$993,958,646
Revenue Generated by SEO22,125,576
E-commerece Transactions19,246,223
Leads Generated12,636,545
Calls Generated96%
Client Retention Rate Yes! We win 96% of the time.118
SEO Awards Won
Bleeding-edge technology for google maps ranking and optimization services.
Unrivaled partnerships and collaborations you’ve never dreamed of.
Ranking abilities that will literally blow your mind, it’s almost like… MAGIC.
Unique abilities to expand your coverage areas and allow your brand to thrive.
Fully customized google maps platform and dashboard to make your life so much easier.
We are able to create maps for you. It’s as easy as 1…2…3!
If you thought “Yes!”, then Google Maps Marketing by OTT is your best weapon.
If you hesitate for even a second, we kindly invite you to close the tab and seek help somewhere else. We much rather help those who REALLY want to destroy the competition.
GMB (Google My Business) is what controls local search results on the Google Maps platform, Google Assistant, and search. Setting and optimizing your google maps information was never as essential as it is today. That is… if you want to grow your business’s revenue. If you are happily running a company that barely pays the bills…again… we kindly invite you to close this tab and seek help somewhere else.
If you are serious about growing your business and are willing to follow our rules to a tee, then check if you qualify to become one of our partners.
If you are not sure what the Google Maps platform is or how it can help your business, read on.
We have inspired and motivated business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals around the world for the past few years, and we’ve designed apps that both boost brand awareness and drives productivity off the charts. However, we realized that we couldn’t help everyone. and the truth is not everyone is our match made in heaven. Therefore, we only accept new clients after an extensive screening process that helps us determine whether we will be a good fit for each other.
Here are a few eye-opening figures:
If you search for a Local SEO Company near you without revealing your location, Google will automatically display the BEST 3 results on the map-pack ranking based on their distance to you. If we have a map near your location, Google will display our company in that 3-pack depending on your proximity to us. Chances are you will check out the top 3 positions before you check any other options.
So, now imagine we applied this process to your business. If someone searched for your services near them and you were to pop in their faces, what do you think will happen? Well, we know exactly what happens. We know it so damn well, we made close to 1 billion dollars for our partners and ourselves throughout years of doing business together, doing exactly what we are describing here, constantly, and steadily.
Google My Business (GMB), also known as Google Maps, is a service provided by Google that allows you to manage what your customers see when they search for your business. With GMB you can keep your info updated so people doing local searches can easily find and contact you.
Google’s Local Pack, Local Map Pack, or Local 3-pack are all the same thing. It is a featured service by google that presents only the best top 3 results of the “map pack.” That means the three companies you see first when you do a local search. They appear under the ads section but above the organically ranked pages (sometimes below). You can easily see how well-liked / reviewed those companies are. Moreover, those featured maps are very easily spotted by the consumer and are meant to catch their eyes and drive them to action. They can call you directly or check your website, and even get directions on how to get there from where they stand.
Google is continually upgrading its UX. 2022 is almost gone, and even now, Google is upgrading its Google Maps platform. They now allow you to truly customize the way you present your business to the public. Those who are not paying attention will get inevitably behind.
Really, there’s no reason for your business not to invest in Google Maps marketing. Some companies even depend solely on maps to provide for their entire business. It makes your website – and your business — more accessible to customers. And what business doesn’t want a constant flow of new and repeat customers?
You don’t have to dig too deep to find a bunch of how-to guides to optimize your business’s GMB profile. They all go something like this: make your website mobile-friendly, provide great content, show your connections to the community, keep your NAP updated and consistent throughout the web… yadda, yadda, yadda…
But that’s not us.
First, because we know for a fact that optimizing your GMB profile is never as simple as they picture it. If it were the case, everyone would be IN the top 3 positions. Odds are YOU are NOT in the top 3 of the map-pack in google if you are reading this.
Secondly, there is a reason your favorite gas station ́s employees never try to lecture you on fuel efficiency every time you want to fill up the tank. You ́re probably not in the energy industry, and you certainly are not into Google Maps SEO.
Trying to teach you how to do our job is a total waste of time. We want you to focus on what you do best, so we can take care of the rest. If you think you can do a better job at Google My Business SEO than us, we have no problem with that. Just go do it somewhere else.
We are not here to teach you anything about our business. We ́re here to apply our knowledge in ways that will make your business rank. Think of your marketing budget as fuel for your business. If you run out of fuel, your business will not take off. Simple.
Search Engines such as Google are thriving for leaving their mark for generations to come (they did already if you hadn’t noticed).
