When a customer searches for a business or place near their location, they’ll find local results on Google Maps and Search. For example, a customer might find local places near them if they search for “Italian restaurant” on their phone. Google tries to show customers the kind of nearby business they’d like to visit.
You can use your Business Profile to improve your business’s local ranking. Learn more about how Google sources business information for search results.
How to improve your local ranking on Google
Keep your business information up-to-date
Businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results. If your business info isn’t accurate, your Business Profile might not show up for relevant searches in your area.
Make sure your business info is as complete as possible in your Business Profile. This helps customers know what you do, where you are, and when they can visit. Provide information like:
- Your full address, if your business has a location that customers can visit
- Your phone number
- What kind of business you are
- Other details such as parking or Wi-Fi availability
Learn how to edit your Business Profile.
Verify your businessThis tells Google that you’re authorized to represent the business, so it's more likely to show up in search results. Learn how to verify your business on Google.
Regularly update your business hours which includes your regular and special store hours. This helps customers know when they can visit your business. Learn how to edit your hours.
When you reply to customer reviews, it shows that you value their feedback. Positive reviews and helpful replies can help your business stand out. Learn more tips to get more Google reviews.
You can show customers what you offer and tell the story of your business with photos and videos. Learn how to manage photos or videos for your Business Profiles.
Important: This is available only for retail businesses in eligible countries or regions.
If you have a retail store, you can show your in-store products on your Business Profile. When you do this, your in-store products might show in local search results and customers can find out what’s in stock. Learn how to showcase in-store products.
Understand factors that determine local ranking
Important: There's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google. We do our best to keep the search algorithm details confidential to make the ranking system as fair as possible for everyone.
Local results are mainly based on relevance, distance, and popularity. Together, these factors help Google find the best match for customers’ searches.
RelevanceDistance refers to how far each business is from the customer who’s searching. If a customer doesn’t share where they are, Google uses what it knows about their location.
Prominence means how well-known a business is. Prominent places are more likely to show up in search results. This factor’s also based on info like how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have. More reviews and positive ratings can help your business’s local ranking.