Top 3 Ranking Factors for Google My Business (GMB)

18 Jun Top 3 Ranking Factors for Google My Business (GMB)

Introduction to Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) is a powerful, free tool designed to help local businesses manage how they appear across Google’s platforms, including Google Search and Google Maps. Keeping your business info accurate and up to date is essential for local SEO success. As a cornerstone of local SEO, GMB allows businesses to showcase essential information—like business hours, address, and contact details—directly in local search results. By claiming and optimizing your Google My Business profile, you can ensure your business stands out in local searches, making it easier for customers to find you when they need your products or services most, and improving your visibility in Google’s search.

An optimized GMB listing not only increases your chances of appearing in the coveted local pack (the map and business listings that show up at the top of local search results), but also helps drive more traffic to your website and physical location. Linking your business website to your GMB profile enhances trust and supports higher local search rankings. For local businesses looking to improve their local search ranking and overall search visibility, Google My Business is an essential part of any local SEO strategy.

Top 3 Ranking Factors for Google Business Profile (GMB)

Local business listings are a key driver of local SEO via search and maps. Understanding the top 3 ranking factors for Google Business Listings will go a long way in setting your business up for local success. Local ranking factors play a crucial role in determining your visibility in local results, and understanding Google ranking factors is essential for appearing in top local search results, especially in Google Maps and local pack listings. Implementing effective local SEO strategies—such as optimizing local business listings and managing online reviews—can significantly improve your search performance. Creating a profile is easy and will get you one step closer to being there at the right place, at the right time when people are looking for goods or services near them.

“Hey Google / Siri, find my nearest mechanic!“

Nowadays when we need to find a local mechanic, florist, or café it is as easy as asking the question (voice search) or a quick online search using Google. Over 80% of all customers who do a local search on their phones visit that business on the same day. In 2021 “near me” searches jumped by a whopping 900%. Local searchers rely on accurate business information to make decisions, so ensuring your details are up to date is crucial. Positive reviews and online reviews are essential for improving your business’s presence in local results and ensuring your local listings stand out to potential customers. Additionally, positive reviews can help your business be ranked higher in Google rankings, increasing your chances of being chosen by local searchers.

So, what does this mean?

It has never been more important to have an optimised, active, Google My Business listing. In a competitive world knowing how to get your listing to appear above a related business can be tricky. Understanding Local SEO will get you a step above the rest. Positive Google reviews can greatly enhance your business’s visibility and reputation, making you more attractive to local customers.

Here are our top 3 local search ranking factors for Google My Business:

1. Relevance

Relevance determines the best match between local businesses and a user’s search. When we want to find a local barber, we don’t want a nail salon popping up. It is important to ensure that a business profile is as accurate as possible. Optimizing your web pages for local SEO by including relevant keywords and strong on page signals—such as accurate NAP details and mobile-friendliness—can significantly improve your visibility in local search results. Here are the essentials for setting this up correctly:

• Include target words and phrases in your description.
• Optimize your title tag and landing page with relevant keywords to improve on page signals and on page ranking factors, and work on increasing your page authority for better trust and visibility.
• Craft a clear and descriptive business title that includes relevant keywords to improve search engine visibility and credibility.
• Choose the right business categories and ensure your primary category in your Google Business Profile accurately reflects your core business specialization. Optimizing both your business categories and primary category enhances your relevance and ranking in local search results.
• Place a marker on Google Maps.
• Add photos.
• Fill in all information such as opening hours, address, contact details and email for example.

2. Distance

Distance is a local ranking factor that determines how far away the location is from the user. If the person searching does not specify a location, then a range of results will display that are around the user’s location. The searcher’s location plays a significant role in which businesses appear in local search results, as Google prioritizes businesses that are geographically closer to the searcher.

Distance is a key ranking factor where Google values four core things:

• Business Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Website URL

Maintaining accurate and consistent business information across all platforms is crucial for both physical locations and service area businesses, as it can significantly impact local rankings. It is especially important to ensure your business address is consistent across all platforms and online directories, as variations can cause citation volatility and negatively affect your local search rankings. For service area businesses, optimizing business information helps target customers in specific geographic areas beyond just a physical storefront. Local companies benefit from ensuring their details are correct, as distance directly influences their visibility in local SERPs, with businesses closer to the searcher more likely to appear in the map pack and local listing.

How successful you are in ranking for distance will depend on how much, and how consistent your digital footprint is – i.e., keep your information up to date on all platforms, social media, website and of course Google Business.

