Google Map Packs (The 3 Pack)
Showing up on the local maps starts with a solid profile setup!
Below are the known Google My Business ranking factors, along with best practices for optimizing your business profile to ensure you get seen on the map pack:
- Google will ask for initial information to get the business verified.
- Google will index all of this information and associate it with your website. *It’s very important to have consistency across all your listings and your website.
- This means that the business name and other business details should be exactly as it appears on the website.
Here are the primary info points that you should set up first:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Website
- Description (750 character limit)
- Category
Services:
Services is a place to showcase the different services that you offer, give it a description, and list a price (if applicable). These will appear on the mobile version of Google My Business, and also helps Google understand more about your business and the services that you offer so it can present you to more potential customers.
For example:
Service: Plumbing leak inspection
Description: We will inspect your house for leaks and alert you if we find anything.
Price: $100
*If the price varies on a service, the price doesn’t have to be included.
Products:
If you are running an eCommerce store on your website, you can showcase your products right from Google My Business.
This is done by setting up a product category, then you add the picture, title, description, price, and then a link to buy the product.Reviews:
Reviews are a very powerful part of Google My Business and any business for that matter. Reviews heavily influence users when they are looking for a product or service.
While most platforms discourage you from asking for reviews from your customers, Google actually encourages it, so feel free to ask your customers/clients to leave a review on your Google My Business page. Google also wants to see you interact with your community, so be sure to respond to all the reviews on your profile, Google has confirmed that responding your reviews will help your local rankings. If there is a good review, tell them that you appreciate them. If there is a bad review, apologize for the experience and see how you can make it better. Most people that leave bad reviews because they want to be heard and listening to them and trying to fix the problem can result in them changing the review and to a better one once their experience has been improved.Google also uses the content in your reviews to learn more about your business. If someone leaves a review saying that you have the best “plumbing leak detection service”, Google can now see that not only do you provide the service, but you do a good job of it, and you will most likely see an increase in rankings and traffic for that service. So if at all possible, if you encourage your happy customers to leave a review, have them put the service name in the review. I understand that this isn’t always possible, but it is something to keep in mind.
Posts:
Posts allow you to show the local customers what’s new about your business. This can be something new and exciting about your business, a new product release, an event, a promotional offer, a preview to a blog article that you posted on your site, etc… Posts will include a photo as well and they act as a sort of a mini ad when people are looking for local services. After you create the post you have the opportunity to share it on social media for even more exposure.
Photos:
Photos are a great way for potential customers/clients to see your business and how it looks. This can be photos of products, your facility, happy customers, and some of your business team.
*60% of consumers say local search results with good images capture their attention and push them towards a decision.
Messaging:
Google My Business allows you to connect your mobile phone through the Google My Business app to message customers directly. If activated, they will see a “Messaging” button and can ask questions about the business and you have the opportunity to respond right away and encourage action.
*Direct SMS messaging has been shown to have a higher conversion rate than mobile advertising for all types of engagement (appointment, product purchase, visiting a location, etc).
If you have any questions about this, feel free to reach out to your Sympler account manager!
Your business success is our goal!