How Can You Make Use of Google Maps for Your Local Business?

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Google witnesses and caters to over 97 billion local intent searches every month. 

Moreover, 80% of US consumers leverage online research for local business research. 

So, local businesses draw many customers due to their online presence. And your Google Maps presence plays a crucial role here.

Google Maps presence doesn’t just help you rank for the local searches on Google Maps, but also in the Google Search Results. 

But, that’s not it, and you can leverage Google Maps in several ways to grow your local business. 

Read: Get to Know 15 Incredible Features of Google Maps

Here are: 

7 Tips to Make Use of Google Maps for Your Local Business

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1. Rank for Direct Searches in Google Maps 

Google Maps today powers billions of monthly searches. And a significant part of these searches is about local businesses. 

For example, A searcher may directly open the Google Maps app on his mobile to search the nearest car service store. 

Here is an example of a normal search for a yoga institution on Google Maps: 

As the searcher clicks on these results, they expand into the business listing. 

And it would offer information like website link, location, contact, business hours, services, images, offers, etc. 

This allows users to drop inquiries or directly visit your location.

Now, Google leverages a long list of factors to compile the rankings in Google Maps results. 

Some of the most crucial factors include: 

• The proximity of your business with the consumer’s location
• Your Google Reviews and Ratings
• The Quality of Your GMB listing
• The Location Authority and Prominence of Your Business

You can lead here by making your GMB listing detailed and insightful and attracting adequate positive reviews. 

Here’s a GMB listing that shows comprehensive details about its business:

2. Grow Your Probability to Rank for Local-intent Searches in Google

Your Google Maps or Google My Business presence has a say in your local search visibility. And Google Search is the place where most of the local-intent search happens. 

Moz reports that GMB signals constitute a 25.4% share among other ranking factors for 

local-intent search results. 

So, local businesses must refine their GMB listings to rank higher in the local searches on Google. 

Here is an example of the local-intent search results for a query like “bookstores” – 

Here, the general organic results are overshadowed by the Local 3-pack results. These Local 3-pack results follow the paid ads (as shown in the above image). And they generally win the highest CTR across local intent search result pages. 

So, your Google Maps listing (GMB listing) can allow you to claim your position in the local 3-pack results. 

Here are tips to make your GMB listing look distinguished and insightful: 

• NAP Consistency: Ensure to add the original business name and the verified address and contact information. 

• Category: Select your business’s primary category and grow relevancy by adding secondary categories. 

• Services/Products:Highlight your main products/services with details like images, pricing, etc. 

• Description:Write descriptive business information and explain your specialties and USPs. Also, use your main business-specific and location-specific keywords. 

• Service Area Business:If you are an online business or deliver services at your customer’s place, mark your service areas. Then, you will be eligible for searches close to these service areas. 

• Hours: Mention your business/service hours and ensure that consumers rely on these timings. 

• GMB Reviews:Invest extensive efforts in soliciting abundant GMB reviews. 

• Images:Leverage images feature for high engagement. Post pictures of your venue, products, staff, ambiance, etc. 

• Posts & FAQs: Attract higher engagement by adding offers, CTAs, and valuable FAQs.

Other crucial factors except GMB listing include geo-location, local citations, backlinks, PR mentions, site optimization, etc.

3. Businesses Can Win Customers through Google Maps Promoted Pins

You might be willing to utilize Google Maps for your local business growth. But, the daunting competition might make challenge your business visibility. 

So, Google allows you to showcase your business through paid “Promoted Pins.”

Akin to the paid ads on Google, these Google Map Promoted Pins occupy the top positions for relevant searches. Here is an example of a pharmacy business using Promoted Pins: 

The promoted pin dominates the results page and shows in a different color on Google Maps. 

This allows you to steal significant CTR on the results page.

Here is how you can create Promoted Pin Ads for your local business: 

1. a) Create your business’s Google My Business listing by using this link. 

• You need to click on “Manage Now,” add your business details, and get your listing verified.

• Once your listing is verified, you need to create your Promoted Pins.

1. b) Switch to the Google Ads account for creating the Promoted Pin

• Use your Google Ads account linked with the same email as your GMB account. 
• Click on the “Ad Extensions” tab and select the “Location Extensions” option.
• Next, choose your GMB account and check-mark your address
• Click “Finish” to enable the “Location Extensions.”

