Quick answer
Google Maps ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot change distance, but a complete Business Profile, steady genuine reviews, consistent listings and useful local pages improve the other two.
Key takeaways
- Google ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence.
- A complete, active Google Business Profile is the foundation.
- Steady, genuine reviews and consistent listings build prominence.
- Suburb-specific pages help, as long as each one is genuinely useful.
How do Maps rankings work?
- Relevance: how well your profile and website match the search.
- Distance: how close you are to the searcher or searched area.
- Prominence: how well known and trusted you are, based on reviews, links and mentions.
How do you optimise your Business Profile?
- Choose the most accurate primary category and relevant secondary ones.
- Add services, service areas, hours and attributes.
- Upload real photos of your team and work.
- Post updates and answer questions.
- Keep holiday hours current.
How do you earn reviews and consistency?
Ask happy customers at the right moment with a direct link, and reply politely to every review. Never buy reviews or offer incentives that break Google's rules or Australian Consumer Law.
Keep your name, address and phone identical across your website, Google, Apple Maps, Bing and directories.
What website and link signals help?
- Suburb and service area in titles, headings and content.
- Useful area pages with local details, not copied text.
- LocalBusiness schema, a map and a visible phone number.
- Local links from clubs, chambers and local media.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- A virtual office address.
- Keywords stuffed into your business name.
- Dozens of near-identical suburb pages.
- Ignoring negative reviews.
- Setting up the profile once and never updating it.
How do you track results?
Watch calls, direction requests and website clicks in your profile insights, and local clicks in Search Console. Results vary between suburbs, so look for trends.
Our Google Business Profile optimisation service covers this in detail.
Bottom line
Local rankings come from relevance, distance and prominence. A well-kept profile, real reviews and useful local pages give you the best chance on Maps.
