Rank on Local Search & Google Maps for Multiple Keywords
Ranking your Google Business Profile for multiple keywords in local search is a highly efficient strategy to boost local search traffic.
If you’re like most local businesses, your main business derives from one key keyword, along with its related variants and synonyms. Imagine you could double your traffic, conversions, and profits merely by maintaining your profile’s and its assets’ relevance.
In this article, I will show you how you can optimize your Google Business Profile to rank for multiple keywords in local search and on Google Maps. Continue reading!
6 Ways To Boost Local Rankings For Multiple Keywords
1. Name
The Google Business Profile name is vital for ranking in local search. That is because you can use keywords in it to improve rankings. It involves a careful use of keywords though. These keywords link with Google’s search algorithm. This strategy helps a business to appear in relevant search results for the additional terms you add.
It basically extends the reach to potential customers through increased relevance.
But, a balance is needed. Businesses must follow Google’s guidelines when changing the profile name to avoid profile suspension. This can occur due to excessive use of keywords, known as keyword stuffing. The business name must accurately represent the business.
So, while keywords can improve visibility, you should use them responsibly.
Getting a DBA (doing business as) could be a strategic option to include relevant keywords. This helps stick to Google’s guidelines and improves local search visibility.
The DBA name allows a business to rank in local search for additional keywords legitimately. Yet, the name is supposed to remain reflective of its core services.
Meaning you shouldn’t add any secondary services or products to the name.
For example, an auto repair business might include “truck repair” in its name, as this could be another core service keyword that helps rank. But it shouldn’t add “suspension service” if this is only a secondary service it offers.
Consistency across all citations is crucial. The Google Business Profile name must be consistent across local citations, marketing materials, and stationery. Google emphasizes preventing customer confusion. Consistent branding ensures guideline compliance. It also strengthens brand recognition, improving local search rankings for multiple keywords.
2. Services
While the Google Business Profile product section doesn’t seem to impact rank, services do contribute to better rankings. I’ve created a case study about the impact of services on local rankings and the results were just surprising. Your Google Business Profile can rank for multiple keywords just by adding them to the service section.
So what you want to do is add all relevant services to the service section and include short service descriptions. You can use ChatGPT to create the descriptions if you don’t want to do it yourself. The descriptions don’t seem to impact rank. Not all of the keywords I added affected rankings, so don’t be disappointed if specific service keywords cannot be improved.
3. Categories
Primary Google Business Profile categories dictate local search ranking, which is a key factor in gaining visibility on local search and Maps. As you may know, you can choose one primary category and up to nine additional categories. These categories allow a business to rank for various related search terms. If you choose the wrong category, you might not even appear on any of the searches of your potential customers.
If a company selects a secondary category not used as a primary by nearby businesses, it can dominate the area in this niche. This strategy provides a competitive edge. Primary categories carry more weight, meaning you should select them as strategically and relevant as possible.
Surprisingly, irrelevant category usage doesn’t appear to affect rankings negatively. However, accurate categories not only improve visibility but also guide the right customers to the business. Thus, thoughtful category selection is critical in targeting a broad range of keywords and improving local search performance on Google Maps.
4. Website
The website linked to your Google Business Profile is a crucial element in boosting keyword volume. Google not only extracts the services mentioned on the website to populate the service section of the Google Business Profile but also leverages these service or product keywords as indicators of relevance.
The more comprehensively your website addresses a subject, the better for your Google rankings. If you aim to increase your search volume across a diverse range of keywords, begin by developing pages related to your services or products on your website.
The more long-tail keywords you create content for, the more traffic you’ll drive to your Google Business Profile listings in local search and on Google Maps. An additional benefit is that the keywords used on your website might even appear as local justifications in the map pack, and you’re going to rank for those terms organically as well. This undoubtedly leads to more visibility and can eventually increase conversions.
For instance, an auto repair shop could create local landing pages for all their sub-services, such as engine repair, diesel repair, tire repair, and related services. Considering that local organic rankings influence local search rankings as well, you’ll slowly begin ranking for these terms in local search and on Google Maps, too.
5. Review content
The content of your reviews seems to play a significant role in local search rankings. The language and terms customers use to describe their experiences with your business could result in your listing showing up for those terms.
Multiple advantages can be derived from new reviews. On one side, you can improve your review count and the quality of your reviews, potentially leading to a higher conversion rate. On the other side, terms used in the reviews by your local customers might make your business profile appear in search results for those terms. Check out this case study about the effect of keywords in reviews.
An additional effect is that pertinent terms from reviews are sourced as justifications in local search results. It remains unclear whether these justifications prompt the listing to appear for the terms used, or if the review section itself is a ranking factor. Regardless, the content of reviews seems to be crucial for ranking on local SERPs.
6. Backlinks & Brand Mentions
Search engines view backlinks as endorsements for websites. If another website links back to yours, it indicates that your website is respected, otherwise the other website wouldn’t find a reason to link to you.
This principle is also applicable to brand mentions across the web. Whenever someone refers to your brand, it’s an indication of recognition. In local search this refers to the ranking factor prominence.
How is this related to ranking for multiple keywords?
Well, the anchor texts of the links and their surrounding content strengthen your website’s expertise in a particular topic. If a growing number of websites link back to yours using relevant keywords as anchor texts or in their surrounding content, it sends a signal to Google’s algorithm to give your website more credibility.
The importance of brand mentions and contextual text will increase in the future as Google evolves into an AI-based search engine that merges AI technology with its existing algorithm. Therefore, you should consistently produce high-quality content across all channels.
Because then you’ll find that people will naturally begin to link back to your site and mention you online, which will boost your overall rankings and improve your rankings for numerous keywords.
Conclusion
Now, you know how to optimize your GBP for numerous keywords in local search. Just remember to implement the key points:
What are your thoughts on ranking for multiple keywords? Please leave a comment below.