As technology, connectivity, and users need to evolve, and never stop doing it, so do search engines. The brilliant minds that built them, watch over them, feed them, and nurture them, work hard so you get what you need and what you want, RIGHT NOW, FAST!
Just like the rules for web design have changed, forcing you to create a mobile-friendly website or be penalized by Google, the rules for local search and Google Maps marketing have changed too. And they are meant to keep changing ALL THE TIME! The bar has been raised. It’s no longer a one-and-done job. It probably never really really was (don’t you agree?). You know how it was, right? Many businesses taking advantage of it in the past, and now they are evolving, remember?
Just a few years ago, most businesses did nothing to optimize for local search. But today, you have to run faster just to keep your current rankings on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). And whichever company comes up first in local pack search results gets the lion’s share of customers. And we are not talking about a small 2% / 5% share. We are talking about 30%+ of market shares if you are well positioned on the top 3 results for your niche.
Especially if your customers need help quickly and in particular locally — locksmiths, plumbers, electricians, garage door repair services, doctors of all kinds, all sorts of lawyers, drug rehab centers, mortgage brokers/companies, contractors, remodeling, etc. Because those people are likely searching on their mobile phones will probably call you as soon as they see you there.
It’s not really an investment. It’s more like a “need.” Why? Because it’s your direct line to your customers and, to many of you, the only option you have got.
Think of SEO as just another utility bill. YOU CANNOT do everything on your own. You depend on your customers, your family, your employees, your investors. But you also depend on other entities like your electricity company, your ISP, Google… You cannot make it alone.
A business that correctly performed their Google My Business Optimization for local searches generates more revenue, period. If you have a solid Google Maps Marketing strategy, more customers searching for your type of business in your local area will find YOU before they find your competitors.
Do you want higher growth than your competitors? OTT is your answer.
If you compare how much PPC marketing and social media ads cost, you will realize that Google Maps marketing takes the cake when it comes to ROI.
We can tell you this with certainty: if we decide to partner with you, you can expect between 50% to 1000% more traffic to your website and in many cases MUCH more than that. Either way, you will, at worst, double what you do, or become an absolute monopoly in your domain if you play your cards right.
This much traffic would otherwise cost you a great deal via Google Ads or other any other Paid Ads services.
Businesses that rank higher on the Map pack can expect more traffic than those who rank lower. DUH. Prospects will see you first, and they trust Google to show them the results that best suit their needs. But it’s impossible to rank near the top if you don’t know what you’re doing, and you don’t have a google maps marketing services by your side. Especially when trying to dominate a competitive niche.
We have beat every competitor in every niche we have stepped in. There are companies ranking high, believing they were born on third base, parading around telling everyone they hit a triple. We are here to burst their bubble and take over. Do you have a competitor in mind? Do you feel like showing them who’s boss? What are you waiting for?
Of course, you cannot do any of this on your own. It’s not because you are not smart enough or don’t have what it takes. After all, you are a business owner, so you probably do. But you lack the knowledge, the experience, the resources, the practice… Basically, you lack the whole package. More likely than not, you won’t become a Google My Business optimization expert anytime soon.
And why would you want to when you don’t have to? That’s not your job. That is OUR job.
Things like Google Maps SEO is precisely why we exist. People like you need qualified professionals, years of experience, and successful results over the years that no amount of money can buy. That’s our offer. If you become one of our partners, our staff becomes your staff. Your goals become our goals.
Why? Because when you make money, we make money. So, we want you to succeed. That’s why we don’t work with just anyone. Our partners need to be worthy of our time and resources, finance it, and eventually enjoy the fruits of our hard labor. And the reality is that not every business is. It’s just the way it is.
We can’t say this enough (Literally). Most people doing local searches are ready to make a purchase, call or visit your business. The problem is that not all visitors will stop their purchasing process at your door.
We have seen campaigns fail spectacularly because they did an awesome job at Google Maps SEO and increased their Google Maps ranking, but did so for the wrong terms, and then their websites couldn’t convert. People visited the site, learned a bit about the product or services, and then closed the tab only to make a purchase at a competitor’s website. That meant hundreds of thousands of dollars that could have seen better use in one night in Vegas.
You need to understand the POWER of SEO services for Google Maps. ALL the traffic you receive from ranking on Google Maps Local 3-pack converts at a much higher rate than any other. Your presence on the map sends clear signals to the consumer that you are indeed a business that can serve their needs.
Google My Business SEO is one of the most effective ways of getting new traffic, phone calls, and people walking into your place. It is so effective that you can see a drastic increase in traffic in a matter of hours after being correctly created. We can rank maps like no one can. We can make the impossible, POSSIBLE… Google my Business SEO is one of the most potent, most amazing ways to generate revenue almost instantly for your business.
