How to Rank Higher in Google Maps

When local customers search for a business like yours, they’re not scrolling through endless results — they’re tapping the top three listings in the Google Map Pack. Those businesses get the majority of calls, website visits, direction requests, and new customer visits.

This guide breaks down exactly how to rank higher in Google Maps, how Google decides which businesses to show, and what you can do today to improve visibility.

If you want a fast way to check your current Map Pack performance, run a Rankley Local SEO audit and compare against competitors.

How Google Maps Rankings Work: Relevance, Proximity, and Prominence

Google explains that local rankings in Search and Maps are driven by three primary factors:

Relevance: how well your business matches the search
Distance (Proximity): how close the business is to the searcher
Prominence: how well-known and trusted the business appears online

Google’s official reference: Improve your local ranking on Google.

Caption: The three core factors that drive Google Maps rankings: relevance, proximity, and prominence.

Caption: Google’s documentation confirms that local rankings are based on relevance, distance, and prominence.

1) Relevance

Relevance is how well your business matches the searcher’s intent.

Relevance signals come from:

GBP categories and services
Your business description
Website content (service + location relevance)
Review text that naturally mentions services and areas

2) Proximity

Proximity is the distance between the searcher and your location.

You can’t control where someone is standing when they search, but you can strengthen relevance and prominence so you show up more often across a wider radius.

3) Prominence

Prominence reflects your online reputation and authority.

Prominence signals include:

Reviews and ratings
Backlinks and mentions
Photos and engagement
Citations and listing consistency

Important: Maps rankings can change block-by-block in the same city. That’s why grid-based tracking (heatmap-style) is the only reliable way to measure performance.

Step 1: Optimize Your Google Business Profile to Rank Higher in Maps

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most important factor for ranking in Google Maps. A complete, active profile almost always outranks a half-filled one.

Manage your profile here: Google Business Profile.

Fill Out Every Section

Make sure these are done and accurate:

Business name (no keyword stuffing)
Primary category (most specific possible)
Secondary categories (only where truly relevant)
Services and service areas
Website URL and appointment link (if applicable)
Hours (including holiday hours)
A short, keyword-aware description that mentions core services and your city/region

Add High-Quality Photos Weekly

Businesses with stronger photo profiles often get more clicks and calls.

Add fresh images regularly:

Exterior photos (helps customers recognize your location)
Interior photos (sets expectations)
Product/service photos
Team photos
Before/after images (home services, dental, med spa, etc.)

Photo myth: Geotagging photos does not improve rankings.

Add Products, Services, and Attributes

These fields help Google understand your business with structured profile data:

Services: add detailed service entries with short descriptions
Products: add key offerings with images (and pricing if relevant)
Attributes: accessibility, payment types, “women-led,” “veteran-owned,” etc.

Post Weekly Google Updates

Google Posts help keep the listing active and encourage engagement.

Post about:

special offers
new services/products
events
seasonal updates
policy changes and hours changes

Consistency supports freshness and relevance signals.

Step 2: Build NAP Consistency Across the Web

NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone Number. Google uses NAP consistency across the web to verify that your business is legitimate.

Inconsistent NAP weakens trust signals and can suppress Map Pack visibility.

Check and correct your business info on:

Yelp
Apple Maps
Bing Places
Better Business Bureau
Facebook
YellowPages-style directories
industry and local directories

If your info differs across platforms, Google gets mixed signals and your rankings can suffer.

Fastest way to identify inconsistencies: run a Rankley Local SEO audit to surface mismatches, duplicates, and outdated listings.

Step 3: Use Reviews to Rank Higher in Google Maps

Reviews are one of the strongest Google Maps ranking factors and a major driver of conversions.

Caption: Strong review profiles improve your prominence signal and help you rank higher in Google Maps.

What Google Looks At in Reviews

Quantity: more reviews generally means more trust
Quality: your average star rating
Recency: steady flow of new reviews over time
Keywords in reviews: natural mentions of service + city can support relevance
Owner responses: engagement and customer service signals

Reference: Managing customer reviews.

How to Get More Reviews (Fast and Ethical)

Ask immediately after a successful visit/job
Send a direct review link via SMS/email
Add a QR code to receipts/signage
Follow up once with a polite reminder
Encourage customers to mention what they had done and where — naturally

Never pay for reviews or offer incentives in exchange for them.

If you want the full compliant system + templates, see: /guides/how-to-get-more-google-reviews.

Step 4: Publish Location-Relevant Content on Your Website

Google cross-references your GBP with your site to confirm accuracy and relevance.

Caption: Dedicated service and location pages make it easier for Google to match you to local searches.

