Category

Local SEO

Google maps

8 Reasons Why Your Business Isn’t Showing In Google Maps

By | Google, Local SEO, Online reputation

You are a small-business owner. You know the importance of Google My Business page for Local SEO. So you have created a Google My Business account. Unfortunately, your business is not showing in Google Maps. Yes, this is so frustrating. This issue can be fixed easily.

There can be many reasons for not finding your business on Google Maps. Therefore, it is important to diagnose the problem to discover the cause. Only when you come to know the cause, you can resolve the issue. Hence, to help you out, we are listing top 8 reasons why your business is not appearing in Google Maps.

1. Your listing is unverified.

One of the most common and obvious reasons for not seeing your business is your Google My Business listing is not verified. So, how will you find whether your business is verified or not? It is quite simple. Open your browser and search your business name. You will find search results on the left side of the search engine results page, and on the right side, you will see your business profile.

In the right, where your business is displayed, you will find a “suggest an edit” link. All you need to do is see what is next to “suggest an edit” link. If you do not find anything next to this link, then that means your listing is verified. However, if you find “own this business?” link, then that means your business is not verified. Just in case, if your business is not verified, you can follow the below steps to verify your business.

One of the easiest methods for verifying your Google My Business Listing is via phone. It is easy, simple, and less time-consuming. Here we go.
Sign in to your Google My Business account.
Select the business you want to verify, and click on verify now.
Go for the “verify by the phone” option.
A code will be sent to your mobile, enter the same code.
Your business will be verified.

2. Your Google My Business page has a new address.

It is not uncommon to change the business location. An incorrect or old address can be a reason for not seeing your Google My Business listing on Google Maps. So, if you have recently changed your business locations, then log in to your Google My Business account and update your address. Here are the few steps you need to follow:
Sign in to your GMB account.
Go to the menu option and click info.
Next, click on the “address” field.
Enter your new address and click on the Apply button.
If Google doesn’t find your address, you will find a red set marker on the right side over the map. Click on it.
Drag this pin in the map and place it on the new address. You can make use of zoom in and zoom out features of Google Maps while doing so.
After pinpointing, click on OK. Google will review your edit and publish it.

3. Your Google My Business listing is suspended.

This is the other common reason for not seeing your local business on Google Maps. Yes, Google My Business can suspend your listing based on various factors. Here are the common reasons why Google suspends Google My Business listing.
Your site contains a forwarding URL.
Keyword stuffing.
You are a service area business and your address is not hidden.
You run a sensitive business.
You do not have a physical storefront.
You run a business at a place you don’t own.
Find what is the reason behind Google suspending your listing, and fix the issue. Sometimes, Google may suspend the listing based on quality issues. Contact Google Support for assistance and improve the standard of your Google My business listing. At times, this can be confusing. In such a case, it is always better to take professional help of a Local SEO agency.

4. You chose a wrong business category.

Choosing the precise business category really matters. Google wants to know what business category or categories your business falls in, so that, it can show your business to the right audience and help them. Make sure that you have selected the correct business categories for your business. If you have selected the wrong business category, make sure that you correct it. While adding the business category, ensure your first business category is the best match to your local business. Select a second business category only if it makes sense. Do not opt for multiple irrelevant categories in the hope of reaching more people. It can harm your online presence.

5. You have fake or paid reviews.

This issue is common among new business owners. New owners tend to establish an online reputation quickly. So, they adopt methods that violate Google Guidelines. One such method is to buy paid reviews or post fake reviews. Google has built strong algorithms to detect fake Google reviews. With time, these algorithms are becoming smarter and smarter. That is the reason why ORM experts suggest to gain positive online reviews naturally. Below are some proven methods to avoid negative Google reviews, and gain good Google reviews.
Provide an awesome customer service.
Encourage your happy customers to post a review.
Generate a positive feedback loop.
Resolve customer issues within time.
Run online reputation management campaigns.
Report and delete negative Google reviews.

6. You have not updated your business listing.

Normally, a person begins his business journey with something small. With time, both the business owner and the business go through various changes. A business owner tries to evolve the business to adopt the changes. During this process, a business owner should reflect these changes in the Google My Business page.

Setting up Google My Business Page, and adding all the necessary data is not enough. As a business owner, it is your responsibility to keep the information on the Google My Business page up to date. Google expects you to be active when it comes to updating the listing. Here are some of the best practices to follow.
Add a business description in the story section.
Create a logo of your business and add it to GMB account.
Post business images regularly.
Publish status updates.
Share a link to review page.
Engage the audience via content.

