Google Maps Rankings Drive Foot Traffic
The Google Map Pack appears at the top of local search results, above organic listings. For local businesses, ranking in this three-pack is the difference between being found and being invisible. Over 40% of all clicks go to these top three map results.
The Three Pillars of Map Rankings
Relevance
How well does your business profile match what someone is searching for? Complete profiles with detailed services, accurate categories, and keyword-rich descriptions rank higher. Choose the most specific primary category available and add every relevant secondary category.
Distance
How close is your business to the searcher? You can’t control this, but you can expand your effective radius by creating location-specific content on your website and building citations in local directories.
Prominence
How well-known is your business? Google measures prominence through review quantity and quality, website authority (backlinks and SEO), citations in business directories, brand mentions across the web, and engagement with your Google Business Profile.
Actionable Steps to Rank Higher
- Optimize your Google Business Profile completely — every field, every service, every attribute
- Generate reviews consistently — aim for 5+ new reviews per month minimum
- Respond to every review — within 24 hours ideally
- Post Google updates weekly — offers, events, news, products
- Build local citations — ensure NAP consistency across 50+ directories
- Add photos regularly — interior, exterior, team, products/services
- Optimize your website for local keywords — location pages, local content
- Earn local backlinks — chamber of commerce, local news, community organizations
Common Map Ranking Killers
Inconsistent business name across listings, wrong business category, inactive profile (no posts or photos for months), few or no reviews, and duplicate listings all hurt your Map Pack rankings.
Dominate Google Maps
Brandastic helps local businesses rank in the Google Map Pack and attract more customers. Get a free local SEO audit.