3. Prominence

Are you popular? I know this may seem an odd question, but Google measures the prominence of a business based on several factors such as:

• Search Engine ranking
• Link building, especially acquiring links from authoritative websites and ensuring that relevant, high-quality sites are linking to your business
• Domain authority
• Testimonials and Google Reviews
• Visibility on social platforms
• Local link building and acquiring links from other sites and other websites with high linking domain authority to improve local SEO ranking and search engine rankings

In addition, positive online reviews and strong organic search results contribute significantly to your business’s local ranking and help you rank higher in local search rankings and local SEO ranking factors.

User engagement with your business profile and posts, such as creating posts and answering questions, can signal prominence to Google and improve your visibility.

User search history can also influence how prominently your business appears in personalized local search results.

Google Business Visibility

Maximizing your Google Business visibility is crucial for local businesses aiming to connect with potential customers in their area. When your GMB listing is fully optimized, your business is more likely to appear in local search results. Ranking in the Google Maps Pack and Google’s local pack is essential for maximum visibility, as these prominently display the top three local businesses to users. Optimizing for Google Maps ranking can significantly increase foot traffic and online exposure for your business. Additionally, Google’s local algorithm determines which businesses appear in the local pack and Google Maps Pack by evaluating factors like relevance, proximity, and prominence. This increased visibility in search results can lead to more website visits, higher foot traffic to your store, and ultimately, greater sales and revenue.

By focusing on your GMB visibility, you ensure that your business is front and center when local customers are searching for what you offer. In today’s competitive landscape, standing out in local search is key to attracting new customers and growing your business within your local community. Targeting your local audience through your Google Business Profile is vital for connecting with customers who are most likely to engage with your business.

Google My Busines visibility

With any business, the goal is to be found online. Google My Business is an essential part of this. Optimizing your Google Business Profile is crucial for improving your Google ranking and increasing visibility on mobile devices, where most local searches happen. With over 3.5 billion Google searches carried out daily, we think that prioritising your listing is an absolute prerequisite for success. Managing your local listing and improving your local pack rankings are key components of a comprehensive local SEO campaign. Creating dedicated local landing pages for each business location can further boost your local search visibility by targeting specific geographic areas. Additionally, a well-organized site architecture helps search engines crawl your website efficiently and supports your Google My Business optimization. It’s as simple as getting the basics right and utilising this great asset to generate more leads and customers for your business.

Feel free to contact us with any questions about how to get found via GMB or discuss the ranking factors for Google Business. Remember, understanding local search ranking factors and the elements that affect local SEO rankings is just the beginning—ongoing optimization is essential for lasting results. Regularly updating your business info ensures accuracy and can improve your local pack rankings. We look forward to hearing from you and discussing how we can help you find more local customers.

The Importance of Online Reviews

Online reviews have become one of the most influential local search ranking factors for local businesses aiming to stand out in today’s competitive digital landscape. As a key ranking factor in Google’s local algorithm, positive online reviews not only boost your business’s reputation but also play a direct role in improving your local search rankings and visibility in the local pack.

For any local business, building a strong foundation of positive reviews on your Google Business Profile is essential. These reviews act as social proof, signaling to both search engines and potential customers that your business is trustworthy, reliable, and delivers quality service. Search engines like Google prioritize businesses with a high volume of positive reviews, making it more likely for your business to appear in top search results and attract more web traffic.

To maximize the impact of online reviews on your local SEO ranking, it’s important to actively encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback. This can be achieved by providing exceptional service, following up with customers after a purchase, and making it easy for them to leave a review. Responding to reviews—both positive and negative—demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and can further enhance your business profile in the eyes of both search engines and prospective clients.

Incorporating online reviews into your local SEO strategy goes beyond just Google. Gathering reviews on other platforms such as Yelp and Facebook can also contribute to your overall search engine optimization efforts. The quantity, quality, and frequency of reviews (known as review velocity) are all important local SEO ranking factors that can help your business rank higher in local search results.

Online reviews are closely linked to other local ranking factors, such as Google Business Profile signals, on page signals, and local link building. By optimizing these elements and prioritizing the acquisition of positive online reviews, local businesses can improve their search rankings, increase their online visibility, and attract more potential customers—whether they operate from a single location or have multiple locations.

Ultimately, online reviews are a powerful tool for any local business owner looking to enhance their local search presence. By making online reviews a central part of your local SEO strategy, you can build credibility, drive more web traffic, and achieve greater success in local search results. As search engines continue to evolve, the importance of online reviews in determining local rankings will only continue to grow, making it essential for local businesses to focus on building and maintaining a strong online reputation.