5 Ways to Improve Your Google My Business Ranking

Local search has become the cornerstone of discovery for businesses with physical locations. When potential customers search “coffee shop near me” or “plumber in Chicago,” Google My Business (GMB) listings dominate the results. If your business isn’t ranking well, you’re leaving money on the table.

Here are five proven strategies to improve your GMB ranking and attract more local customers.

1. Complete Every Section of Your Profile

Google rewards completeness. A fully filled-out profile signals to Google that your business is legitimate and provides value to searchers.

Essential Sections to Complete

Business Information:

Accurate business name (as it appears in the real world)
Complete address with suite numbers if applicable
Local phone number (not a toll-free number)
Website URL
Business hours (including special holiday hours)

Business Category:

Primary category that best describes your main service
Secondary categories for additional services
Be specific rather than broad

Business Description: Write a compelling 750-character description that includes:

What your business does
What makes you unique
Your service area
Natural keywords (don’t stuff!)

Pro Tips for Profile Completion

Add products and services with descriptions and prices
Include attributes (wheelchair accessible, free Wi-Fi, etc.)
Upload your logo and cover photo
Add menu items if you’re a restaurant

2. Generate and Respond to Reviews

Reviews are one of the most powerful ranking factors for local search. They signal trust to both Google and potential customers.

How to Get More Reviews

Ask at the right moment:

After a successful transaction
When a customer expresses satisfaction
Following project completion

Make it easy:

Send a direct link to your review page
Include QR codes on receipts or signage
Use email follow-ups with review requests

What NOT to do:

Never buy fake reviews
Don’t review-gate (only asking happy customers)
Avoid incentivizing reviews with discounts

Responding to Reviews

Every review deserves a response. Here’s why it matters:

For positive reviews:

Thank the customer by name
Reference something specific from their experience
Keep it genuine and personal

For negative reviews:

Respond quickly (within 24 hours if possible)
Apologize sincerely
Take the conversation offline to resolve
Follow up publicly when resolved

3. Optimize for Local Keywords

Your GMB listing and website should work together to signal relevance for local searches.

On Your GMB Profile

Include location-relevant terms naturally in:

Business description
Product and service descriptions
Posts and updates
Photo captions and file names

On Your Website

Create location-specific landing pages
Include city and neighborhood names in content
Add local schema markup
Build local citations on relevant directories

Keyword Research for Local SEO

Use tools to discover:

Search volume for local terms
Related local keywords
Question-based searches in your area
Seasonal trends in local search

4. Post Regular Updates

Google My Business posts keep your profile active and provide fresh content for searchers to engage with.

Types of GMB Posts

What’s New:

Business updates and news
New products or services
Team announcements

Events:

Upcoming workshops or classes
Community events you’re hosting
Sales or special occasions

Offers:

Limited-time discounts
Special promotions
Seasonal deals

Best Practices for GMB Posts

Post at least once per week
Use high-quality images (1200x900 pixels minimum)
Include a clear call-to-action
Keep text concise (150-300 characters)
Use relevant keywords naturally

5. Build Local Citations

Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. Consistent citations help Google verify your business information.

Priority Citation Sources

General Directories:

Yelp
Yellow Pages
Better Business Bureau
Facebook Business

Industry-Specific Directories:

TripAdvisor (hospitality)
Healthgrades (healthcare)
Avvo (legal)
Houzz (home services)

Local Directories:

Chamber of Commerce
Local business associations
City/community websites
Local news site directories

Maintaining Citation Consistency

Your NAP should be identical everywhere:

Same business name format
Same address format (St. vs Street)
Same phone number format
Same suite/unit notation

Auditing Your Citations

Regularly check:

Accuracy of existing citations
Duplicate listings that need merging
New opportunities for citations
Competitor citation sources

Tracking Your Progress

Improvement takes time. Monitor these metrics in your GMB dashboard:

Visibility Metrics:

Search views (how often you appear)
Maps views (map-specific appearances)
Search queries (what people searched)

Engagement Metrics:

Website clicks
Direction requests
Phone calls
Photo views

Compare over time:

Month-over-month trends
Year-over-year growth
Performance vs. competitors

Quick Wins You Can Do Today

Log into your GMB profile and check for incomplete sections
Respond to any unanswered reviews
Create and publish a new post
Upload 3-5 new photos
Verify your hours are accurate

Conclusion

Improving your Google My Business ranking isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. By consistently optimizing your profile, generating reviews, and staying active, you’ll see gradual improvements in your local search visibility.

Remember: Google wants to show the best, most relevant results to searchers. Make it easy for them by proving your business is active, trustworthy, and genuinely helpful to your local community.