It’s no surprise that home improvement businesses need to be in the top search results on Google. It’s where people go to find local services and research companies online, and it has become a crucial part of any remodeling company’s success.
However, many home remodeling businesses often don’t know how they can get their business ranked higher across the web or what steps they should take if they are unhappy with their search ranking. Thankfully there are some simple things you can do that will help your business rank well for free outside of local SEO efforts.
Local marketing is not just about getting noticed- though it certainly helps – it also needs to be done correctly so you’ll be visible online. Here are 5 tips to help you rank higher on Google maps:
What is local ranking?
Local results appear across Google, such as Maps, when someone searches for a company near their location. For example, if you search for “home builders” from your mobile device, you’ll be shown businesses that match your search query in your local area.
The goal for any remodeling business is to rank high for local searches so homeowners can find them instead of the competition. There are many factors that go into what business listings are shown in search results, however, local ranking is primarily determined by relevance, distance, and prominence.
Relevance
The relevance of a Business Profile is determined by how well it relates to the searcher’s interests. Your company should align with the searcher’s intent. Your business won’t show up in search engine results if it has nothing to do with what a person is searching for.
Prominence
Prominence is a term that refers to how well-known a company is. Large chain stores, like Lowe’s or Home Depot, for example, are more well-known in the offline world so they’ll typically rank very high for a variety of keywords.
Google assesses sites in the search results based on data it has about a company, including links, articles, and directories published across the internet. Local search rankings are also determined by both Google review count and review score. Positive feedback and ratings can also improve your company’s visibility online.
Distance
The distance factor considers how far away each possible search result is from the searched-for term. If a user doesn’t provide a location, Google will estimate the distance based on what they know about the user’s current location.
Have you done a search for your company and found that it doesn’t appear in relevant searches in your area? To boost your company’s visibility, make sure to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile.
What is a Google Business Profile?
Your Google Business Profile(GBP) is Google’s local business listings service that allows businesses to get their information listed when people search for nearby products or services. It makes it easy for homeowners looking in your area to find what they need without sifting through hundreds of pages of remodeling companies that don’t even work in their vicinity.
Claiming and optimizing your GBP profile is free and by following these 5 steps you can better your odds of being one of the top companies listed in Google Maps in your area.
Optimizing Your Google Business Profile
Enter complete data
The most relevant results for each search are displayed in local business results.
Check to make sure you’ve filled out your profile with complete business information, so people know what you do, where you are, and when they can contact you.
Ensure that your business listing is truly accurate. Use your full business name, address, website, and phone number. You can even include your products and services, plus what category your company falls within. You may think using a version of your business name with keywords may help your rankings, but Google doesn’t allow this and can remove your listing as a result.
Verify your location(s)
Once you’ve claimed your local business listing, it’s time to verify each location. Google will ask you to either upload a local file for review or take an image of the local business with your phone to confirm that you are the owner or authorized representative.
For example, a local address is frequently a significant element in search results, so double-check that your company’s location is correctly recorded on your Google Business Profile using Google Maps to improve your position.
Keep your hours accurate
Update your business hours on a regular basis, including when you open and close, as well as any special hours for holidays or events.
Manage and respond to reviews
While location-based search results are largely based on relevance, positive reviews will help improve local rankings. Responding to each review with a simple “thank you” can also positively impact your ranking on Google.
Respond to both positive reviews and negative reviews. It demonstrates that you value your customers and their comments, as well as helps to increase your home building company’s visibility.
Add photos
Although local search rankings are largely based on relevance and prominence, businesses should also add photos to improve their local ranking in Google Maps.
Make sure to add high-quality photos that show the interior and exterior of your business, as well as your staff.
Once you have implemented these 5 tips, continue to monitor your local rankings on Google Maps to ensure that they are improving over time. This should be done regularly to make sure there are no gaps in terms of local ranking. If any changes do occur, you can easily adjust accordingly before it negatively impacts your local search results position.
Do you need help ranking higher on Google Maps? Our team of home remodeling marketing experts can help with optimizing your GBP account and ensure that your company is visible in local search results.