Pages Every Local Business Should Have

Service pages: one page per main service
Location pages: one page per city/neighborhood/service area (avoid copy/paste)
Contact page: embedded Google Map + NAP
FAQ pages: answer common pre-call questions
Local landing pages: “Emergency Plumber in Denver”, “Family Dentist in Raleigh”, etc.

Add LocalBusiness Schema

Add LocalBusiness schema to your site with:

business name
address
phone
hours
services and service area

Google docs: Local business structured data.

For a practical step-by-step schema guide, see: /guides/schema-markup-guide.

Step 5: Improve Mobile Speed and UX

Google’s mobile-first indexing means mobile experience influences rankings — even for desktop users. Local customers act fast; a slow website loses calls.

Caption: Fast, user-friendly mobile pages convert more Google Maps visitors into customers.

Mobile UX Must-Haves

Tap-friendly buttons for Call, Directions, and Book
Fast-loading key pages (home, top services, contact)
Clean navigation and clear labels
No intrusive popups blocking content
Readable text (16–18px minimum on mobile)

Test with: PageSpeed Insights.

Core Web Vitals Benchmarks

LCP under 2.5s
INP under 200ms
CLS under 0.1

Learn more: Core Web Vitals.

Step 6: Build Local Backlinks and Citations

Backlinks still matter for Maps rankings — especially local ones. Local links signal community trust.

Best Local Backlink Sources

local news sites and magazines
sponsorships (events, teams, charities)
local bloggers and influencers
chambers of commerce and business associations
neighborhood/community organizations

Key Citations

Keep listings consistent in:

Yelp
Apple Maps
Bing Places
Better Business Bureau
Angi / Thumbtack (if relevant)
local and niche directories

Caption: Consistent citations and local backlinks boost prominence and authority in Google Maps.

Step 7: Set Up Your Service Area Correctly

Google ranks service-area businesses (SABs) differently than storefronts.

For Service-Area Businesses (SABs)

Don’t display a home address if you don’t serve customers there
Add service areas by cities, not just a large radius
Avoid adding dozens of areas; choose 5–20 realistic locations
Review your service area annually

For Brick-and-Mortar Locations

Your physical address heavily influences where you rank
Use accurate suite numbers to avoid duplication
Add exterior photos and signage to reduce customer confusion

Step 8: Track Google Maps Rankings the Right Way

Manual checks are misleading. Google personalizes results based on:

your exact location
device type
search history
time of day and behavior

Use grid tracking (heatmaps) to understand how you rank across your service area.

Caption: Grid-based rank tracking shows visibility across an area, not just one point.

Metrics to Track

Map Pack positions for target keywords
GBP calls
direction requests
discovery vs direct searches
photo views and engagement
review growth and average rating
website visits from GBP

Common Mistakes That Hurt Google Maps Rankings

Avoid these red flags:

keyword stuffing the business name
wrong GBP category choice
inconsistent NAP data
slow, poor mobile UX
weak or stale reviews
duplicate listings for the same address
unrealistic or incorrect service areas
incomplete or outdated profile fields
fake or incentivized reviews

Google Maps Ranking Checklist

Use this checklist to spot the highest leverage fixes:

GBP fully optimized (all fields complete)
correct primary + secondary categories
photos added regularly
Google Posts published consistently
review generation system in place
owner responses to reviews (positive + negative)
NAP consistent across major directories
service + location pages on the website
local backlinks from relevant sources
fast, mobile-first UX
accurate service area settings
rankings and calls tracked over time

Conclusion: Win the Map Pack and Earn More Customers

The Google Map Pack is one of the fastest ways to increase calls, website visits, foot traffic, and qualified leads.

Improving your rankings starts with:

optimizing your Google Business Profile
fixing NAP issues
generating reviews consistently
improving website speed and UX
building local links
tracking performance over time

Want to know where you stand today?

Caption: See your current local visibility and Google Maps rankings with a Rankley Local SEO audit.

Run a free Rankley Local SEO audit to see Map Pack positions, NAP issues, review score, and local visibility in one report.

FAQ: Ranking Higher in Google Maps

How long does it take to rank higher in Google Maps?

Most businesses see measurable movement in 4–12 weeks once GBP optimization, reviews, and citation consistency are improved. Competitive markets may take longer.

What is the most important ranking factor for Google Maps?

Your Google Business Profile is the biggest lever, followed by reviews, NAP consistency, website relevance, and prominence signals like backlinks.

Do Google Posts help rankings?

Posts are not a magic bullet, but consistent posting supports activity and engagement signals, and helps conversions when customers compare options.

Can I rank in areas far from my address?

You can improve visibility across a broader radius by increasing relevance and prominence, but proximity still matters. Service-area setup, location content, and authority signals help expand coverage.