SEO is power; local-oriented Google Maps SEO is even more so. By appearing organically (naturally) at the top of organic results, Google will inexorably bring you a 3rd of all traffic your niche has to offer online. If there is one place you always want to appear high and mighty is organic results.
Think about it this way. The average consumer that searches for a service or a place through the three options Google presents (local SEO, local maps, local ads), will be picking the organic SEO positioned over the other two options 4 out of 10 times, and in many cases 6 and 7 out of 10 times. The organic exposure on local results is not only a clear statement of who the local boss in your niche is but also who is the most authoritative.
That is why you want to do everything in your power to be displayed on those three spots. That’s why you want to tap on the amazing strategy that is Google Maps marketing.
It’s proven to work time and again and is the secret to our success.
Nowadays, social proof is everything for a business. Especially for those catering to consumers within a community. It’s the word-of-mouth of the digital era.
It’s how you earn trust. SEO for Google Maps is a sure shot to achieving this by providing a platform where consumers can leave reviews and rank your site.
Some might point out that consumer reviews may also hurt your business. However, reputation management is also part of any respectable Google Maps marketing company ́s strategies.
That is one of the reasons we don ́t partner up with just anyone. We need to see what’s under the hood of your business before letting you take a peek at ours.
We need to make sure you provide a great service or offer an excellent product, so customers won’t bat an eye to leave good reviews. We only want to worry about funneling traffic your way. You take care of the rest.
The only question left is: will customers find you or your competitors first?
Just as you know your business, we know ours. We can put you right there on the 3-pack anytime we want, for as long as we want. It doesn’t matter how big your competitors are or what they’re doing now. If you qualify and we decide to work together, we will fight and WIN every battle for you.
We have slowly built a fantastic team with a lot of knowledge and wisdom that can’t be bought. We have nurtured the talent of our employees to a point where they can’t easily be replaced. And we share all that with those who play by the book, and are serious about dominating their niches and crushing their competitors.
Google Maps SEO and Local SEO are two hot topics right now. The reason? They work.
We’ve been saying it for years – to the benefit of our clients – and now, the rest of the industry seems to be finally catching up. Companies all around are starting to get the sheer influence an expertly optimized stage like the Google Maps platform, and Google My Business can deliver.
When done right, that is.
These platforms can give your company a definite strategic edge over your competitors. Leveraging Google’s robust geographic data infrastructure, a business can stand toe-to-toe against bigger companies, deeper pockets or not!
Best part? They can do so at a fraction of the investment. David vs Goliath isn’t about fighting harder, just fighting smarter.
“Google Maps marketing has long been, and will continue to be, a prime source of phone calls and walk-in traffic for local businesses.” Guy Sheetrit.
But before going deeper, let’s get something straight: Google Maps Marketing and Google My Business SEO’s ultimate objective is to have your business listing popping-up first in SERPs.
How? Great question, it actually takes three central elements interplaying with each other: Proximity, Rank, and Reviews.
So, before we move on to the nitty-gritty of doing Google Maps SEO, let’s make sure these elements are clear.
Proximity is a big deal when it comes to SEO for Google Maps. Search results are displayed prioritizing whatever is nearer to the person searching (as long as it also fits with their query, of course.)
For example, search for grocery stores on your Maps app, and Google will sort out their result list based on their proximity to your current location. It is a core component of the service they provide.
Right after location, we have Rank, and since not everybody has location data sharing enabled, or use a fixed position instead of current location, it can be a huge deal. In instances where real-time positioning isn’t available, the Google Maps platform goes down a step on its priority scale and fetches results based on other criteria. Things like your designated “Home” or where you usually connect to the internet. Rank, then, takes precedence.
As in any other type of SEO, Google Maps ranking algorithms are constantly being optimized to improve results quality for the platforms’ users. Once said algorithm has accounted for the current location (or lack thereof,) and rank, it turns to consider reviews, which stands as a subjective reflection of quality based on star ratings.
The importance of these customer testimonials is one of the main reasons that make Google My Business Optimization so important.
We’ll discuss it more in-depth later on, but for now, there’s a crucial thing you should know from the get-go: Trying to “game” these ratings in any way can bring you a lot of trouble with Google and isn’t worth the risk.
Providing quality services and improving your ratings organically is the way to go here.
So, with all of that out of the way, let’s get into the meat-and-potatoes of Google My Business optimization and the rest of SEO for Google Maps.
Searching for businesses or services/products you need using the Google Maps platform has become second nature for most. It has been for a while now, really.
