How to Rank on Google Maps: What Google Says Matters and What to Do Each Month

The three things Google looks at

Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. It also says there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking, so be wary of anyone who promises a guaranteed spot.

Relevance: does your profile match the search?

Relevance is how well your profile matches what someone searched for. Google says complete, detailed business information helps it understand you. For a plumber, that means the right primary category, a full list of the services you really offer, accurate hours and a clear description.

Distance: how far are you from the searcher?

Distance is how far your business is from the person searching. If they don't share their location, Google uses what it knows about where they are. You can't move your shop, but you can make sure your service areas are accurate so Google knows where you work.

Prominence: how well known are you?

Prominence is how well known your business is. Google says this is based on things like how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.

Get the foundation right (one-time work)

Before any monthly routine, make sure these basics are done. Google lists most of them in its own tips:

• ✓Verify your profile. Google says verified businesses are more likely to show up in search results.
• ✓Use your real business name, exactly as it appears on your truck, website and invoices. Adding keywords breaks Google's guidelines.
• ✓Pick the fewest, most specific categories. For most plumbing companies that means "Plumber" as the main category.
• ✓Set your service areas. Google allows up to 20 and suggests staying within about two hours' drive of your base.
• ✓Hide your address if customers don't come to you.
• ✓Add your hours, phone number and website. Google says the phone number should be one your business controls directly, and a local number is preferred over a call center.
• ✓Add your services, with short plain descriptions.

A simple monthly routine

Once the foundation is in place, the work is mostly about staying active and earning prominence. Here's a routine that fits around a busy schedule:

Every job: ask for a review

Use Google's review link and ask every customer the same way. Don't offer anything in return and don't only ask happy customers. Google's policies prohibit both. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers the details.

Every week: reply to reviews

Google says replying to reviews shows you value feedback. Keep replies short and specific, and handle complaints calmly.

Every month: add photos and a post

Add a few real photos of recent jobs, your team and your vehicles. Google's photo guidelines ask for photos that are in focus, well lit and not heavily filtered. You can also publish posts on your profile to share updates or offers. Google notes that posts with a phone number in the text may be rejected if the number can't be confirmed as yours, so keep the phone number on the profile itself.

Every quarter: check your info

Look over your hours, services, service areas and holiday hours. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to appear for relevant searches, and that changes are reviewed before they go live.

Your website's role

Your website supports your Maps ranking in two ways. It helps prominence when other sites link to it, and it helps customers decide once they find you. Google's SEO starter guide recommends helpful, people-first content, descriptive page addresses and clear link text. For a plumber, that usually means one clear page per main service and a page for each main area you really serve.

Google's developer documentation also describes LocalBusiness structured data, a bit of code that can tell Google your business hours and other details. It's a nice extra, not a replacement for a good profile.

What a first 90 days can look like

Here's a simple way to pace the work if you're starting from a thin or messy profile. It's a plan, not a promise. Every market is different.

1. 01

   Weeks 1-2: fix the foundation

   Verify the profile, correct the name, main category, service areas, hours and phone number, and fill in services and the description. Add 10 or so real photos.

2. 02

   Weeks 3-4: start the review habit

   Get your review link, add it to invoices and follow-up texts, and ask every customer. Reply to every new review within a few days.

3. 03

   Month 2: support it with your website

   Make sure your website lists the same services and areas as your profile, loads quickly on a phone and has a clear tap-to-call number.

4. 04

   Month 3: keep it active and check results

   Post an update, add new photos and look at where you show up for your main searches in the towns you serve. Adjust services or pages where you're weak.

The point is steady work. A profile that is complete, accurate and active every month gives Google more reasons to show it.

How to check where you rank

Searching from your own phone at the shop only shows you what Google shows at that spot. Results change with distance, so check from a few places you serve, or use a rank-tracking tool that checks a grid of points. Look at trends over weeks, not single days.

How long does it take?

Google's SEO starter guide says some changes show in a few hours and others take several months, and suggests waiting a few weeks to judge whether a change worked. In our experience with local profiles, fixes to wrong info can show within days, while rankings and reviews usually take 30 to 90 days to build. That is a typical range, not a guarantee.

Things that don't work (and can hurt)

• ✓Keyword-stuffed business names.
• ✓Fake addresses or virtual offices. Google says they aren't eligible.
• ✓Several profiles for the same business in different towns.
• ✓Paid or swapped reviews.
• ✓Anyone who promises a guaranteed number one spot.