Everyone wants to know how they can get to the top of the rankings in Google Places (previously known as Google Maps).
Here are the top 10 factors, according to e-commerce expert Nigel Burke, that determine your Google Places ranking.
10- Coupons
Google always wants to make the user experience better.
9- Location
You need an actual address within the city you’re optimizing for.
8- Pictures
Add pictures to your Google Places account and name files appropriately. Google can’t see the pictures, so you have to explain what you’re showing.
7-Videos
Google now owns YouTube, making it extremely easy to optimize videos with search terms.
6- Reviews
If people like you, Google wants to recommend you to its users. But be careful with this one. Google can tell if you’re adding fake reviews, and you’ll be punished for it.
5- Organic Ranking
A good ranking in the search engine results pages will help you rank well on Google Maps.
4- Contact Details on Your Site
Make sure your contact information (business name, address and phone number) is on your website.
3- 100% Completion
Google gives you a completion rate when you edit your Google Places page. Try to get this number to 100%.
2- Claim Your Listing
By claiming your listing, you can make edits to your profile page and add more information.
1- Citations
List your details on as many directories and websites related to your location or industry as you can. For optimum results, your information needs to be the same every time.
Of course if you’re like many business owners, you may not have the time or expertise to manage your online efforts. That’s where we come in — contact us today to find out if we are a good fit for your business.
Source: “Top 10 Ranking Factors For Local Business Listings in Google Places” by Nigel C. Burke