How to Show Up on Maps and Bring More Customers to Your Repair Shop

Key Takeaways

A full, detailed Google Business Profile can help your shop shine among competitors. It helps you show up on more Google Maps and local search results throughout Canada!
Keeping your business information, hours of operation, and photos up to date makes sure customers always have the right information when they need it.
Collecting and showcasing positive customer reviews and having a presence to respond to negative feedback goes a long way in restoring trust, while attracting new customers.
Implementing local keywords, optimizing your site for mobile, and including maps on your website increases your chances of showing up for customers who are looking near them.
Prevent mistakes such as conflicting data or lack of response to public comments to project a polished and professional image online.
Think of your Google Business Profile as a work in progress. Then, as your business expands, continue to optimize it to get in front of local competitors!

Being visible on maps allows potential customers to quickly discover your business or store. It’s how they find you by using digital maps and local search tools. Being on the map boosts foot traffic!

Consumers are increasingly using Google Maps or Apple Maps to determine which store or restaurant to visit. When you show up in local search results, you immediately establish trust, making it easy for potential customers to choose your business over the competition.

Of course, high visibility = more phone calls = more people walking through the door = more sales. Incorporating location-based keywords into your shop and regularly updating your listings can make your shop more visible in “near me” searches.

Create a clear, engaging Google Business Profile. This provides prospective customers with a convenient way to discover your hours of operation, available services, and contact information before they visit.

What’s Google Business Profile?

As you can see, Google Business Profile is a local business’ most powerful tool. With it, you can appear on maps, attract more customers, and get discovered more easily online! Most importantly, it gives merchants and service businesses the control to manage their presence online.

They can manage how their name, address, and other information show up on Google Search and Maps. This tool pulls your info into one spot, so customers see your hours, phone, address, and even photos, all in one view. It further allows you to answer their most basic questions quickly, ensure your information is always accurate, and establish trust.

Your Free Online Shop Front

Consider your Google Business Profile your free online shop front. You can feature your services, highlight new offers, and showcase verified customer reviews. So, if you own a bakery in LA, say, you could share daily specials, new items, even just a picture of the fresh bread.

Visitors can most easily view this right from your profile. It saves users time by helping them quickly know what you have without having to click through! On top of that, it’s completely free to create and maintain.

More Than Just a Pin

In actuality, your profile is much more than a dot on the map. Adding things like service lists, hours, and photos helps shoppers pick you over someone else. Positive and negative reviews help set people’s expectations and inform their decisions.

A gym owner might add class schedules and photos of the space, making it easier for people to choose them.

Control Your Business Info

Once you have your dashboard, it’s simple to stay on top of all your info. Change holiday hours, mark an address as permanently closed, or correct errors in one click! First, you have the opportunity to provide answers to customer inquiries and respond directly to reviews.

This contributes to shaping your business narrative and earning consumer trust.

First Step to Map Success

The first step to map success starts with claiming or creating your profile, completing every section and ensuring it’s regularly updated. This establishes an excellent foundation for your local SEO.

So the next time someone in your region searches, your location will be better positioned to appear!

Nail Your Google Maps Listing

In order to rank on Google Maps, you need a complete and accurate listing. It needs to be accessible to everyone, including the people who live there and the people visiting! The bottom line: a complete and consistent Google Maps listing will bring you more visibility and, ultimately, more potential customers.

It establishes credibility and ensures it’s convenient for potential customers to contact you. The six steps below explain the basics that help you avoid muddying up your listing.

1. Claim or Create Your Profile

First, either claim your existing business on Google Maps, or if you don’t find one, create a new profile. Whatever you do, don’t skip the verification process—Google provides an option for phone or mail verification. This step is important because it establishes that you own the business and gives you the ability to determine what people see.

If your listing is unverified, it may not appear at all or may be combined with another person’s information. If you’re unsure of where to begin, follow Google’s setup process to get started the right way.

2. Complete Every Profile Section

Go beyond the bare minimum and fill in every detail Google requests. Fill in your address, phone number, website, and hours of operation. For example, write a brief, user-friendly description using the actual words your potential customers will use to search.

Listings that fill out every profile section receive 3x more clicks and calls on average. Review your listing one last time for mistakes or omissions.

3. Choose Accurate Business Categories

Choose the category that most closely aligns with your business. If you own a bakery that serves coffee, choose both. This allows you to appear in a wider range of searches.

Review your categories periodically, especially when you develop or add new services.

4. Upload Compelling Shop Photos

Upload photos that help display your shop, products, and team. Sharp, colorful photos make your listing stand out and help visitors understand what they’ll find.

Keep your shop gallery fresh by regularly uploading new photos.

5. Maintain Correct Operating Hours

Update them for holidays or special events to show your active involvement. Incorrect hours can turn visitors away.

It can take several days for changes to appear.

