Google Maps - Hard Knocks Mistake - Avoid This!

I found out the reason why it wasn't showing - at least it seems to make most sense. This was with a help of a friend of mine.

Now if this happens to YOU this might be the answers.

Note: I am still testing this out so I can't say it will work but this is how to get your listing in a certain location without running into any problems.

So if you are opening up a new business or if you are already learning your lesson the hard way you have to always make sure your business is listed in a location that the (city) map can fit inside.

What I mean by this is do a search for your keyword into Google and look at the map that comes up at the top. Make sure your business is within that block or it will highly decrease the chances it will be displayed in the top 7 when the keyword is searched. Even if it is around the edges that is still very close to the border. Think about it this way, you know when you click on the Letter A for instance and a box appears to give you more information...if the box has a hard time showing itself fully within that map you might not have the full potential of being in the top 7.

Now every map will be different in the zoom level - for example I just searched Toronto Plumber and Toronto Bars and the zoom level of the map was different. It is more distant because there are different amount of business listings for those businesses. The further the map is away from the centroid of the city the less competition (business listings) there are for that keyword.

Some of the keywords the zoom is REALLY close that means its really hard. My situation went like this:

My business did NOT show up in top 7 when you searched Toronto (keyword). Although when you clicked MORE RESULTS it DID display in top 7. This happened because my business listing did not fit into the centroid in the smaller map when you simply search the keyword, but when you clicked more results and the map was bigger it did fit in there.

My business listing is one of the strongest out of thousands in terms of everything! I mean everything! Local phone number, videos, images, many citations and reviews from different c-class IP's and so on...anything you can imagine I have it. But the business location was right on the border of the map when you simply searched the keyword - so Google did not want to squeeze it into the top 7 even though it was in Toronto...in fact it was right on top of the word Toronto! But that wasn't where Google zoomed in on the map...the center of Toronto was Queen Street East.

So business with less of everything and NOT complete business listings were showing in the top 7 and beating me even though I had everything. So the best thing to do is either get an address or if you don't rely on it change your address to the center or around it of the city center. As a guide use the map that shows up when you SEARCH the keyword, and don't use the bold city name as the center - like I said it isn't always the center.

I will say this again the zoom level on the maps is always different...so the center will always be different as well. Just be cautious of this when you are listing your business and you want to get into the top 7, this is just one of the factors, but again business with incomplete crap were beating me and I was working on mine for 3 months now trying everything I possibly could to get into the top 7 until I realized this might be the problem

I will let you know more news in the next few days if changing the address helped.

If this is confusing leave a comment I will explain better.

P.S Did not proof read no time -

Thaks for the info, really helpful i am having the same situation here, have you corraborate this? for me to apply....
thanks

This is dead on accurate. ...I've also tested and found this to be true...being closest to the center of the map is a huge criteria point to address.

Thanks alex! I have always wondered what it take to apper on G map. Make sure to keep us updated!

Your observations sound reasonable, but I would like to show you a different angle.

In the U.S. we have zip codes and in Canada you have some thing similar. Here in the U.S., you can put a zip code in Google Search instead of a town or city and get more local information such as Pizza joints around the zip code.

I believe that Google Local search is/will replace the local printed yellow page directory. Google tries to determine where you are searching from. So if you are connected to the internet through a wired connection and do a search for a pizza joint without any location you could end up with places across town from where you are because that is where your ISP is located. I have experienced this in Denver using Qwest DSL. I'm located in NW Denver but search results are mostly in SE Denver when not putting in a location.

Google Local search really shines when used with a smart phone like a Blackberry or Iphone. The smart phones have GPS in them and Google is able to determine where you are calling from and return better local results.

So, if your potential customers are search savy, you could show up more than you think.

@M.A.D That is a great technique to follow and I will have to test, but how does it help your exact listing - because it simply takes you to a general search query.

@Dan Free Yeah that's true but here we are specifically talking about a specific keyword that people usually search for which includes the city. Yes what you say is true how you can get local results for searching pizza, but until the general public gets that it will be a while. Most people are only starting to adjust towards Google in general and how its a better method of advertising then Yellow Pages - like you said.

I haven't checked up on the listing yet regarding my post - if there are any changes I will let you guys know.

Now when I click "More Results" instead of sitting on "F" I am sitting on "E" but I still do not show up in the top 7 when you simply search the keyword. Changing the address helped the ranking, but didn't fix the problem of not appearing when the keyword is searched...

Has anyone had actual success with getting on google maps? I rank near or at the top for over 10 high traffic terms. Very little impressions, very little clicks, not really any sales. I have found it to be a waste of time (even once you get the coveted top positions). just my opinion - maybe others have had sucess