7. Poor web experience.

The primary goal of a search engine is to provide a superior web experience. Therefore, the web experience is a ranking factor. That is the reason why good website experience has become an integral part of search engine optimization. If your website provides a poor website experience, then do not expect Google to display your Google My Business listing in the Map pack. So, it is good to have a website that enhances search engine optimization and user experience. Here are some of the basic qualities your website needs to have.
Original high-quality content
Device friendly
Browser friendly
Simple and easy to understand navigation
Lightning speed
Security

8. Inaccurate business information.

Yes, inaccurate business information can become a reason for disappearing your business from the Google My Business listing. Make sure every single detail you add in your profile is accurate. Double check all information present on your Google My Business listing such as contact number, address, business hours, open and close days, labels, keywords, etc. are correct and up to date.

Google does not like Google My Business accounts that have incomplete or inaccurate information. You may lose your search engine ranking and the presence on Google Maps. It is better to not to take the control in your hand unless you know how local search engine optimization is done. Lack of knowledge can harm your both online reputation and online presence. Hence, it makes sense to hire a Local SEO agency to improve your online visibility, conversion rate, sales, and customer base.

Keyword Research

Simple and Effective Keyword Research Tips

By | Conversion Rate Optimization, Keyword Research, Local SEO, Search Engine Optimizaion, SEO & PPC

Keyword research is an important part of search engine optimization (SEO). An effective SEO strategy and as well as a PPC campaign begins with the keyword research. If done right, keyword research will help you discover the right keywords that your potential customers use to reach a business like yours. Today, we are presenting some simple and effective keyword research tips that you need to keep in mind.

Identify Your Customers

A keyword research should always begin with customer identification. You should have a good understanding of your customers and their traits. That will make it easy for you to understand and list the different types of keywords or keyword combinations that your customers use to reach your products and services. Focus more on those keywords that have the buyer intent. For example, if a person search for “Samsung Galaxy On7 Nxt 32GB features,” then he is more likely to buy it. Here the key is to target those people who have an intent to buy your products and services.

Evaluate The Keywords

Once you know who your customers are and what they are looking for, you can begin the keyword research. There are many paid as well as free keyword research tools available on the Internet that can do a pretty good job. These tools will help you to discover relevant keywords and their variations. Also, you can inspect the competition over the specific keywords. Ranking your website on Google’s first page for the keywords that bring an extremely low website traffic is of no use. You should select those keywords that have high search volume and less competition.

Study Your Competitors’ High-Performance Keywords

In search engine optimization, the ultimate aim is to rank better than your competitors. Before you begin, you should have a clear idea about who your competitors are and what keywords they are aiming to rank for. There are tools available on the Internet that makes this job easy for you. SEMrush’s Position Tracker is one of the effective tools that help you to analyze your ranking for a particular keyword vs. your competitors. With the variety of tools available, you can easily discover which keywords are working for your competitors.

Add The Keywords In The Correct Places

When it comes to keyword optimization, the place where a keyword is added matters. Beginners usually tend to optimize the homepage with keywords and skip the rest of the web pages. Each and every page of your website where content is present is an opportunity to optimize it with relevant keywords. Include keywords in meta titles, descriptions, heading on the page and the content below the heading. Keep the content relevant to the keywords and make sure that keywords fit with the content very well without spoiling the readability.

Do you want more traffic?

Get in contact with our team to chat about what we can do for your brand today.







    SEO Update

    How To Avoid Google Penalties

    By | Digital Marketing, Google, Local SEO, Search Engine Optimizaion

    People usually use tricks available on the Internet to cheat Google and achieve higher search engine ranking. Google is continuously updating its algorithm to catch websites that use these tricks and penalize them. Google is the most widely used search engine. Getting a penalty from Google can harm your online presence adversely. Here are some tips to avoid Google Penalty.

    Don’t Trade Links

    We all know links are the key factor for search engine ranking. Many people try to find a quicker method to get them. That is why they either buy, sell or exchange links. Natural link building takes time, and Google knows it. Buying links will fetch you high quantity of low quality links within short time, which usually result in penalty. Focus on natural link building methods and follow Google guidelines.

    Maintain Healthy Keyword Density

    Avoid Keyword Stuffing, as it can be hazardous. Keyword Stuffing can be defined as the process of overloading a web page with the keywords to manipulate a website’s ranking. Google penalizes websites for keyword stuffing. To avoid penalty, add an optimum number of keywords in the suitable places without spoiling readability. Make sure that keywords look natural and mingle with the content.