Inbound marketing might be the name of the game, but it comes with a lot of hurdles to overcome. Not the least of which is walking your would-be customers through their buyer’s journey so that they eventually buy from you.
Google Maps marketing provides a reliable alternative to that! Introducing a platform full of people directly looking for products and services to purchase and where worrying about “overselling” them is not a concern.
Google maps SEO is all about being there, front-and-center, when and where it matters most. Prominently and professionally displayed in their local searches so that they pick your business and services whenever their need arises.
What’s more, the dominion of mobile is making these types of searches even more prevalent! Which makes Local SEO and Google Maps rankings more vital by the second.
To keep all that potential from going to waste, you need to be on top of your Google My Business optimization. And the first stop for that is claiming and verifying your profile.
You can’t start benefiting from Google My Business optimization and Google Maps marketing if you don’t have a listing. So, start there.
Sign in to the Google account you want to use to manage your Google My Business SEO strategy from, or go to the Google My Business page directly. Once there, click on the start now button and log in.
You’ll see a screen asking for your business’ name, fill it, and click next.
Next, you’ll see the address information section. Fill each section as accurately and detailed as possible.
Note: The checkbox marked by a truck icon applies when you are a service-area type of business, and serve your customers at locations on top of your business’ address.
Checking it enables another checkbox that says “Hide my address (it’s not a store)” You should only check this one if you do not serve clients on your business address. Otherwise, keep it unchecked!
Next, you are prompted to choose a category for your business.
Pay close attention to this part! Try and be as accurate as you possibly can. Take your time and find the category that most closely reflects your business. With this selection, you are telling Google in no uncertain terms the kind of services you provide, and by extension, the type of customer you wish to connect with. Making it a crucial piece in your optimization strategy, and any Google Maps marketing company worth their salt will tell you the same.
Click Next, and you are almost done. Now you just need to provide additional contact information. Namely phone and your website’s URL.
Another vital part of your Google My Business SEO process. Once you are done creating your GMB account, it’s time to verify it. That is, prove to Google that this is indeed your business. You have a few choices, so here are the details of the most popular ones, so you can decide which one suits you best:
Regular mail verification is pretty straightforward, but it can take a while
Check that the address displayed is correct, and edit it before requesting your postcard if it isn’t. Click “Send Postcard.” These usually take around 14 days to arrive, so be patient. Do Not edit your business name, address, category, or request a new postcard in the interim.
After you’ve received your postcard, log back into your Google Maps Platform, click “Verify Location” from the menu, and the “Verify Now” button. Enter the 5-digit code from your postcard and click “Submit.”
Some businesses are eligible to be verified via phone code, making this stage of your Google maps marketing pretty straightforward.
If yours is, it will be there when you click “Verify Location.” If you choose this option make sure you have immediate access to the phone you are going to use for verification (ideally, your business’ phone,) since you are going to receive the code within moments from choosing this option.
Just enter the code you receive on your phone, and you are done.
Same deal as with confirmation by phone, some businesses are eligible, and just like with phone verification, make sure you can access the email that’s going to receive the code before you choose this method. Just click the verify button and enter the code you receive on your email.
If you have already verified your business’ website with Google Search Console, then this verification method might appear among your options. Just make sure you are logged in with the same Google account you use on search console. Do keep in mind that some business categories are not eligible for this verification method, even if they had already verified a website in search console.
Once you have your new verified GMB profile – A digital storefront already strengthening your Google Maps marketing – you need to optimize it. Doing so will get you on Google’s best graces and increase your chances of getting ranked above suckers that settle for a default profile.
Believe or not, a lot of business owners make the mistake of relaxing when they see their business’ name pop up on their GMB card. Good, that gives you an edge.
Completing and expanding on all the available information on your business’ profile helps customers get every piece of data about your company they might need – neatly organized in a single location. Moreover, it also provides two crucial benefits on top of that.
First, you have your optimization benefits. The more information you provide Google about your business, the more accurately the Google Maps platform can assess precisely what it is you do. That leads to better matches – and effectively, better ranking results – to clients who might be after whatever it is you can provide for them. More info = Better Ranking.
Second, failing to fill out this information exposes you to griefing. Whatever field you leave open represents a potential vulnerability you are leaving open. Unscrupulous competitors can take advantage and fill them for you with misinformation using Google’s “Suggest an Edit” or “Answer a Quick Question” functions.
A few sections to pay extra attention to:
Business Description
Service Area
Services
Schedule
Take the advantage and avoid potential issues by being thorough and providing as much information as you possibly can as part of your Google My Business SEO efforts. Also, remember that you can edit this information at any moment, so keep it up to date as time passes and you change aspects of your service.
