Learn Local SEO From the Map Pack Above You
One of the most useful local SEO lessons is free: study the businesses that show up above you on Google Maps. Conqueror Capital starts every local plan this way, because the map pack for your main search shows what Google is rewarding in your area right now. You are not copying anyone. You are looking for the gaps between their listing and yours, then closing the honest ones.
AT A GLANCE
By Conqueror Capital · Published
The short answer: Search your main service the way a customer would, from where your customers are, and open the top three map results. Compare their primary category, how complete their profile is, their reviews, photos and website pages with yours. Fix the gaps that are real for your business, and skip anything that breaks Google's rules, such as keywords stuffed into a business name.
SEARCH LIKE A CUSTOMER
Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and popularity, and that distance is measured from the person searching.1 So the map pack you see from your office may not be what a customer sees across town. Search on a phone, signed out or in a private window, from the neighbourhoods you serve, using the words customers use: "emergency plumber," "nail salon," "commercial cleaning." Write down the top three businesses for each search.
Our guide to checking your Google Maps ranking explains why there is no single rank and how to check it properly.
WHAT TO COMPARE
- Primary category. Google says the categories you select affect local ranking, and recommends the most specific one available, for example "Nail salon" rather than "Salon."2 If the top three share a category you don't use, ask whether it describes your business too.
- Completeness. Hours, services, attributes, description, booking or menu links. Google's advice is to provide complete and detailed business info.1
- Reviews. How many, how recent, and whether the owner replies. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking.1
- Photos. Recent, real photos of the work, the team and the storefront.
- Website. Does each competitor have a page for the exact service you searched, with the town named and the phone number in plain text?
WHAT NOT TO COPY
Some businesses rank with tactics that break Google's guidelines. Google asks businesses to represent themselves as they are known in the real world, to choose the fewest categories that describe the core business, and to keep one profile per business.3 Keywords added to a business name, fake locations and duplicate profiles can get a listing suspended. Our post on keywords in your Google business name explains that rule in detail.
If a competitor's listing is clearly misleading, you can suggest an edit on Google Maps. Do it for real violations only, and spend most of your time on your own profile.
SMALL, MID-SIZE AND ENTERPRISE
Small businesses: one search, three competitors, one list of gaps. Fix the top two this month.
Mid-size businesses: repeat the review for each main service. The map pack for "roof repair" and "roof replacement" can show different winners.
Multi-location and enterprise brands: run the same review for each location's own area, because each one faces different local competitors. Keep a shared sheet so location teams fix the same kinds of gaps the same way. See how we work with enterprise teams.
FAQ
How do I see who ranks above me on Google Maps?
Search your main service on a phone from the area your customers are in, signed out or in a private window, and note the top three map results. Results change with the searcher's location, so check from more than one spot.
What should I compare with competitors on Google Maps?
Their primary category, how complete their profile is, the number and recency of reviews and replies, photos, and whether their website has a page for the exact service.
Should I use the same category as the top competitors?
Only if it accurately describes your business. Google recommends the most specific category that fits and the fewest categories needed for the core business.
A competitor has keywords in their business name. Should I do the same?
No. Google's guidelines ask for the real-world business name, and keyword stuffing can get a profile suspended. You can suggest an edit on Maps for clear violations.
SOURCES
- Google Business Profile Help, Tips to improve your local ranking on Google.
- Google Business Profile Help, Manage your business category.
- Google Business Profile Help, Guidelines for representing your business on Google.
Platforms change often. Check the sources for the current version before acting.
KEEP READING
BOOK A STRATEGY CALL
Want us to run the map pack review for your main searches and give you the gap list? Book a 15-minute call, or ask for a free Google listing and website check.