Google is the world’s largest internet search engine, which is why every business owner should have their business listed on Google Maps, especially those dependent on foot traffic like RV parks and resorts. Here at Big Rig Media, a question we get asked frequently is “how do I show up on the Google Maps section of a search result, and can I improve my position?” In this blog, we’re going to tell you how to give your business the best possible chance of showing up in a Google Maps search result listing and fill you in on what you can and can’t control.
Create or Claim Your Business
Whether you know it or not, your business may already be listed on Google Maps. If it is, the only way to gain control of the listing is to claim it. If your business doesn’t have a listing yet, you can create one fairly easily. Either way, you’re going to need to create or access your Google Business Profile through Google My Business. GMB is the platform that allows business owners to manage their business listings that appear across Google search results, including Google Maps.
You can access GMB by visiting Google.com/business and signing in with your Google credentials. If you’ve never had a Google account, you’ll need to set one up first through Google.com/accounts. Once logged in, you will be prompted to search for your business. If it already exists, you can claim it, and if not, you can create a new business listing.
Google will then run you through a series of prompts asking for your business’s information like name, category, services, location (which is mandatory to appear in Google Maps), areas and locations you serve, and business contact information. After completing these steps, click Finish to head to the GMB dashboard where you can now control your business listed on Google Maps. The more complete your profile, the better your business will show up in search results.
GMB Dashboard
The main hub for controlling your business listing is the GMB Dashboard. From here, you can edit all your business’s information, create posts, see insights from Google, check and reply to customer reviews, manage photos, update products and services, add users to the account, and more. You’ll need to verify your business, so you can have full control of your account and because every business category is different, you may only see an option to receive a postcard by mail. If your business qualifies, you may be able to verify by phone, email, bulk verification, or even instantly.
There are a few aspects of your GMB listings that you can’t control. Since Google crowd sources information for any business listed on Google Maps, users can submit things like photos, reviews, and edits to your business information (like updating hours of operation). If that doesn’t seem like good news to you, don’t worry too much because you will have the opportunity to flag and report inappropriate or incorrect information. Google does not monitor these changes, so it’s very important that you periodically check to make sure your business information is correct.
To get your business to show up in top search results, be sure to update your business information regularly, reply to customer reviews, create posts, share photos, and stay on top of current marketing trends.
Get Your Business Listed on Google Maps
We recently created a comprehensive guide titled The Importance Of Claiming Your Review Platform Profiles (With Instructions!) to help show you how to manage your online profiles. If you have further questions about how to get your business listed on Google Maps, contact Big Rig Media today to see how we can help your business grow through strategic thinking, creative action, and powerful marketing.