Here’s a nifty statistic you should know, from Google itself: Business with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions to their locations and a 32% more clicks through to their websites than those businesses that don’t have pictures!
Yes, having professional-looking photos of your business in your profile is that big of a deal for Google Maps marketing.
Your business’ cover photo is an essential piece of your Google My Business optimization, as it acts as the centerpiece for your business’ listing. Make sure to select one that showcases the best side of your business and feels entirely on-brand with your corporate image.
Try to use photos with a minimum resolution of 720 x 720 pixels.
Stick to JPG or PNG files, as they take less to load.
Google recommends including three pictures of exteriors, interiors, employees, rooms, and staff. Furthermore, they advise to include one image per common area, and one per product or service you provide.
Most guides tell you that your GMB profile’s video is optional. Any Google Maps marketing company will tell you it’s really more like missing out on an opportunity. Particularly on the topic of Google My Business SEO.
The internet is getting more audiovisual by the second. Higher bandwidths and connection speeds even on mobile devices allow for a more seamless integration of video content to regular navigation. The least you should do is take advantage of it when the opportunity presents itself.
Add to that with the fact that users are more likely to share and like video content, and you start to get why you need to add a video to your profile.
If you have already created some sort of promotional video that showcases your business before, here’s the perfect place to add it. Otherwise, consider investing in one, or record one yourself. As long as it looks professional and showcases your business in the best light, you are on the right path.
Videos have to be 30 seconds or shorter.
Keep them at 100 MB or smaller
Try to use 720p resolution
Reviews are one of the most powerful tools you have to encourage potential customers to give your business a try. The way to accomplish this and enhance your Google Maps marketing strategy – since these reviews are not in your hands – might not always evident.
The secret to encouraging reviews on your GMB profile is to reply to current ones, even if it is just a brief “Thank you.” Exchanges with someone who engaged with your business and taken the chance to leave a review motivates others to follow suit. It also gives your business the added benefit of projecting approach-ability and warmth. It’s an all-around ORM win.
Here’s a basic template you can use to reply to good reviews, feel free to customize it further:
Hi! Thank you very much for your visit [Client’s Name] We are glad you liked our [Service name]. Hope to have you back soon!
It is important to address negative reviews as well, as these could severely harm your reputation if left unattended. Dealing with negative reviews requires more care and thought, but here’s a basic template you can use to give you a sense of how to do it:
Hello [̈Client’s name], We are incredibly sorry to hear of your issue with [Service Name]. We appreciate your feedback and wanted to let you know we are already making trying to remedy the situation. (Here’s a good place to mention any actual changes or improvements that might be relevant) If you’d like to talk through your problem in more detail, please contact us, as we care for your experience and would like a chance to make it right.
Interacting with client’s reviews in this way has a powerful way to motivate others to leave reviews, and these, in turn, give confidence to new and potential customers to try your services as well.
Posts are another powerful tool on the Google Maps platform that you should be taking advantage of. Think of them as a platform to advertise new services or exciting content that will prompt potential customers to find and interact with your business.
Sort of an “Advertisement-Meets-Social-Media” deal.
To create a new post, just go to your Google My Business dashboard and selecting “Posts” from the left menu.
Just like you would in any piece of advertisement, appropriate call-to-actions should accompany your posts, but using them on this way exclusively will hinder their efficiency.
Combine your best advertisement copy with genuinely interesting information about your business, staff, products, and services, to create content shows your company’s best side while also working as conversion tools.
Just as your posts on social networks, GMB post are best handled by your community manager or Google Maps Marketing Company. But if you are doing it yourself, here are a couple of posts ideas to get you started:
New events announcements.
Sales and Promotions
Excerpts of your website’s blogs
Announcing New products or services
Wish your customers happy holidays
Get creative! There are a lot of ways you can use your posts to benefit your SEO for Google Maps, serving as a tool to showcase information that your potential customers would find relevant.
If you’ve been following along, at this point your profile is already head-and-shoulders ahead of that of most other business who underutilize Google Maps marketing. Yet, there’s a final feature you should be aware of that can give you a lot of intel on how your profile is performing, and to what particular elements do your visitors respond: GMB Insights.
Now, if you enlist the help of a Google Maps marketing company, you’ll never have to worry about this. Otherwise, it’s all on you, so pay attention.
Insights is the name the Google My Business platform gives to their analytics, which can be viewed by week, month, or quarter.
How your customers found your business
Where they are coming from (Google searches, maps, etc.)
Customers Actions (Whether they clicked to your website, requested directions, called you, etc.)
