Doing this yourself?
Everything in this guide is work you can do with time and patience. No tools required beyond free ones.
Or have us do it monthly
SEO issue fixes are included in our Growth plan at $99/mo, alongside speed, security and updates.
Last updated: August 2026
Why the map pack matters more than your website
For local searches, Google shows three business listings above the normal results. Those three take the majority of clicks and calls. A business ranked fourth in the map pack effectively does not exist to a person searching on a phone. Your website supports that listing, but the listing is the storefront.
Complete every single field
Incomplete profiles rank worse and convert worse. Fill in: business name exactly as it appears on your signage, address, service areas, phone, website, hours including holiday hours, business description, opening date, attributes, products and services with prices where sensible, and booking or appointment links. The description should read like a person explaining the business, not a keyword list.
Choose categories with precision
Your primary category carries enormous weight. "Dentist" and "Cosmetic dentist" compete for different searches, so pick the one matching what you most want to be found for, then add secondary categories for your other services. Review this annually as your service mix changes.
Photos are ranking and conversion fuel
Profiles with regular photo uploads get materially more views and clicks. Add real photos of your premises, your team, your work and your products, not stock imagery. Upload a few every month rather than fifty once. Exterior shots help customers find you physically, which reduces the frustrated arrival that becomes a bad review.
Reviews: quantity, recency and replies
Three signals matter: how many reviews you have, how recent they are, and whether you respond. Build a simple habit of asking every happy customer, ideally with a direct link sent by text right after the job. Never buy reviews or offer incentives; Google detects patterns and the penalty outweighs any gain. Reply to every review, warmly to good ones and calmly to bad ones, remembering the reply is written for the next reader rather than the complainer.
Consistency across the web
Your business name, address and phone number should be byte-identical on your website, your profile and every directory listing. "Suite 4" in one place and "Ste. 4" in another creates confusion that dilutes local ranking signals. Fix your own website first, then the major directories.
Use the features most businesses ignore
Posts keep the profile active and appear in your listing. The Q&A section can be seeded with your own genuine frequently asked questions and answers. Messaging, if you will actually answer it quickly, converts browsers into conversations. Products and services expand what you can rank for.
Connect it back to the website
Your profile should link to a relevant page, not always the homepage: a location page for a specific branch, a service page for a service-focused profile. That page should load fast and repeat the same address and phone, which is exactly the kind of technical and on-page hygiene our Growth plan handles monthly.
FAQ
How long until optimization shows results? Two to eight weeks for most improvements, faster for photo and review activity, slower for category changes in competitive markets.
Can I rank without a physical address? Yes, as a service-area business. Hide the address and define the areas you serve.
Why did my profile get suspended? Common causes are keyword stuffing in the business name, an address that fails verification, or sudden mass edits. Fix the underlying issue and appeal with documentation.
Does my website still matter if the profile drives calls? Yes. Google evaluates the site behind the listing, and buyers check it before calling. A slow or broken website suppresses both rankings and conversions.
Want this handled every month instead?
Our Growth plan includes monthly SEO issue fixes, speed and Core Web Vitals work, form testing, security and updates, with before-and-after numbers in your report.