1. c) Set Your Target Location

• Once you have enabled the Location Extensions, you can set your ads’ target locations. 
• Simply click on the “Keywords & Targeting” tab. 
• Click on the “Locations” to add the areas where you wish to show your ads (Promoted Pins) 
• Once locations are selected, click on “Finish.” 
• Here you also get the option of Bid Adjustment using the -90% to +900% adjustment range. 

1. d) Add Your Target Keyword Sets

You can use the Keyword Planner in the Tools tab to research the right keyword sets for your ads. Limit your keyword sets between 5-20 relevant keywords for every ad group. 

Finally, you have created your Promoted Pins!

4. Utilize Custom Pages and Coupons Features in Promoted Pins 

The Promoted Pins offers you many beneficial features like: 

• You can create Offer Coupons for gaining more customers 
• You can add expandable custom pages for engaging users once they click on the ad
• The Inventory feature allows you to showcase a preview of your store inventory on the page itself 

a) Offer Coupons 

You can grow the CTR of your promoted pins by adding Offer Coupons. These can be discount coupons, CTAs, etc. 

b) Custom Pages

Along with the Promoted Pins, Google allows you to customize your listing page with extra information. 

These include details about your services/products, expanded contact info, highlighted events, etc. 

c) Inventory feature

This feature allows the customers to explore your inventory directly from your page before buying it in the store. 

To showcase your inventory on your page, you need to submit your inventory feed to Google. Check these specifications from Google.

Here’s an example of Google displaying local inventory:

5. Leverage GMB Posts Feature to the Fullest 

Google allows you to win higher engagement on your GMB listings through the Posts feature. 

Think of these Posts as your Stories feature on Instagram or Facebook. Only these Posts have a 7-days validity compared to the 24-hour validity of the Stories feature. 

Moreover, you do not have to pay Google a single penny to leverage these Posts. 

Here is an example of GMB Posts: 

Here are the steps to create Posts for your GMB profile: 

• Log in to your business profile on the GMB account. 
• Click on the “Promote” option in the navigation bar.
• Next, click on the type of post that serves your purpose.
• Here you get a choice of Post elements that you can include. These elements are Photos, Videos, Texts, Events, Buttons, or Offers. 
• Ensure you create engaging posts and offers to gain high CTR
• You can click on the “Preview” option to check if the post looks impressive.
• Once you have finalized the changes, click on the “Publish” tab to make it live. 

6. Convert Leads into Conversions through the Google Maps & GMB Messaging Feature

Google allows businesses to win customers by offering the “Message” feature. 

You just need to enable the Chat option from the Google Maps Updates option. 

• You can simply open Google Maps on your Android device
• Then, click on “Settings”, and you get the option to turn the chat on or off

When you enable it, customers will be able to message your business directly. 

Here is how the Chat option looks in Google Maps App: 

A customer can simply click on this option to start messaging a business. 

And the business owner can directly open the Google Maps app to respond to the customer. 

• He has to follow – Updates > Chat > Business. And then, he can start replying. 

The image above shows that the business owner can add an automated welcome message to the chat. You can also send photos on the Message feature. 

Message feature on the GMB Profile

Next, the Message feature also shows on your GMB profile. 

Moreover, you can also use the Message feature for your GMB Posts. Here is how this looks: 

7. Restaurants & Food Businesses Must Leverage the Google Maps Community Feed

The Explore tab on Google Maps shows the community feed. Akin to the general feed on social media platforms, it shows the latest updates on businesses. 

These updates can be new reviews, images, posts by local experts, businesses you follow, or food businesses. 

Here is a glimpse of the community feed: 

Restaurants & food businesses can show up here by regularly adding new posts and photos. And this can be a great way to source new inquiries and customers.

Read: What are the Benefits of a Google My Business Listing?

Key Takeaways

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Here are some quick ways local businesses can leverage Google Maps:

• Rank your business in Google Map searches with optimized GMB and positive reviews.
• Grow rankings in local-intent search results with strong GMB signals. Also, gain high location authority and local citations. 
• Use Google Map Promoted Pins for gaining leads faster. 
• Utilize GMB Posts to show offers, CTAs, events, new products, etc. 
• Enable the Google Maps Chat feature and directly respond to customer inquiries
• Show up in the Google Maps community feed with your new posts and images.