Photo Views
Phone Calls
To view these stats, merely select “Insights” on your Google My Business dashboard. Although you can only see up to the past quarter on the site, you can also download the reports going back up to eighteen months.
With the basics out of the way, is time that you start focusing on slightly more advanced Google My Business optimization techniques. Here you’ll find a couple of tools that are a bit more involved than what we’ve seen so far, but can set your business a mile away from the competition.
A favorite of many Google Maps marketing companies, it is a complex resource that often goes ignored.
Virtual Tours are a Google Street View option that any business can set up, and allows people using Google Maps‘ Street View mode to go inside and take a look around your shop.
The technology works just like it does in Google Street View, allowing any curious potential customer to move around inside your business by clicking. With VR tech already becoming an affordable household staple, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out the incredible marketing potential this holds.
The first thing you’ll need is a set of 360 degrees pictures displaying the inside of your store. There are plenty of businesses online that can do a professional job of it, and if you have already hired a Google Maps marketing company, they can most certainly arrange one that can bypass the limitation some business suffer when uploading 360 degrees pictures to their profiles.
Once you have taken care of that and you have the image files ready to upload to your street view, these are the steps to follow:
(Note: Keep in mind that this technology is new and Google is constantly updating their requirements to display like “see inside” for business in Google Street View, and it going to be slowly rolling out the “see inside” function for a “Google Maps 360 Gallery.”)
Before starting, make sure that your pictures are at least 7.5MP (4K) with a 2:1 aspect ratio and no more than 75 megabytes in size.
Go to your Google Street View app.
Under Private, tap Select.
Choose the photo you want to publish.
If you blurred photos, choose what to do to your published photo: Add blur: Tap the More button (three dots) and then Apply blurring. Clear blur: Tap the More button (three dots) then Remove blurring.
Tap Upload File.
Tap Publish. You’ll see your photo under “Profile.”
Your photos can be automatically connected within 24 hours if you’ve made and published a set of 360 pictures according to these spacing recommendations, “Geotag 360 photos” is turned on,
you’ve used auto-capture to make indoor 360 pictures within two small steps of each other, and you’ve used auto-capture to make outdoor 360 pictures within five steps of each other.
You can also connect them yourself by following these steps:
Open the Street View app.
On the “Profile” tab, find a photo and tap Select.
Pick the photos you want: Choose two photos: Tap the ones that you want to connect. Choose all photos: In the top right, tap the More button (three dots) and then Select all.
In the top right, tap the More button (three dots) and then Connect 360 photos.
Your photos will show up on the map as numbered markers.
Tap and drag each photo to the correct location. Swipe left and right on the picture to see all directions.
To try your new connection, open your photo in the “Profile” tab, and tap the white arrow.
Dubbed “the next generation” of local searches by Google itself a couple of months back when they announced changes to their ads systems, the introduction of Google’s new local search ads format is having a massive impact on Google Maps SEO.
The Google maps ads service is intended to allow businesses to increase their visibility and exposure for consumers searching for their services online, doubling down on those searches made in mobile devices.
They work fairly similar to traditional PPC ads, but their formatting and focus turn particularly useful for potential customer searching for businesses nearby on Google Maps.
For example, when a user searches on Google Maps’ website “Computer stores near me” or similar queries, they might see local search ads featuring business nearby subscribed to the program featuring prominently at the top of the list and displayed in a different colored pin on the map.
In the same manner, ads that feature your business location can also appear when users make similar searches on the regular Google platform.
These types of ads even provide benefits on regular searches. When users search something on Google.com and click the “More Places” option in the local results, your business may be featured at the top of these results!
If you are already using Google’s PPC Ads service (a stable service in any advanced local SEO strategy) then you can enable advertisement on Google Maps with a few simple steps: (Each link has further documentation for each step to facilitate the process)
Local SEO is one of the hot topics right now when it comes to digital marketing and making your business stand out from the competition. The reason? Simple: it works. What a lot of small companies are beginning to realize is that using Google Maps´ platform (and its related components, like Google My Business) have become fundamental pieces of any Local SEO strategy.
When done right, these systems can give you a definite strategic edge over the competition, allowing you to leverage Google’s robust data infrastructure to stand toe-to-toe with bigger companies that might have deeper pockets when it comes to marketing budget. And all of it at a fraction of the investment.
“Google Maps marketing has long been, and will continue to be, a prime source of phone calls and walk-in traffic for local businesses.” Guy Sheetrit.
The ultimate objective of any business engaging in local SEO – via Google Maps marketing or any of its related platforms – is to make sure their business listing is the first one to come up in search engine results, and there are three elements that interplay to achieve this goal: Proximity, Rank, and Reviews.