Boost Your Map Ranking Power

Getting a business to rank better on maps is more than just filling out a profile. In an environment such as LA’s, where local competition is persistently fierce, even tiny adjustments can have meaningful impacts. We know businesses in the top three map spots get a lot more calls and visits. Along the way, they win greater trust from residents!

Google’s Local Search Ranking Factors

Search engines are focused on relevance, distance, and prominence. By keeping these considerations in mind, you can maximize your map ranking power!

Gather Glowing Customer Reviews

Glowing customer reviews will boost your map ranking. When potential customers see glowing customer reviews left on your profile, it gives them more confidence in your business. These reviews are your social proof that your service gets the job done.

Step 4 – Always respond to reviews with gratitude. A timely response leaves the customer with a sense of being attended to and that you value their feedback and experience. Consistent review replies will further boost your map location’s ranking.

Answer Customer Questions Promptly

Customers are busy and need answers quickly. Whenever a user asks a question on your GBP, having a fast, transparent response will help you stand out from the crowd. This small, yet simple act demonstrates that your business cares about providing excellent service.

When you do have the opportunity to answer a question, doing so effectively makes a positive impression and may result in increased visits and calls.

Use Google Posts Regularly

Regularly sharing updates, special deals, or local news with Google Posts helps your business stay top-of-mind. Mixing it up with your posts regularly provides potential customers with more enticing reasons to come visit.

It helps give signals to the search engines that your business is continuing to be active and updated.

Ensure NAP Consistency Everywhere

Ensuring that your name, address, and phone number are consistent across your website, Google business profile, and all other directories creates trust. These small errors or discrepancies can prevent you from appearing at the top of the maps.

Keep your information up to date so consumers—and search engines—always have the most accurate information available.

Monitor Your GBP Insights

Your GBP insights are a great indicator of what you’re doing right and what you should improve. Monitor how people are searching for you, what they click on, and what questions they ask.

Adjust your marketing with these insights and deliver what people are searching for! Looking out for these trends not only keeps you one move ahead but increases your potential map ranking power.

Local SEO Beyond Your Profile

Local SEO goes beyond simply verifying your Google Business Profile. For retailers in areas such as Los Angeles, this requires creating a digital footprint that extends well outside of the localized map pin. With nearly 80% of people searching for local businesses online, good local SEO is crucial.

Your store must appear on your local maps. It also needs to rank in local searches, putting you in front of people who are searching for and trusting you.

Optimize Your Shop’s Website

A well-designed website will improve your chances of showing up on Google Maps. Include local keywords, such as “best bakery in Echo Park,” to fit the phrases that consumers will enter into search fields.

Include keywords that are relevant to your locale—name neighborhoods or attractions local to you. The more user-friendly your website is, the more likely visitors will want to explore what you have to offer.

The more visitors interact with your site, the more favorable your ranking prospects will be.

Ensure Mobile-Friendly Experience

That’s because the majority of local searches are performed on mobile devices. A mobile-friendly website should load fast and be user-friendly. Quick load times and clear, concise navigation prevent users from bouncing back quickly.

Ensure mobile-friendly experience. Test your site across various screens so people using all devices and mediums have a seamless experience.

Build Local Citations Smartly

Build Local Business Directories. Create local citations by listing your business profile in online directories such as Yelp and Yellow Pages. Make sure name, address, phone number, and hours of operation are consistent across the internet.

Collaborating on citations with local partners, such as other businesses or civic organizations in your area, ensures that your citations reach a wider audience.

Target Local Keywords Naturally

Target local keywords in a conversational tone. Include them organically on your website and GBP. Things such as “coffee shop around Silver Lake” would be a good fit.

Long-tail, specific keywords reflect the searches consumers are conducting in real life and attract ready-to-buy traffic.

Embed Map on Your Site

Embed Map on Your Site to Support User Intent. Add a Google Map directly on your contact page. This allows visitors to easily visualize your location and how to reach you.

This free, simple step can increase both engagement and consumer trust.

Stand Out from Competitors

To appear on maps and be found, simply being listed isn’t enough. In a crowded marketplace, stores that stand out online get noticed first. This rings especially true for all of you with an on-point Google Maps listing! The secret sauce is demonstrating what makes your store unique, not necessarily better, but truly different from the competition.

Highlight Unique Selling Points

First, understand what your shop’s unique selling points are. Perhaps you provide a guarantee for all processes, or your team members have over 30 years of practical expertise. These are your unique selling points.

Leverage your GBP and your website to clearly spell these out. If you are the only shop in your town that services hybrids, shout it from the rooftops. Nothing beats a clear, concise, and meaningful business description.

It should be as simple as possible for potential customers to understand what sets your shop apart from the competition.

Showcase Your Shop’s Expertise

Show people why your shop is the best choice. Share knowledge, experience, or training. Post about your certifications, awards, special skills directly on your profile.

Post videos explaining difficult repairs or interesting jobs you’ve completed. Positive customer reviews and testimonials go a long way, particularly if a customer specifically calls out the quality of your work or your integrity.

