental analysis done by Google, but the point is listing in the 7-pack, so proximity to locations is a key factor. It doesn’t necessarily have to be near a city center. People often search for restaurants near their hotel, or places to stay near a prominent tourist site. It’s not necessarily the city center, but proximity to what people are searching that is important. If your business is near a popular tourist site, then it might be wise to associate that into the SEO work being completed. It could help the Google maps optimization rank.

Lastly, the age and expiration of the domain can be a factor with Google maps optimization. If a business has been around for sometime, or has a domain expiration that is far distant, that is considered more reliable in the eyes of Googlebots. It would be poor for Google credibility if they were to recommend a business that had closed or out of service. After all, the positive results users get from the search queries is what ultimately brings them back to ask again.