Google Maps Marketing: The best tool to target locals

Google Maps Marketing: The best tool to target locals
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When we google a keyword, most often, we get Google Maps results in search results. Google Maps results feature above the organic results.

As someone who is quite curious about digital marketing, I used to wonder how Google decides the ranking of businesses on Google Maps. Is there any method to get a business featured in the top results of Google Maps? After googling a bit more, I found out the term Google Maps Marketing.

Digging deeper, I came across three detailed posts on the topic written by Lalit Sharma, founder and CEO of Ranking By SEO. When I contacted him, he agreed to shed some light on the topic.

Lalit Sharma, Google Maps Marketing Expert, Founder and CEO of Ranking By SEO

Lalit Sharma, Google Maps Marketing Expert, Founder and CEO of Ranking By SEO

Here is a Q&A session with Lalit Sharma, who helped many clients feature in the top results on Google Maps.

1. What is Google Maps Marketing?

Lalit: Let me explain it in simple words,

Google Maps Marketing is nothing but using Google Maps’ functionality to feature a business in the top Google Maps results when a potential customer searches for a keyword similar to your products or services.

Let me explain it through an example:

You want to buy an air-conditioner and google about it. You will get a few results on Google Maps showing you the direction of the stores.

Google Maps Marketing can help your business feature in the top Google Maps results when a potential customer searches for a keyword related to your product or services.

2. What is the point of Google Maps Marketing and how is it useful for business?

Lalit: Google Maps Marketing is one of the best marketing tools to target local audience. And the best thing about it is you do not have to spend a hefty amount on it. As compared to other marketing avenues, Google Maps Marketing is quite economical.

Let us come to your question why a business needs Google Maps Marketing and how it is useful.

The main objective of Google Maps Marketing is to target local audience through Google Maps. And businesses can benefit from Google Maps Marketing in multiple ways.

Let me explain it further.

In addition to targeting the local audience, Google Maps Marketing builds trust and brand visibility. So, eventually, it increases conversion rate.

Now you must be thinking that how Google Maps Marketing can build trust and brand visibility.

Let us come to the previous example of the air-conditioner.

Suppose your company sells air-conditioners. And it features on Google Maps when a potential customer makes a search.

Don’t you think the potential customer will feel that you are a trusted company seeing you in the top results on Google Maps?

3. How you do Google Maps Marketing?

Lalit: We always follow Google’s guidelines for local search to offer Google Maps Marketing service.

Google considers distance, relevance, and prominence to rank businesses on Google Maps.

First of all, we optimize the Google My Business Profiles of our clients, and then build high-quality backlinks and local citations so that Google can establish relevance and prominence of their businesses when somebody searches for a keyword related to their businesses.

Our entire Google Maps Marketing strategy is targeted towards building relevance and prominence for your business.

When it comes to building backlinks and local citations, we follow the best practices.

If any client does not have Google My Business profile, we start from creating a Google My Business profile.

4. What are the prospects of a job seeker who becomes an expert in Google Maps Marketing?

Lalit: As Google Maps results appear in search results above the organic search results, more and more businesses want to feature in the top results on Google Maps. To do so, they need to adopt Google Maps Marketing.

This simply means there are lots of opportunities present for Google Maps Marketers. If somebody is interested in making his/her career in the Google Maps Marketing domain, I can assure that he/she will have a great career.

However, a person who wants to become an expert in Google Maps Marketing should always be ready to learn new things. Only then, he/she can survive in this highly competitive domain.

5. Why did you choose Google Maps Marketing, out of passion or necessity?

Lalit: How should I put it? I am a digital marketer, and I want to excel at everything related to digital marketing.

The trend of Google Maps Marketing is setting in fast. As it is a part of local online marketing, I needed to master it. This is how I got into Google Maps Marketing. You can call it passion or necessity. I would like to say that I have passionately learned Google Maps Marketing because it is the need of time.

6. What is the future of Google Maps Marketing?

Lalit: Well, the future of Google Maps Marketing is bright. Google has been improving its Maps constantly. More and more businesses are trying to feature in the top results of Google Maps. Google has also started paid ads on Google Maps, which are similar to PPC ads.

I believe Google Maps Marketing is going to catch up really fast. As Google Maps search results appear above the organic results, businesses build brand awareness as well.

Let me explain it:

You want to eat the Italian food and google for a nearby restaurant, the top Italian restaurants will appear on Google Maps with complete details, such as addresses, opening time, etc.

Don’t you think you will try to get more details of the restaurants featured on Google Maps results?

My point here is,

Businesses that feature in the top Google Maps results have more chances to convert locals into their customers.

You can read his thought leadership articles on Google Maps Marketing here, here, and here.

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