How to Rank Higher in Google Maps and Local Search Results

Winning in Google Maps helps you appear when people nearby search for things like real estate agents, property managers, or free market appraisal. This guide shows clear steps to lift your ranking and turn searchers into calls and listings. The focus is on practical actions you can do this week in your local area.

How Google decides who shows in the Map Pack

Google uses three big ideas to rank local results.

• Relevance
  How closely your profile and website match the search. Categories, services, content, and reviews all help.

• Distance
  How close you are to the searcher or the suburb searched.

• Prominence
  How well known and trusted you are online. Reviews, links from other sites, local news, and strong brand signals grow this.

You can influence relevance and prominence the most. Distance matters, but you can still win attention across nearby suburbs with smart content and strong signals.

Step 1. Claim and verify your Google Business Profile

• Search your business name in Google. If you see your profile, claim it. If not, create one.

• Use your legal business name only. Do not add suburbs or keywords to the name.

• Use a real street address where your team meets clients or is based. If you work from home, you can hide the address and set service areas.

• Verify your listing as soon as Google offers the option.

Result to aim for
Your profile is live, verified, and owned by your main business Google account.

Step 2. Complete every field to 100 percent

• Primary category
  Choose Real estate agency or Real estate agent. Add Property management company if it fits.

• Service areas
  Add your core suburbs and nearby ones you truly cover.

• Hours
  Add open hours plus special hours for public holidays and auction days.

• Phone
  Use a local number that matches your area code.

• Website
  Link to your main site.

• Appointment link
  Link to a free appraisal form or booking page.

• Services
  Add items like Free market appraisal, Property management, Auction services, Buyer help, Concierge. Add short descriptions.

• Business description
  Write 750 to 1000 characters. Include your suburbs, property types, and value promise. Keep it natural and human.

Tip
Keep your Name, Address, Phone the same on your website and across every directory. This is called NAP consistency and it builds trust.

Step 3. Add photos and videos that win clicks

• Logo and cover photo that match your brand.

• Team photos and happy client moments with permission.

• Office front and interior so people can recognise you.

• Short videos
  Thirty to sixty seconds. Market updates. Auction highlights. Before and after of a campaign.

• Property albums
  Use recent listings and sold results. Choose your top five images for each album.

Keep uploading new visuals each week. Fresh content tells Google and clients that you are active.

Step 4. Post weekly updates and offers

Google Posts sit on your profile and can show in search.

• What to post
  New listings, just sold, case studies, market update videos, open home schedules, landlord tips, appraisal offer.

• Format
  One clear image, a short headline, 40 to 80 words, and a call to action like Call now or Book appraisal.

• Rhythm
  One to three posts each week is enough. Remove posts that are out of date.

Step 5. Build a steady stream of reviews

Reviews lift rankings and conversions. Aim for quality and steady volume.

• Ask after a win
  Request a review after an on time sale, a great price, a smooth tenancy start, or a helpful appraisal.

• Make it easy
  Share your short review link by text and email.

• Guide the content
  Ask clients to mention the suburb, the property type, and what you did well.

• Reply to every review within one day
  Thank them by name. Repeat a keyword naturally like Your review for our Carlton team means a lot.

• Handle poor reviews with care
  Stay calm. Solve the issue. Invite the person to call. After resolution, they may update their review.

Do not offer gifts for reviews. Do not ask only happy clients to review. Ask fairly and consistently.

Step 6. Create local directory listings and keep them consistent

These listings help Google trust your business details and improve prominence.

• Add or update your profile on these platforms
  Apple Business Connect
  Bing Places
  Facebook Page
  Yellow Pages
  True Local
  Hotfrog
  LocalSearch
  RateMyAgent
  Domain Agency profile
  realestate.com.au Agency profile
  LinkedIn Company Page

Make sure your Name, Address, Phone, website, and hours match your Google profile and your website exactly.

Step 7. Strengthen your website for local SEO

Your website tells Google what you do and where you do it.

• On page basics
  Page titles like Real Estate Agent in Newtown NSW.
  Meta descriptions that include your suburbs and a clear benefit.
  One H1 heading and clear subheadings.
  Include your address, phone, and an enquiry form on contact and footer.

• Schema
  Add LocalBusiness or RealEstateAgent structured data so Google can read your details.

• Speed and mobile
  Fast pages and easy mobile use help rankings and conversions.