    Generate Genuine Content

    Do not copy the content from other pages. Google can discover duplicated content almost instantly and harm your rank in search engine results page. Content is the soul of a website. A unique content makes your website unique. Concentrate on creating genuine and high-quality content that interests your niche and creates more user engagement.

    Inspect Backlinks Regularly

    It is a good practice to check backlinks regularly and ensure that you are not receiving bad links from spammy website. Sometimes your competitors can send bad backlinks to your site to harm your online presence. Use Google Search Console to check backlinks. If you find spammy links, then use disavow tool. With the help of this tool, you can tell Google not to count spammy links as links to your site.

    Avoid Hidden Texts

    Hidden text is also known as invisible text since it is invisible to human eyes. These texts are made invisible by choosing same color for both text as well as background. Hidden texts are used to load keywords and manipulate search engine ranking. It may be invisible for humans, but not for Google. Hidden text can trigger a penalty, and you may lose your hard-earned visibility.

    Be Cautious With Guest Blogging

    The biggest myth about guest blogging is that it is dead. The fact is that guest blogging is still practiced. Matt Cutts has announced that Guest Blogging can negatively affect your website. This is because, sometimes the incoming links from guest blogging are irrelevant and not helpful for readers. To avoid the Google penalty, ensure your content is totally relevant to the blog you are posting on.

    Do you want more traffic?

    Get in contact with our team to chat about what we can do for your brand today.







      Google My Business

      How to Setup and Optimize Google My Business Listing

      By | Google, Local SEO, Search Engine Optimizaion

      Google My Business (GMB) is an amazing marketing tool which helps you to achieve powerful online presence. With GMB, your business will be found at right time and right place. To extract maximum benefit, it is very important to optimize your Google My Business listing.

      1. Keep Your NAP and Other Information Up To Date

      NAP is nothing but Name, Address and Phone number. Keep all the information up to date and same across all directories, so that no confusion is created. With unclear or old NAP, you lose all your potential customers trying to contact you. Beginners usually fail to notice map listing. Make sure that pin placed over the map is at accurate location.

      2. Verify Your Account

       Verified accounts are reliable and usually gain higher ranking. A verified account reflects professionalism and easily builds trust. There are multiple ways to verify your Google My Business page:

      • Via Postcard
      • Via Phone
      • Via Instant Verification
      • Via Bulk verification

      3. Select Suitable Categories For Business

      Google now allows you to select more than one category for your business and has expanded category section by adding many new and relevant categories. Choose appropriate and specific categories for your business. This reflects the services you provide and help Google to direct your business to probable customers effectively.

      4. Hire a Professional For Images

      With images, your potential customers will get a better idea about your business and things you do. It is advised to take help from a professional, so that your images’ exhibit professionalism and builds your brand.

      • Upload high-quality profile and cover photos, which display what your business/company is about.
      • Create a 360° virtual tour of your business place.
      • Make a logo for your business, so that people can easily identify you.
      • Add additional photos, which display different features and areas of your company.

      5. Specify Accurate Business Hours

       Google My Business allows you to mention opening hours as well as special hours. Letting your customers know when you are available is important. Mention business hours and special hours accurately, so that a customer doesn’t have to make a call for knowing the status of your store.

      6. Get Reviews

       Just like an app in the Google play store, your business will be judged on the ratings and reviews of your customers. Gently ask satisfied customers to review your business on Google. Getting a good review adds credibility and brings more business. Keep replying to your reviews. For negative reviews, be friendly and ensure better experience in the future.

      7. Embedded Google Map on Contact Page

      Your contact page is not complete unless you add embedded Google Map to it. It helps your visitors and potential clients to know your physical location without leaving your website. It is easy to add embedded Google Map.

      1. Go to Google Maps and find your store.
      2. Besides your store name in the search bar, there will be a menu button (look for three horizontal lines), click on it.
      3. A panel will open up in left. Click on “share or embedded map.”
      4. A pop-up box will be displayed. Click on “embedded map.”
      5. Copy the iframe code and paste it on your contact page.

      8. Payment Methods

      It is a good practice to mention payment options, which you accept at your business. It is advised to provide diverse payment options, so that customer has the freedom and experiences a user-friendly atmosphere.

      Do you want more traffic?

      Get in contact with our team to chat about what we can do for your brand today.