This helps to build trust and positions you as a go-to shop for this kind of expertise in your area.

Respond to All Reviews

Show appreciation for positive input and fix issues as they arise. This lets them know that you value their opinion and are constantly striving to improve.

Every critique, or compliment, for that matter is an opportunity to reiterate what you’re about. Respond to all reviews and subscribe to our newsletter to join the conversation.

Leverage Geotagged Imagery

Imagery is important. Post photos of your staff, your store, and satisfied clientele—ensure these are geotagged to your location.

These hometown, homegrown photos boost your visibility, plus they let people in your jurisdiction know you’re located right there.

Avoid These Common Map Pitfalls

Avoiding the map pitfall Staying visible on maps requires more than a pin drop. Too many enterprises across LA and the map face these preventable pitfalls that limit their access. Small mistakes, like not syncing business info or missing updates, can keep you from showing up in front of customers.

Having a consistent, polished appearance online is what gets people to notice you, seek you out, and trust you. Following good SEO practices helps ensure your information is up-to-date and relevant. Checking in on your map listings periodically will help ensure that your shop is easy to find!

Inconsistent Business Information

When your hours, name, or address are inconsistent between Google, Yelp, and your own website, it confuses people. Ensuring that all of your listings are consistently updated is important. So if your Los Angeles bakery gets a new phone number, make sure to change it everywhere online!

If not, you could be missing out on potential sales. The bottom line Consistency is key to ensuring people can locate you quickly without doubting your business.

Ignoring Customer Interactions

Nobody likes to get left on read. Whether it’s responding to reviews or providing quick answers to questions—these are all opportunities to demonstrate that you care. If a customer asks a question about parking or a customer leaves a glowing review, taking a few moments to respond goes a long way.

Creating an inviting exchange of ideas can make newcomers into repeat customers.

Keyword Stuffing Your Listing

It’s tempting to stuff your keywords, but “coffee shop, espresso, coffee, best coffee LA” isn’t going to cut it. A listing stuffed with keywords will read unnaturally, which penalizes you in rank. Being specific, plain, and using keywords that accurately describe your business will inform users and search engines alike as to what you sell.

Unclaimed or Duplicate Profiles

Having unclaimed profiles or duplicate listings is misleading. Claim your business on Google My Business to take control of your information and respond to frequently asked questions. If everyone searching for your taco shop can’t tell the difference between two versions of your taco shop, they’ll be confused.

Claim or consolidate these profiles so anyone coming across them sees a united front.

Setting It and Forgetting It

Think of your map listing as a plant. Whenever your hours change, your menu updates, or you receive new reviews, update it. While maps are a key part of advocacy, they don’t tell the whole story.

Developing a map for public engagement Staying invested in the process allows stakeholders to learn the whole, current narrative.

Conclusion

To get on maps, start with the fundamentals. Provide accurate information, avoid jargon, use keywords, and optimize your GBP. Providing accurate, consistent information online goes a long way. Photos do wonders to illustrate what’s in the ground. Timely responses to reviews go a long way as well. Avoid the inauthentic—Google will penalize you for it. Show real world examples with current relevant information. Experiment with features such as threads and AMA. See what the best places near you are doing, then go and beat them at it. Even small things can lead to a major increase in how often you appear on maps. This is something anyone can do, no high-tech tools required. Looking to get more visibility on the map? Take one step today, even a small one, to make that happen. Upload a new profile photo, set your business hours, or respond to a new review. With each move, you get closer to the coveted first position.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get my business to show up on Google Maps?

Step 2: Claim and verify your Google Business Profile Provide as much information as possible, upload images, and regularly refresh your information. This helps to prove to Google that your business is legitimate and allows you to appear on Maps.

Why is my business not appearing on Google Maps?

Make sure your profile is verified and all of your information is accurate. Ensure you have a local area consistent address and that you comply with Google’s terms and conditions. Sometimes it only takes a few hours, other times it can take a few days to show up.

What are the key factors for ranking higher on Google Maps?

The more complete your profiles are, the better—including having an accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone), getting regular reviews, and using relevant keywords. Further, consistency between your website and any third-party listings is equally important when it comes to ranking high on maps.

Can I boost my Google Maps ranking without a physical storefront?

Yes. So-called service-area businesses can still appear. Include your service areas in your GBP. Ensure your address information is correct and up-to-date.

How often should I update my Google Business Profile?

Update whenever your information changes. Upload new photos and posts frequently—preferably once per month—to prove to Google you’re open and trustworthy.

What are common mistakes that hurt my Google Maps visibility?

Providing inconsistent information, failing to verify your business, or using fraudulent reviews can all lead to punishments. Regularly update your information as needed and duplicate listings are the kiss of death.

How important are reviews for Google Maps rankings?

How important are reviews for Google Maps rankings? High star ratings with frequent, positive reviews indicate an established reputation and active engagement. Answer all reviews — good and bad — to increase engagement and build trust with potential customers.