So, before we move on to more elaborate techniques, let’s briefly go over these three elements, as their clear understanding is paramount in ensuring the long-term success and profitability of any local SEO game plan.
Proximity:
Proximity is a big piece of the local SEO puzzle. Search results
are displayed prioritizing whatever is nearer to the person searching (as long as
it also fits with their query, of course.)
For example, search for
grocery stores on your Maps app, and Google will sort out their result list based on
their proximity to you. It is a fundamental component of the service they want to
provide.
Rank:
Immediately after proximity, we have Rank. Not everybody has location
data sharing enabled. Some people have setups for their maps´ searches based on a
fixed position rather than where they currently are. In instances where your
real-time location isn’t available, Google goes down a step on its priority scale
and fetches results based on other criteria. Like your designated “Home”
or where you usually connect to the internet. Rank, then, takes precedence.
Reviews:
Like in any other type of SEO, SERPs are always striving to improve
the quality of their results. Once the algorithm has accounted for the current
location (or lack thereof,) and rank, it turns to consider reviews, which act as a
subjective reflection of quality based on star ratings. These are the customer
testimonials on Google My Business profiles, and although we’ll talk about it
in detail in a bit, it is crucial you understand that trying to “game”
these ratings in any way can bring you a lot of trouble with Google, and isn’t worth
the risk. Offering quality service and organically improving your ratings is always
the best way to go.
We have inspired and motivated business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals around the world for the past few years, and we’ve helped nearly 2,000 clients grow their businesses, online and offline. However, we realized that we couldn’t help everyone. and the truth is not everyone is our match made in heaven. Therefore, we only accept new clients after an extensive screening process that helps us determine whether we will be a good fit for each other.
We have inspired and motivated business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals around the world for the past few years, and we’ve helped nearly 2,000 clients grow their businesses, online and offline. However, we realized that we couldn’t help everyone. and the truth is not everyone is our match made in heaven. Therefore, we only accept new clients after an extensive screening process that helps us determine whether we will be a good fit for each other.
Last step is to choose the verification method, that is, the method by which you’ll prove to google that this is indeed your business. You have a few choices, so here are the details of each, for you to decide which suits you best:
Verification Via Snail Mail:
Regular mail verification is pretty straightforward, but it can take a while.
Check that the address displayed is correct, and edit it before requesting your postcard if it isn’t. Click “Send Postcard.” These usually take around 14 days to arrive, so be patient. Do Not edit your business name, address, category, or request a new postcard in the interim.
After you’ve received your postcard, log back into your Google My Business account, click “Verify Location” from the menu, and the “Verify Now” button. Enter the 5-digit code from your postcard and click “Submit.”
Verification by Phone:
Some businesses are eligible to be verified via phone code, if yours is, it will be there when you click “Verify Location.” If you choose this option make sure you have immediate access to the phone you are going to use for verification (ideally, your business´ phone,) since you are going to receive the code within moments from choosing this option.
Just enter the code you receive on your phone and you are done.
Verification by Email:
Same deal as with confirmation by Phone, some businesses are eligible, and just like with phone verification, make sure you can access the email that’s going to receive the code before you choose this method. Just click the verify button and enter the code you receive on your email.
Instantly Verify a Business´ listing:
If you have already verified your business´ website with Google Search Console, then this verification method might appear among your options. Just make sure you are logged in with the same google account you use on search console.
Do keep in mind that some business categories are not eligible for this verification method, even if they had already verified a website in search console.
Bulk Verification:
This method becomes relevant if you are trying to verify a business that manages ten or more locations. This method requires some additional considerations, so if your business is eligible for this verification method, please refer to Google’s detailed explanation on the topic.
Congratulations! You are done listing and verifying your business. However, this is only the first step. Now that you enjoy a foothold on Google’s primary local SEO tool, you need to optimize your account to ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck, so to speak. Let’s go over how to do that, shall we?
You are now the proud owner of your GMB profile, a sort of virtual storefront that is already strengthening your business’ online presence. Now, it’s time to make sure you enhance it to get on Google’s best graces and increase your chances of getting ranked even better than those that settle with a default account.
Sections to pay extra
attention:
Business Description
Service Area
Services
Schedule
Additional Tips:
Try to use photos with a minimum resolution of 720 x 720 pixels.
Stick to JPG or PNG files, as they take less to load.
Google recommends including three pictures of exteriors, interiors, employees, rooms, and staff. Furthermore, they advise to include one image per common area, and one per product or service you provide.
