Utilizing Google Maps Insights for Business Performance Enhancement

Looking for a local search secret weapon?

Google Maps is no longer just a navigation app, it’s quickly becoming the go-to marketing platform for businesses looking to reach local customers. With 1 billion users monthly, the customer-conversion potential is too big to ignore.

The problem:

Many businesses take their Google Maps presence for granted. They publish their listing once and think they’re done. Wrong. This is one of the biggest mistakes in local marketing and it’s costing businesses customers every day.

The good news? With a little effort, you can start harnessing the Google Maps insights at your fingertips to dominate your local visibility and drive foot traffic.

Why Google Maps Data Matters For Your Business

Google Maps is the de facto platform for local business discovery.

Think about it…

If someone is looking for a product or service near them, where do they turn first? Google Maps. So if you want those customers, you better understand how they’re discovering businesses like yours.

Google Maps Insights can show you everything from where people found your listing to how they interacted with it. That’s why businesses need to learn about Google Maps marketing to potentially grow.

The thing that most business owners miss is…

Google Maps Insights is data-driven proof of exactly what’s working (and not) in your local marketing strategy. You can see what people search to find you, how many calls they made to your business, and how many requested directions.

That is valuable information.

Understanding Your Google Maps Performance Metrics

Let’s go over the key metrics you need to pay attention to.

Your Google Maps dashboard gives you access to a world of data that can change how you think about local marketing. The issue is that many businesses simply don’t know which metrics are worth caring about.

Views and Searches

Views show how many people came across your business listing in either Google Maps or Search. There are two types you need to know.

• Direct searches: These are when someone searches for your business name or address. This is considered high-intent because the customer already knows who you are.
• Discovery searches: These are when someone stumbles across your business while searching for a product or service. For instance, “coffee shop near me” or “plumber in [city]”.

Discovery searches are where you find the most room for growth. If your Discovery search numbers are low, that means people who don’t know about you yet are not finding your business.

Customer Actions

This is where things get juicy.

Google Maps tracks any and every action a customer takes on your listing, including:

• Clicks to your website
• Requests for directions
• Phone calls to your business
• Message inquiries

These actions help you see exactly how customers prefer to interact with your business. If you’re getting tons of calls but no website clicks, that is intel on customer behavior.

Turning Insights Into Actionable Growth Strategies

Now that we know what the data is, let’s discuss what to do with it.

Google Maps insights only work if you use them to make your marketing better. Here’s how to do that:

Optimize Based On Search Terms

Google Maps has the exact search terms people are using to find your business. This is incredibly valuable information that most businesses overlook.

Look at your top search queries and ask yourself:

• Do these match my target keywords?
• Am I missing something?
• How can I appear for more relevant searches?

Use that data to improve your business description, categories, and Google Posts. If you see a specific service you offer in the search terms but your business doesn’t rank for it, add that information to your listing.

Leverage Peak Times Data

Google Maps tells you when your business is getting the most views and customer actions. With this knowledge, you can:

• Schedule posts for high-traffic periods
• Staff your business for peak times
• Run promotions during slow periods

The most savvy businesses use this data to make sure they’re visible when customers are most actively searching.

Respond To Customer Behavior Patterns

Reviews influence 85% of consumer decisions on Google Maps. That’s huge.

If you start to notice patterns in your reviews, whether positive or negative, take action on it immediately. Are customers raving about your speedy service or complaining about parking? Take note, and use it to improve your business or strengthen your marketing.

But wait, there’s more…

Businesses who respond to reviews get higher engagement rates. It makes potential customers feel like you care.

Leveraging Local Search Dominance

Local search is where Google Maps really comes into its own for business owners.

80% of Google Maps users conduct local searches on the app. Translation? If you’re not optimizing for local search, you’re missing 80% of your potential customers.

Claim Your Categories Correctly

Your primary category is one of the most important factors in ranking for Google Maps. Choose it wisely based on what customers actually search for and not what sounds impressive.

You can add additional categories, but primary should be tightly focused on your core offering.

Keep Your Information Current

Out-of-date info is a major trust killer.

Make sure your hours, address, phone number, and website are always current. When potential customers see conflicting info on your listing, they’ll likely choose your competitor.

Use Google Posts Strategically

Google Posts appear right on your Maps listing, and they allow you to share offers, events, or general business updates. Active posters are reaping the benefits of high engagement.

Don’t just post for the sake of it though. Share quality content that has value and gives customers a reason to choose you.

Measuring Success and Adjusting Your Strategy

The last but not least important part of this is tracking your success over time.

Google Maps insights are useless if you only look at them once and call it a day. Make a schedule to regularly review your metrics, whether weekly or monthly, and start looking for trends and patterns:

• Are your views going up or down?
• Which customer actions are increasing?
• How do this month’s metrics compare to last month’s?

Use this information to constantly improve your approach. What worked great last month may not this month, so be willing to adapt and be data-driven.

The bottom line?

Businesses that strategically use Google Maps insights are reaping the benefits. Increased visibility leads to more customers, and more customers means more revenue.

Key Takeaways

Harnessing Google Maps Insights to Boost Business Performance might seem like a mouthful, but it’s not rocket science. It does take effort and strategy, though.

The winning businesses in local search aren’t lucky — they’re just smart. They get that Google Maps is more than just a listing. It’s a platform that has the potential to be a powerful marketing tool when you know what to do with the data you’re given.

Focus on the right metrics, optimize based on your insights, and improve your approach continuously, and you’ll dominate local search and grow your business.

Start by:

• Reviewing your Google Maps dashboard weekly or monthly
• Figuring out which search terms are driving traffic
• Responding to reviews and customer feedback
• Optimizing your listing based on that data
• Tracking customer actions and pivoting your strategy

Google Maps insights give you everything you need to know about your customers to take your business to the next level. The question is, are you using them?

Don’t leave your local business visibility to chance. Take advantage of the data you have and watch your business performance soar.