For any business looking to have an effective presence on the web, especially in Google search results, popping up in the GMB Map Pack, is essential. If you are like most other non-marketing-minded humans, you may not have a clue what a map pack is.
The GMB Map Pack refers to the Google My Business Map Pack. A map pack is the set of map results that show-up when you search for certain keywords. It is usually right near the top of the page, set apart from the rest of your search results. Google My Business (GMB) is a free service from Google that allows you to use a business profile and your business website to connect with customers.
How Does It All Work?
First, using GMB is a must for your business if you are serious about appearing in the map pack and want to be towards the top of the search results. For example, if you own a hair salon, you will want to claim your Google business listing right away. This listing includes all the information for your salon such as hours of operation, services provided, general prices, and your business website.
Once you have utilized your GMB listing, you will want to make sure you are appearing in searches. Search for your business name and other words associated with your business, such as “salons near me.” If your business name is not appearing in that map pack at the top of the search results, you need to dig deeper into SEO and keywords in order to boost your listing higher in the rankings.
Find Your Keywords
If your business is not showing up in the map pack, there are steps you can take to improve your search result ranking. One way is by making sure your Google My Business listing is as complete and accurate as possible. For example, if you have a law firm Google My Business profile, make sure it contains exactly what types of law you practice and where your office location is. That way, when people are searching for specific types of lawyers in your area, your listing should appear in the map pack.
This is where things like keywords and SEO come into play. SEO, or search engine optimization, basically means making your website more search engine friendly. This in turns means your site or page will appear in search results the way you want it to. Being more SEO friendly may also lead to you being included in the map pack.
Keywords are a vital piece of the puzzle. Understanding your audience and your consumer base is a must. This often takes a large amount of research, but ultimately it will be fruitful.
Simply start by searching Google for keywords related to your business and see if you appear in the results. If so, where did you appear? If you did not appear or appeared lower than you would like (i.e. not in the map pack), you may need to revamp your site to be more SEO friendly and include more keywords and phrases.
Why This All Matters
At the end of the day, attention is the name of the game. The more eyes you can get on your web page, the better. What you do with the attention after that is up to you.
Setting your business and website up for success by using effective keywords and having a complete Google My Business listing, will help ensure it shows up in the map pack.
Considering the map pack is where a majority of eyes go first on a search page, landing here will be a tremendous advantage no matter what line of business you are in.
