Google Maps marketing that gets your business into the top three
Somebody a few streets away searches for exactly what you sell and calls one of the three businesses Google Maps shows first. The aim is for yours to be one of them, so the phone rings as often as it could.
Below: how to get listed, what wins a place on the map, where reviews, posts, ads and AI answers fit in, and how to see what brings calls.
Add your business to Google Maps
A verified profile is your place on the map. Your Maps listing comes from a Google Business Profile.
- Go to the Google Business Profile website and sign in with your Google account.
- Enter your business name and choose the most accurate category.
- Add your location. A service-area business that works at its customers' locations can hide its address and show the areas it serves.
- Verify the business. Google chooses the method for you, depending on your business type and region: phone or text, email, a video recording or live video call, or a postcard by mail.
"Verification methods are automatically determined by Google and can't be changed." Source: Google Business Profile Help, "Verify your business on Google"
Once verified, your business appears on Google Maps. Our local SEO service can handle the setup and verification for you.
Complete every field of your profile, accurately
Upkeep wins here as much as the product does. A complete, accurate profile ranks better and earns more clicks.
- Accurate details. Name, address, phone number and opening hours, kept up to date, including holiday hours.
- Business description. Explain what you do in plain language, using the terms customers search for.
- Photos and videos. Show your premises, team, products or services.
- Categories. Choose one primary category and add every relevant secondary one.
Build citations with identical details in every directory
When your address reads the same in every directory, Google trusts it. A citation is a mention of your business name, address and phone number (NAP) on another website. Consistent citations help Google trust your details, which supports your local SEO.
- List your business in reputable directories such as Yelp, TripAdvisor and the leading sites for your industry.
- Keep your NAP identical everywhere.
- Add LocalBusiness schema markup to your website so Google can read the same details there.
Ask for reviews, and reply to every one
Reviews are the first thing a nearby customer reads before calling, and they count towards your ranking in local results.
- Ask for reviews. Invite satisfied customers in follow-up emails, on receipts or on social media.
- Respond to every review. Replying to positive and negative reviews alike shows you value feedback and builds trust with people reading them.
Post offers, news and events on your profile
An active profile looks like an open business. A Business Profile lets you publish updates, offers and events directly on your listing, which appear when people find you on Search and Maps. Post about:
- sales or discounts
- new products or services
- events
- changes to opening hours
Short on ideas? Many of our blog post ideas for small businesses work as Google posts too.
Prepare for AI search in Maps
Google is adding its Gemini models to Maps, so people ask full questions in their own words, and the answers draw on your profile and your reviews. A complete profile and a steady flow of reviews now count twice, which is where local search meets generative engine optimization.
"Ask Maps, a new conversational experience that answers complex, real-world questions a map could never answer before." Google began rolling it out in the US and India on 12 March 2026. Source: Google, "Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation", 12 March 2026
Keep your information accurate and specific, answer common questions in your description and posts, and base your wording on local keyword research.
Buy visibility on day one with paid ads
Organic visibility builds over months; ads buy it on day one. Google Ads can put your business at the top of Maps and local results. Google has retired its old Local campaigns in favour of Performance Max for store goals:
- Create a Google Ads account and link your Business Profile.
- Start a Performance Max campaign with a store visits goal.
- Set your locations and budget.
- Add your ad text, images and other assets.
Performance Max for store goals promotes your stores "across Google's largest properties including the Google Search Network, Google Maps, Waze, YouTube, Gmail, and the Google Display Network." Source: Google Ads Help, "About Performance Max for store goals"
| Tactic | Cost | What it improves |
|---|---|---|
| Complete profile | Free | Relevance and clicks |
| Citations | Free, or paid directory listings | Trust in your details |
| Reviews | Free | Ranking and conversion |
| Google posts | Free | Engagement on your listing |
| Performance Max for store goals | Paid, you set the budget | Immediate visibility |
Track the calls and visits your listing brings
The numbers tell you which change brought the calls. The Performance report in your Business Profile shows:
- how many people found you on Search and Maps
- the search terms they used
- calls, website clicks and direction requests
Use the data to adjust your profile and posts. For tracking what happens once visitors reach your website, see our guide to alternatives to Google Analytics.
Five inputs that build a top-three listing
Promoting a local business on Google Maps comes down to a verified, complete profile, consistent citations, a steady flow of reviews and replies, regular posts, and paid ads when you need visibility fast.
