Franchise businesses generally focus on delivering top-notch services in every location. But digital presence? It’s often overlooked.
An unkempt Google Maps listing makes potential customers perceive your brand as unprofessional. Thus, it affects the brand reputation, and sales drop drastically.
Now, if you’re wondering why Google Maps matters so much for visibility and how to optimize it, this think-piece will answer everything.
Why Google Maps Visibility Matters
1. Drives Real Customers
Most consumers look up businesses around them with “near me” queries before visiting them in person. A high visibility on Google Maps can help you rank among the Local Pack (top three business listings in the locality).
Franchise SEO services can help each individual branch build strong individual visibility on Maps. This leads to driving more calls and direction requests, leading to real walk-in customers.
2. Builds Trust
Most users have great faith in Google Maps. Whether they want to get the contact information, business hours, or reviews of a business, they check Maps.
If your franchises have accurate information, it makes customers trust you. On the other hand, outdated information makes you lose trust.
3. Ranks Better than Competitors
Franchise businesses have to compete with local businesses and big empires.
In Google Maps, if any competitor’s name is listed above yours, you may lose the business even if yours has way more positive reviews.
Boosting Google Maps visibility using SEO services can enhance the ranking, driving more customers.
4. Boosts Mobile Visibility
Generally, Google Maps searches occur on mobile devices by travellers, locals, and shoppers. They look for directions, phone numbers, and business hours.
Regularly optimizing the Google Maps visibility helps franchises appear in these users’ search results. Better mobile visibility helps with more sales.
5. Builds Franchise-Brand Awareness
By improving Google Maps' visibility of all the franchises, all of them become more visible on the Local Pack. This makes your brand more memorable to potential customers. The improved brand awareness leads to more online searches, better rankings, and more customers.
How to Optimize Google Maps Visibility
1. Optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Build a GBP listing for every franchise location and then optimize each of them. For starters, fill in the accurate name, address, contact information, and business hours. Pick the correct business category. Post HD-quality images for the respective franchise. Mention all the services and attributes.
Reliable franchise SEO services will fill in all the relevant details for each franchise’s GBP listing. They ensure proper optimization throughout.
2. Maintain a Consistent NAP Everywhere
Google highly values consistency. Mismatched business name or address on distinct directory platforms negatively impacts the listing performance.
So, partner with professional franchise SEO services that can maintain consistent information, especially the name, address, and phone number, for each franchise in all directories. Pay extra attention to capitalization, punctuation, spaces, and format.
Confirm whether the agency will audit citations on the most popular platforms (Yelp, TripAdvisor, etc.). They must also eliminate duplicate listings and update outdated ones.
3. Pick Local Keywords
Generic keywords are never enough for ranking in the local market. So, optimize the listing with location-relevant keywords: “salon in Chicago,” “restaurant in London,” or “retail stores in Brisbane.”
A franchise SEO services provider mentions the exact location on the listing descriptions and throughout respective website location pages. They help in keyword mapping for several branches.
4. Create Distinct Webpages
Every franchise must have its own landing page. Create each of them and let a franchise SEO services provider optimize them with localized content.
You can also add testimonials from respective customers, operating hours, calls-to-action buttons, and embedded directions to the establishment. This will enhance the franchise’s Maps visibility and organic rankings.
5. Encourage Customer Reviews
After serving satisfied customers, urge them to drop reviews about their experience. Reply to positive reviews by showing gratitude. For negative ones, promptly respond and try to resolve the concern. This will show your commitment to potential customers.
An active review profile with consistent engagement can rank your franchise business better on Google Maps. Google perceives that your business is active and trustworthy, suggesting you to the target audience. Furthermore, 91% of consumers check the local reviews of multi-location brands, and it impacts their overall perception of them.
6. Upload Photos and Posts
Google uplifts businesses that regularly post fresh content. It can be photos, updates about sudden closures, new menu launches, seasonal service promotions, festive offers, events, and announcements.
You can rely on an SEO service provider for regular updates to ensure all listings for distinct branches are always active.
Closing Thoughts
Google Maps visibility is a game-changer for franchise businesses. So, partner with a reputable SEO services provider and boost your online presence in the local market.
