Rank higher on Maps
Google says local ranking is relevance, distance and prominence. Everything that works maps onto one of those three.
Relevance: does your profile match the search?
- Primary category is the single biggest lever. Secondary categories for everything else you really do.
- Services and products filled in with real descriptions, not keyword lists.
- Business description that says what you do and where, in plain words.
Distance: where is the searcher?
- You can't change it, but a correct pin and a tight service area make sure you count for the right searches.
- For multi-location businesses, one verified profile per staffed location.
Prominence: how known are you?
- Reviews: count, recency and replies. Steady beats bursts.
- Your website's own authority: pages for each service and area, mentions from local news, suppliers, associations.
- Consistent name, address and phone across directories.
- Photos added regularly and posts answering common questions.
Google: How to improve your local ranking · checked Oct 2026
Questions
Does adding a city to my business name help?
It can, briefly, and then it gets the profile suspended. Don't.
Do Google Posts affect ranking?
Google says no directly; they do raise engagement, which counts toward prominence over time.