Additional Tips:
Videos have to be 30 seconds or shorter.
Keep them at 100 MB or smaller
Try to use 720p resolution
New events announcements
Sales and Promotions
Excerpts of your website’s blogs
Announcing New products or services
Wish your customers happy holidays
Some of the useful stats you can keep an eye on Insights reports are:
How your customers found your business
Where they are coming from (Google searches, maps, etc.)
Customers Actions (Whether they clicked to your website, requested directions, called you, etc.)
Photo Views
Phone Calls
Now we are going to get a bit advanced.
What follows is a couple of tools that are a bit more involved than what we’ve seen so far, but can set your business a mile away from the competition. Marketing strategies that are underestimated by the most, even today.
Science fiction has given us reason to dream about going to places without physically being there, and now marketing seems to be the driving force behind it.
Virtual Tours are a Google Street View option that any business can set up, and allows people using Google Maps´ Street View mode to go inside and take a look around your shop. Did you want an advanced local SEO strategy? Strap in.
The technology works just like it does in Google Street View, allowing any curious potential customer to move around inside your business by clicking. With VR tech already becoming an affordable household staple, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out the incredible marketing potential this thing has.
The first thing you’ll need is a set of 360 degrees pictures displaying the inside of your store.
There are plenty of businesses online that can do a professional job of it, and if you have already hired the services of a competent SEO agency, they can most certainly arrange one that can bypass the limitation some business suffer on uploading 360 degrees pictures. Once you have taken care of that and you have the image files ready to upload to your street view, these are steps to follow:
(Note: Keep in mind that this tech is new and Google is constantly updating their requirements to display like “see inside” for business in Google Street View, and it going to be slowly rolling out the “see inside” function for a “Google Maps 360 Gallery.” So, keep this guide handy and check back for updates).
How to publish and connect 360 photos using the Street View app:
Before starting, make sure that your pictures are at least 7.5MP (4K) with a 2:1 aspect ratio and no more than 75 megabytes in size.
Go to your Google Street View app.
Under Private, tap Select.
Choose the photo you want to publish
If you blurred a photo, choose what to do to your published photo: Add blur: Tap the More button (three dots) and then Apply blurring. Clear blur: Tap the More button (three dots) then Remove blurring.
Tap Upload File.
Tap Publish. You’ll see your photo under “Profile.”
You can also connect them yourself by following these steps:
Open the Street View app.
On the “Profile” tab, find a photo and tap Select.
Pick the photos you want: Choose two photos: Tap the ones that you want to connect Choose all photos: In the top right, tap the More button (three dots) and then Select all.
In the top right, tap the More button (three dots) and then Connect 360 photos.
Your photos will show up on the map as numbered markers.
Tap and drag each photo to the correct location. Swipe left and right on the picture to see all directions.
To try your new connection, open your photo in the “Profile” tab and tap the white arrow.
Dubbed “the next generation” of local searches by Google itself a couple of months back when they announced changes to their ads systems, the introduction of Google’s new local search ads format is having a massive impact on local SEO. Taking the full advantage of the popularity that the Google Maps service is having recently.
The new Google maps ads service is intended to allow businesses to increase their visibility and exposure for consumers searching their services online, doubling down on those searches made in mobile devices.
They work fairly similar to traditional PPC ads, but their formatting and focus turn particularly useful for potential customer searching for businesses nearby on Google Maps.
For example, when a user searches on Google Maps’ website “Grocery stores near me” or similar queries, they might see local search ads featuring business nearby subscribed to the program featuring prominently at the top of the list and displayed in a different colored pin on the map.
ncrease number of walk-in visits: Google Maps presence and proper local SEO has already proven to impact positively the amount of foot traffic you receive.
More Calls and Lead Generation: Local search ads can be set up to include a “call” option using the phone number featured on your My business profile, which acts as a one-two combo, you get more customers inquiring for your business and increased phone leads.
Provide Further Information at a glance: Local ads formatting allows you to convey a lot of information about your business at a glance. Such as store hours, customer reviews score, address, and even photos. Everything you’ve been optimizing on your GMB account through this guide!
Enable location extensions for your Google Ads account
Set up or update your Google My Business listing. If You’ve been following this guide up until now, you have a flawless, updated, and optimize GMB account already.
Use location targeting and bid by location. Target a specific area and set bids by location, so that your bids increase for people located near your business.
Optimize your keywords: Just as you do with any other Google AdWords or PPC campaigns, make sure to optimize your Ads using the proper keywords that yield more benefits to your business.
See If Your Business Qualifies To Work With OTT.
Who knows? OTT might be the best thing that ever happened to you.
