Top 10+ GMB Local Ranking Factors in 2024

Table of Content

How does Google My Business Ranking work?
What is Google Local Pack or 3-Map Pack?
Local Map Pack Ranking Factors
1. Relevant Category
2. Keyword in Business Title
3. Website Link
4. Positive Google Reviews
5. Proximity to Searchers
6. Accurate Location on Maps
7. GMB Photos
8. Regular GMB Posts
9. Products or Services
10. Negative factors
11. Google Business Openness
Conclusion

Google, an omnipresent entity, houses multiple answers to every question that’s beneficial for you. Be it local businesses, directions, hospitals, and whatnot; but the question is “Do you utilize Google at its maximum capacity?.” In this digital era, where businesses are competing globally, we know you don’t wish to lack behind and thus let us introduce you to Google My Business (GMB).

In layman’s language, it’s a business dictionary wherein you find all scales of businesses ranked using SEO practices. Well, don’t be bored reading all the theories; let’s throw some numbers at you. (Source: Australian Web Experts)

91% of Internet users read Google My Business profile reviews before contacting any local business operator.
51% of small businesses with Google My Business profiles get 1,000 visitors a month.
45% of Google My Business profiles receive appointment requests.
87% chances of appearing in daily local business search with a good Google My Business profile.
75% of digital exposure or online presence of local businesses comes from Google My Business profile visits.

“We are simplifying our naming and moving from Google My Business to Google Business Profile.”

A 2021 statement from Google reads. Ultimately, Google wanted to make it easy for business owners to manage their business on Google and simplify the process.

For now, let these numbers settle in your brains while we take you through how Google My Business works and GMB ranking factors that are essential for your digital business to rank.

How does Google My Business Ranking work?

Well, a straightaway answer to that is a unique step-based process based on search algorithms that consider the relevance, quality, usability, and context of your query while releasing results.

To start with, Google analyzes your query for the simplest mistakes with the intention to lay out highly efficient search results for its searchers.

Relevance

Coming to relevance, your content is scrutinized thoroughly to check for any keyword that matches your search. Alongside this, they also use interactive data to make sure the search results match your queries.

Quality

The next in line is the quality check, wherein your content is prioritized on the basis of expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Businesses with website links that leave a mark for their content and engagement tend to rank higher.

Usability

If you own a website, consider factors such as content accessibility, load time, and user engagement as they highly affect the usability of web pages and their Google rankings.

Context and Settings

Here, the user’s search intent along with history and profile settings is analyzed to release query-driven search results.

Moving on, it’s essential for local or small businesses to be digitally successful. Well, can you prove your success by answering the questions below?

How often has your local business appeared in the top 3 Google searches?
How often has your local business made it to the 1st page of Google search?
Is it even listed as a Google My Business profile?
Do you tend to receive inquiries through google searches?

Here you go with a brief digital standing check. Now, before diving directly into factors, let’s understand Google’s local pack or 3-pack.

What is Google Local Pack or 3-Map Pack?

Google Local Pack or 3-map Pack is a section appearing above the organic results in the SERPs. It comprises top 3 local businesses in the searched category alongside their location, working hours, website, reviews, and other helpful information. For all the GMB profiles, the race is to secure a sweet spot in this pack to enjoy a volume of leads.

Further, the Internet penetration in the last decade has led to more businesses making their presence in Google’s Business Listing; meaning the competition is fierce. However, as a matter of fact, the chances of local businesses appearing in SERPs in India are increasing by 25 million users a year. (Source: A study featured in Think with Google)

Local Map Pack Ranking Factors

Now, since you have your hands-on brief information about GMB and local pack. Let’s have a look at the much-awaited Google local search ranking factors.

1. Relevant Category

Categorizing your business by listing a relevant primary category is essential. It’s also important to list out all the additional categories that add to the relevance. Google plays it smart by updating new categories regularly, make sure you don’t fall behind!

