7 tips to get better found in Google Maps

What is local SEO?

Local SEO, short for local search engine optimisation, is an effective marketing strategy for increasing the local visibility of a business in search engines such as Google. It involves linking a specific keyword to a particular location. This is especially useful when, for example, you run a rental business that operates in a specific town or region. If you were to use only the keyword, you would get lost among countless providers offering the same service. However, by linking your location to the keyword, the search results become far more relevant and specific. This significantly increases the likelihood that a potential customer will find their way to you.

Why is Local SEO important for rental businesses?

For rental businesses, Local SEO has become increasingly important, as more and more users carry out their searches within a specific area to find a product or service. This area is often close to home, but users may also be searching whilst on holiday. As a rental operator, Local SEO allows you to respond to the growing need of users to find a suitable provider in their own area. By targeting your website at local search terms, you can ensure that it is easily found and reach a large number of users you might otherwise miss. This makes Local SEO an essential marketing strategy for rental businesses looking to grow.

7 tips for better visibility in Google Maps

To attract more visitors to your business, it is therefore also important that you are clearly visible in Google Maps. To achieve the best possible result, there are a number of tips you can apply.

Tip 1: Optimise your business profile on Google

To get started with Local SEO, optimising your business profile on Google is essential. If you do not yet have a business profile, you can create one for free via this link. Completing your business details, such as your business name, address, and contact information, is an important first step in optimising your profile. The more complete and accurate your information is, the better you will be found in search engines. A good business description is a must and should include local search terms to improve discoverability. By also making use of photos, you can make your profile more personal and more appealing to potential customers.

Tip 2: Choose the right category in your business profile

In your Google business profile, you can choose a primary category and several subcategories that closely match your offering. It is important to think carefully about this and to select categories that are relevant to your business. Choosing multiple categories can increase the chances of being found. It is also worthwhile looking at the categories chosen by your competitors. This can help you identify categories you might otherwise have overlooked.

Tip 3: Ask your customers for reviews and respond to them using the right keywords

On the Google Maps results page for a search query, reviews are also displayed per business. The more positive reviews you have, the greater the chance of your business ranking well. For this reason, it is a good idea to ask your customers for reviews. This can of course also be done via the i-Reserve reservation system. It is advisable to respond regularly to your customers' experiences. This can sometimes be challenging when you have received a negative review, but that is precisely when it is important to demonstrate how you handle such matters. This creates a sense of trustworthiness. Using keywords in your response can also help to improve your findability. Treat every review as original content, because that is exactly how search engines see it.

Tip 4: Make use of posts

Another way to gain better visibility on Google is to make use of Google posts. With this feature, you as a business owner can highlight and promote specific services or products using text, photos, and videos. You can also use it to draw attention to special promotions or offers. Most importantly, Google posts offer the opportunity to increase interaction with (potential) customers and ultimately generate more revenue. Look for ways to make each post as appealing as possible, so that it captures the interest of visitors. Publishing posts via this feature increases credibility and creates an excellent way to communicate with users.

Tip 5: Make use of links from business directories

Another tip for getting better found is to register your business with various business directories. This is an effective way to gain more visibility, as many people use these directories to find a particular product or service. Furthermore, business directories can provide a backlink to your website, which can increase your website's authority. This can lead to a higher position in search results and more traffic to your website. Do make sure that the business directories are relevant to your niche and that the information in your business profile is up to date. This gives you the best chance of being found by potential customers.

Tip 6: Optimise your website for your location

For the best results in Local SEO, it is important to optimise your website in the right way. This starts with displaying your business name, address details, and telephone number on every page of your website. This enables search engines to better match your business with local search queries from users. You should also make use of local keywords in your content. This means using specific keywords that you know potential customers will use in combination with your location. This could be a neighbourhood, city, or county, for example. Think of keywords such as: Glowgolf Eindhoven or meeting room hire Hoorn. It is also wise to dedicate certain pages of your website to specific products or services that you offer locally. This means creating a dedicated page for each rental item, for instance, with local keywords included in the text. This increases the likelihood of your website ranking highly in local searches. Finally, internal links also help your visitors find the right information more quickly and effectively. Make sure to use local search terms in your internal links as well.

Tip 7: Advertise on Google

Looking to extend your reach? Consider advertising on Google Maps. This has the advantage that potential customers can contact you as a rental operator directly, in addition to being directed through to your own (local) page. It is a modest investment that pays for itself easily, as it allows you to stand out even more within the search results.

Want to know more?

Would you like to know more about how you can use the i-Reserve reservation system to boost your SEO? Get in touch with us or try i-Reserve for 30 days.