Local SEO
Why your Google Maps ranking dropped, and what to check first
Slipped down the Google Maps results? Seven checks, in order, that explain most drops for local businesses, plus three things not to do.
By Nick Willitts · · 3 min read
You used to show up in the Google Maps results for your main service. Now you're further down, or gone. Phone calls have slowed and you're not sure why.
Before you assume the worst, work through these checks in order. Most drops have an ordinary explanation, and many are fixable in an afternoon.
First, understand how Google decides
Google says its local results are based on three things: relevance (how well your profile matches the search), distance (how far you are from the person searching, or the area they named), and prominence (how well known and well reviewed you are). Every check below maps to one of those three.
1. Are you checking from the same place?
Distance changes everything. A search from your office will show different results to a search from a suburb across town. Before you panic, check from a few locations, or ask someone in your target area to search for you. A ranking that "dropped" is sometimes just a different search location.
2. Has something changed on your profile?
Log into your Google Business Profile and look for:
- A suspension or verification notice.
- Edits you didn't make. Anyone can suggest changes to a public profile, and Google sometimes accepts them.
- A changed primary category. This is the single biggest relevance signal, and the wrong one can sink you.
- Incorrect hours. If you show as closed when someone searches, you may be pushed down.
3. Have competitors got busier?
Often you haven't dropped so much as others have climbed. Look at the businesses now above you. Do they have more recent reviews? More photos? Posts in the last month? Services listed in detail? Prominence is relative, so a competitor's good month can look like your bad one.
4. Have your reviews slowed down?
A business with 80 reviews and none in the last six months can look less active than one with 30 reviews and a steady trickle. Recent reviews, and replies to them, signal that you're open and looking after customers. Build asking for reviews into your normal process, such as a short message after each job.
5. Do your details match everywhere?
Check your business name, address and phone number on your website, Google profile, Facebook, industry directories and anywhere else you're listed. Old addresses and old phone numbers create doubt. Fix the ones you control and update the rest where you can.
6. Did your website change?
If your website was rebuilt or moved recently, check that your service pages still exist, that old addresses redirect to the new ones, and that your location is still clearly mentioned. A new site that drops the pages Google relied on can take your Maps ranking down with it.
7. Is it a wider Google update?
Google updates how it ranks local results from time to time. If many businesses in your category moved at the same time, it may be an update rather than something you did. Keep doing the fundamentals and watch for a few weeks before making big changes.
What not to do
- Don't stuff keywords into your business name. It's against Google's guidelines and can get your profile suspended.
- Don't buy reviews or offer incentives for positive ones. Google removes them, and it can do lasting damage.
- Don't create extra profiles for addresses where you don't actually serve customers in person.
Still stuck?
If you've worked through the list and can't find the cause, it's worth having someone look at your profile, your website and the competitors around you together. Get in touch and I'll take a look.