2. Keyword in Business Title

Make sure to keep descriptive business titles consisting of keywords that best match your business. Being direct with your business titles such as “Chhabda’s clothing mill” instead of “Chhabda and son’s” will enhance your credibility in the search algorithms.

3. Website Link

Here’s your chance to increase your relevancy score once again by tempting google to crawl through your content and extract the best of local content. Do not forget to insert a relevant website link. In the case of multi-location businesses, link the locations to their specific pages.

Building an optimized GMB profile is a tiring and rigorous task and we surely can’t let you swim in this ocean of information alone. So here’s your instructor, Essential Google My Business Optimization Strategies to Rank Higher Locally, graduated from us – the best SEO company in India. Make sure you follow this!

4. Positive Google Reviews

Try to surround yourself with positive google reviews. Implement basic strategies such as good customer relationships or directly asking for reviews regularly. Remember, it’s integral to maintain an organic feed of reviews without violating Google’s guidelines to avoid consequences such as profile delisting.

5. Proximity to Searchers

You can’t control Google’s search result algorithms or rankings, but you surely have control over Google local ranking factors. One such factor is listing correct geographical information about your business. Remember to keep your address updated and description naturally filled with location-based keywords to up your ranking game.

6. Accurate Location on Maps

North, South, Left, or Right; you don’t want to confuse your customers right? Precise mapping of your business location is essential if you are not looking forward to giving away your important customer to a similar business down the street.

Remember, this will influence your customer reviews, and offline market share and more importantly will lower your GMB profile rank for incorrect information.

7. GMB Photos

Visually displaying your workplace or business by adding relevant good quality photos might increase your chances of getting a higher rank than those GMB profiles without images.

8. Regular GMB Posts

Educating your target audience about services, or business-relevant information through regular posts on GMB profiles can bring you one step closer to the list of highest-ranked businesses in your category.

9. Products or Services

Your offline ranking is highly influenced by the quality and category of products and services you provide. What if we say this might influence Google SERPs as well.

Yes, it’s essential to add or display the products or services as it gives Google a good reason to visit your profile; determine how your business can benefit the customers, and then rank you high in SERPs.

10. Negative factors

Just like there are two sides of a coin, there are both positive and negative factors affecting your local Google rankings and it’s equally important to know them both. So, don’t stop reading!

Intentional or unintentional violation of guidelines while representing your business can lead to lower SERPs rankings and even GMB profile removal.
Websites with poor security, over or under-optimization, and improper technical configuration will be affected in terms of local ranking factors.
In case of content guidelines violation with regards to reviews or observation of fake and paid followers, be prepared for reputational, profile delisting, and litigation consequences.
Poorly developed citations in terms of incorrect or conflicting information will result in lower ranks.
Your business might rank low in cases of poorly determined citations or false information.
Participation in false link building such as incorrect link exchanges or purchasing behaviors is not encouraged. It can result in negative outcomes.
Personal factors such as selected business locations that are not under Google’s radar might hinder your rankings.
Incomplete Google My Business profiles along with low-quality websites will certainly see a decline in their web traffic and engagement.

11. Google Business Openness

Google’s updated local search algorithm now emphasizes the ‘openness’ signal. Businesses open during a search query are ranked higher, especially for non-navigational queries. This change encourages businesses to accurately update their operating hours on Google My Business, impacting visibility in local searches. For instance, a coffee shop open late could rank higher in evening searches compared to its closed competitors.

“If your business isn’t open 24/7, Google does not recommend you change your business listing to be open 24 hours per day.” – Search Engine Land

Below is a prime example of Google considering open business as a ranking factor:

Conclusion

Information, Information, & Information. Let’s put a simple end to it!

Just like Google’s never-ending experiment with Google My Business ranking factors affecting local SERPs, your understanding of these factors will be never-ending with constant changes and guides Google brings in. But what’s more important is the quality implementation of solutions to every factor with the help of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques.

Any piece of writing is not enough to stress on the importance of organic SEO for better website and content ranking along with a well-articulated GMB profile. Therefore, start your SEO and GMB journey with the top SEO company in Ahmedabad; Aone of course!