When someone searches for a local business, Google shows a small map with three listings near the top. That is the map pack, and it gets more clicks than anything below it. Getting your business in there is one of the highest-value things a local business can do. Here is how.
1. Claim your Google Business Profile
Search for your business name on Google. If a profile already exists, claim it. If not, create one at google.com/business. It is free. Google will ask you to verify that the business is really yours, usually now with a short video showing your workspace and some proof of trading.
2. Choose the right categories
Your primary category is the single biggest factor in whether you show up. Pick the one that most precisely describes what you do, then add a few relevant secondary categories. Getting this wrong is the most common reason a business does not appear.
3. Fill in everything
- Accurate name, address and phone number, matching your website exactly.
- Opening hours, kept up to date including bank holidays.
- A clear description of what you do and who you help.
- Plenty of real photos. Profiles with photos get far more clicks.
- Your services or products listed out.
4. Get reviews, and keep getting them
Reviews are what win the click, and steady review activity helps you rank. Ask every happy customer, make it easy with a direct link, and reply to every review. Do not buy or fake them, and never offer a reward for a review, as both are against Google's rules. Aim to keep a steady trickle coming in rather than a burst then nothing.
5. Keep it consistent everywhere
Make sure your name, address and phone number are identical on your website, your Google profile and any directory listings. Mismatches confuse Google and hold you back.
Do this well and you will start to appear when nearby customers search. It takes a few weeks to warm up and a few months to climb, but it is the most reliable way for a new local business to get found.
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