• Clear calls to action
  Buttons for Book an appraisal, Request a rental appraisal, Download a suburb report.

Step 8. Build suburb pages that answer local questions

Create a strong page for each suburb you serve.

• What to include
  Median price trends with plain words
  Days on market explained
  Recent sales with short case notes
  Schools and transport overview
  Why sellers choose your team in this suburb
  Three to five reviews from clients in this suburb
  A clear appraisal form and phone number

• Keep them fresh
  Update every quarter with new results and a short video.

These pages rank for suburb plus agent searches and feed your Google profile with relevance.

Step 9. Win local backlinks through real relationships

Links from respected local sites grow prominence.

• Sponsor or support
  Sports clubs, school events, community markets, charity days.

• Offer helpful content
  Write a short article for the local chamber, school newsletter, or community blog that links back to your suburb page.

• Local media
  Share market wraps and auction stats with your local news site. Include one link to your market update page.

Focus on quality and community value. One good local link is worth more than many weak links.

Step 10. Use Q and A, Messages, and Bookings on your profile

• Q and A
  Seed common questions from a personal account, then answer them from the business account. Examples
  How much is a free market appraisal
  Do you manage rentals in Paddington
  How do you market a property to buyers from out of area

• Messages
  Turn on messaging if you can respond fast. Set up saved replies.

• Bookings
  Connect a simple form or calendar tool so people can book an appraisal time.

These features improve engagement which supports rankings and leads.

Step 11. Track what is working and adjust

• Google Business Profile Insights
  Watch calls, direction requests, website clicks, and popular times.

• UTM tracking
  Add source tags to your website link and appointment link so you can see traffic and leads in your analytics.

• Search Console
  Check which suburb terms show impressions and clicks. Build pages to match those terms.

• Review goals
  Set a monthly target for new reviews per team member.

Meet weekly for ten minutes. Keep what works. Fix what slips.

A simple 90 day action plan

Week 1 to 2

• Claim and verify your profile.

• Complete every field.

• Write your business description.

• Upload core images and two short videos.

• Publish three Google Posts.

Week 3 to 4

• Launch a reviews drive with current sellers, buyers, and landlords.

• Add or fix your listings on Apple, Bing, and key directories.

• Update your website contact and footer with correct Name, Address, Phone.

• Add LocalBusiness schema.

Week 5 to 6

• Create your first two suburb pages with strong calls to action.

• Publish one market update video and post it on your profile.

• Turn on messaging with saved replies.

Week 7 to 8

• Seek two local backlinks through sponsorships or community articles.

• Add appointment links with UTM tags.

• Expand services on your profile with clear descriptions.

Week 9 to 10

• Add three new photo albums from recent campaigns.

• Seed and answer five Q and A items on your profile.

• Review Insights and adjust posting times.

Week 11 to 12

• Add two more suburb pages.

• Run a review follow up round.

• Plan next quarter content and community partnerships.

High impact tips for property management growth

• Create a Rentals hub page with suburbs you manage, average rents, and a simple landlord appraisal form.

• Ask tenants and landlords for balanced reviews that mention communication, maintenance speed, and clarity of statements.

• Post monthly rent updates as a Google Post and a short video.

Common mistakes that hurt rankings

• Stuffing keywords or suburbs into your business name.

• Using a virtual office or mailbox address.

• Inconsistent Name, Address, Phone across directories.

• Long gaps with no posts, no photos, and no replies to reviews.

• Asking only happy clients for reviews or offering rewards.

• Slow website with weak calls to action.

Quick checklist

• Profile verified and 100 percent complete.

• Real address or correct service areas.

• Primary category and secondary categories set.

• Business description written with suburbs included.

• Weekly Google Posts scheduled.

• Ten fresh photos and two short videos uploaded this month.

• Reviews target set and system to ask and reply in one day.

• Directory listings created and consistent.

• Suburb pages live with clear calls to action.

• Local backlinks planned through real community support.

• Messaging on and monitored.

• UTM tracking on profile links.

• Insights and Search Console checked monthly.

Ranking higher in Google Maps is not one big trick. It is many small, honest actions done well every week. Complete your profile. Prove your local value with helpful content. Earn steady reviews. Build real community links. When people search in your area, your brand will be seen first and trusted more, which leads to more calls, more appraisals, and more listings.

Author Ken Hobson