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In the past year, we have talked about the importance of Google Maps and also about the importance of obtaining positive reviews from your clients on popular review websites. You can re-read those posts here and here.

In giving presentations over the past month or so, I have been noticing some interesting things with Google Maps. There are a few developments and features of Google Maps that your firm could be taking advantage of to improve your rankings. Here are some examples.



When we look at the results for the search term, “denver personal injury lawyer,” you will notice a few things. One is that there is now a sponsored link in Google Maps. This is a listing that you pay for ala Pay Per Click. A sponsored listing guarantees a spot in Google Maps for a certain price. The only problem is that the user can clearly see that your listing is sponsored. This is an option for those of you who have Google Maps pages that aren’t performing well.

You’ll also notice that all of these listings have reviews. In competitive markets like Denver, reviews are becoming a necessity to rank well it seems, especially for firms located far away from the city’s epicenter. Google Maps give preference to businesses located closer to the city’s geographical center. Since most of you probably aren’t interested in moving your business just for better rankings on Google Maps, there is an alternative: get more reviews. As you see in the Denver example, the O’Sullivan Law Firm is located far away from the city’s geographical center. But, because they have 6 reviews, their Google Maps listing appears in the first 10 listings.

Another city that shows how beneficial user reviews are is Minneapolis.



Most of the listings in the top 10 are very close to the center of Minneapolis except for one. This one outlier, Schmidt Law Firm, appears because their firm has accumulated 23 reviews on different review websites. While it will take time for your firm to obtain reviews, it is very important that you consider this option for improving your Google Maps rankings. This is especially true if your firm is not located in the downtown area of the city you practice in.

As you can see, there are firms out there aggressively taking new approaches to Google Maps to improve their rankings. In many cases, these methods are proving to be effective especially if your office is located away from the center of the city. If your firm needs assistance with its Google Maps listing or Internet strategy, please contact Network Affiliates today.