Google Maps, profiles and reviews.
In plain English.

01 / KNOW WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT

Maps, local pack or website: where do customers see you?

Google can show a link to your website, a group of nearby businesses, or results in Google Maps. Each can put your business in front of a customer, but a position in one doesn’t tell you your position in the others.

Look for the result type and date beside a position. A smaller number means nearer the top of those results. Compare the same type of result from the same place to make changes easier to understand.

02 / LOCATION MATTERS

Why your Google Maps ranking changes by location

Someone outside your shop may see different businesses from someone a few suburbs away. Distance is one of the things Google uses to choose local results. Start with the places your customers actually come from.

03 / START WITH THE RIGHT QUESTION

How to run your first local rank check

1. Choose one service customers can actually book with you.
2. Use a simple search, such as “plumber Fremantle”.
3. Note the location and date, and whether you’re looking at a website or business listing.
4. Use the same search and location next time to make the comparison useful.

“Not in the first 20” only describes the results checked. It doesn’t mean the business is missing from Google everywhere.

04 / TURN INFORMATION INTO ACTION

How to write a service page that ranks locally

Pick a phrase from your shortlist and open the page for that service. Would a new customer immediately understand what you do, where you work and how to contact you?

• Use a clear heading, such as “Bathroom grout cleaning in Perth”.
• Explain what the service includes, using your own words and real examples.
• Make the areas you serve and the next step to enquire easy to find.

Then check that your Google Business Profile has accurate services, contact details and opening hours. These are useful improvements for customers. A ranking number alone can’t tell you what caused a change or promise that an edit will move you up.