3 Google Maps Marketing Tips for Your Local Business

Google Maps marketing has become the bee’s knees for local business advertising. After a series of changes to the Google local search results over the past few years, the latest is tightened “3-pack” of local business associated with a Google Maps snippet.

Often appearing at the top of the search results, just below the PPC ads, the 3-pack has become some of the most coveted and highly-sought exposure for businesses.

As a result, Google Maps marketing has become an essential investment for most businesses. While there are many SEO and Internet marketing agencies that specialize in Google Maps marketing, below are a few tips to help your business get started.

1. Properly Setup Your Google My Business (GMB) Page

As from your website, your Google My Business (GMB) is the perhaps the most important asset for Google Maps marketing. Your GMB page serves as your business’ presence in Google Search (3-Pack), Google Maps, and Google+ (Google’s social media network.)

To properly setup your GMB page for the best results, you’ll want to:

• Fully populate your GMB page with accurate and consistent information, including links to your blog and other web properties
• Verify your GMB page via phone call or post card submission
• Select the most relevant GMB categories that reflects your business model

2. Embed a Google Map of Your Business’ Location on its Website

One Google Maps marketing strategy that been getting recognition is “map pinning.” This is simply including a Google Maps embed of your business’s location somewhere on your site (i.e. contact us page, site-wide footer, etc.)

To get the iframe code for your business’s Google Maps embed, search its full NAP in Google Maps, then click the “Share” option. Here can you copy and paste the iframe code onto your website.

3. Generate Citations & Reviews

All mentions of your location’s Name, Address, and Phone number (“NAP” also referred to as “citations,) should appear consistently and accurately across the Internet. Most common on directory and social media sites, citations are signals that Google uses to determine the credibility and legitimacy of a business. If a business has a high volume of citations throughout the Internet, and all information matches-up, then it has greater potential to rank. It’s a similar mechanism to backlinks and organic SEO, but a different function.

Also a 3-pack ranking factor are reviews. In addition to the reviews on you GMB page, earning reviews on your business’s Yelp listing, Facebook profile, etc. can also help boost credibility. While generating citations is more labor intensive, earning positive reviews requires creativity and good business practices. Crafty small businesses will employ review generation strategies like “show us your Google review and get 20% your next order.”

With Google Maps marketing a hot commodity, there are more and more specialized SEO firms offering these services. Many of these companies provide resources and solutions in citation building (and cleanup,) local SEO and website optimization, and other brand-expanding means to increase a business’ visibility. For services and consulting programs for Google Maps marketing and local SEO, visit CaptivateLocal.com.