Local SEO: how to rank in Google Maps

How Google ranks local results

When someone searches for a service near them, such as an accountant, a plumber or a restaurant, Google often shows a map with a small group of businesses, sometimes called the local pack, above the ordinary results. Google states that local rankings are based mainly on three factors: relevance, distance and prominence.

Relevance is how well your business matches the search, which depends on your categories, services and the information on your profile and website. Distance is how far you are from the searcher or the location in their query, which you cannot change. Prominence is how well known and trusted your business is, reflected in reviews, links, mentions and overall search presence. Local SEO improves relevance and prominence.

Set up and optimise your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile, formerly Google My Business, is the listing that appears in Maps and the local pack. Claim and verify it, then complete every relevant field. Choose the most accurate primary category, because it strongly influences which searches you appear for, and add secondary categories only where they genuinely describe what you do.

Use your real business name without added keywords or locations, which breaches Google’s guidelines and can lead to suspension. Add accurate opening hours, including holiday hours, a description in plain language, your services or products, and the areas you serve. Service-area businesses that visit customers can hide their address and define a service area instead. Make sure the phone number and website on the profile match those on your website exactly.

Keep the profile active. Upload genuine photos of your premises, team and work, publish updates and offers, and check regularly that nobody has suggested unwanted edits. An accurate, regularly maintained profile gives customers confidence and gives Google more information to match you with relevant searches. Review the profile at least monthly, and update it promptly whenever your hours, services or contact details change.

Keep your NAP consistent everywhere

NAP stands for name, address and phone number. These details appear on your website, your Google Business Profile, social profiles, industry directories and data aggregators. When they conflict, for example an old address on one directory or a different phone number on another, customers lose trust and search engines have less confidence about which details are correct.

Choose one exact format for your business details and use it everywhere. Audit the main directories in your country and sector, correct outdated listings and remove duplicates. Focus on quality rather than volume: a consistent presence on reputable, relevant directories is more valuable than hundreds of low-quality listings created in bulk.

Earn and manage reviews

Reviews influence both rankings and buying decisions. Make asking for them part of your routine, for example with a short link or QR code sent after a completed job or purchase. Ask every customer rather than only those you expect to be happy, because selectively soliciting positive reviews conflicts with Google’s policies.

Never buy reviews, write them yourself or offer incentives in exchange. Fake reviews breach Google’s policies and are now explicitly prohibited under consumer protection rules in both the UK and the US. Reply to reviews professionally, thank customers for positive feedback, and respond to criticism calmly with an offer to resolve the issue offline.

Build local landing pages and local links

Your website should support your Maps presence. Create a clear page for each core service and, if you serve several towns or have multiple branches, a dedicated page for each location. Each page needs genuinely useful local content, such as the areas covered, directions, local projects, team members and opening hours, rather than the same text with the town name swapped.

Link your Google Business Profile to the most relevant page, usually the location page for multi-site businesses. Embed a map, include your NAP details in a consistent format and make it easy to call, book or get directions on mobile. Fast, mobile-friendly location pages turn Maps visibility into enquiries, and they can also rank in their own right in the ordinary search results below the map.

Local links strengthen prominence. Look for genuine opportunities in your community: chambers of commerce, trade associations, local news coverage, event sponsorships, supplier and partner websites, and charities you support. A small number of relevant local links usually helps more than many unrelated ones, and links bought from link networks risk penalties rather than gains.

Add schema and track what works

Structured data helps search engines understand your business details. Add LocalBusiness schema, or a more specific type such as Dentist or LegalService, to your location pages using JSON-LD. Include your name, address, phone, opening hours, geo-coordinates and links to your official profiles, and make sure the details match your Google Business Profile exactly.

Measure results so you can invest in what works. Your Google Business Profile performance report shows searches, calls, direction requests and website clicks. Add UTM parameters to your profile’s website link so that traffic is identified correctly in your analytics, and use Search Console to monitor how your local pages perform.

• Google Business Profile performance: views, calls, directions, clicks
• Analytics with UTM-tagged profile links: visits and conversions
• Search Console: queries and clicks for local pages
• Rank tracking from multiple points across your service area
• Call tracking and enquiry forms: leads by source

Your local SEO checklist

Use the checklist below as a starting point and revisit it every quarter. Local SEO rewards consistency: businesses that keep their profile current, collect reviews steadily and improve their local pages over time tend to build visibility that competitors find hard to overtake. No provider can honestly guarantee a specific position in Google Maps, because distance and competition vary for every search.

If you would rather have specialists handle it, Gen7Ven’s local SEO service covers profile optimisation, citations, review processes, local content and clear monthly reporting, and works alongside your team rather than replacing it. Whoever manages it, make sure your business retains ownership of the Google Business Profile and all directory accounts.

• Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
• Choose the most accurate primary and secondary categories
• Complete hours, services, description, photos and service areas
• Use one consistent NAP format on every listing
• Fix inconsistent, outdated and duplicate directory listings
• Ask every customer for a review and reply to all reviews
• Create a useful landing page for each location and core service
• Earn links from local organisations, media and partners
• Add LocalBusiness schema that matches your profile
• Track calls, directions, clicks and enquiries every month