Distance is Google's #1 ranking factor for displaying businesses. If you are physically far from the customer searching, you start with a handicap. But it is possible to improve your ranking on Google Maps.
When Google considers you indispensable in your field, it agrees to widen your radius of action. Here are the real, verified levers to be visible beyond your neighborhood or city.
🌐 1. Your website: the secret weapon
Although Google Maps displays Google Business Profiles and not websites, the two are linked. To be visible on Google Maps, you need a solid website. This is what gives "weight" to your business listing.
The concrete action: Create pages dedicated to the location or city where you want to improve your ranking.
Example: If you are a plumber in New York but want to target Brooklyn, don't just mention it at the bottom of a page. Create a specific page on your site titled "Plumber in Brooklyn". Talk about your specific interventions in this area. The content must not be copy-pasted from another page, but unique to this location.
Why it works: Google scans your site constantly. If it sees a highly relevant page for this specific city, it links it to your business profile. This is, to date, the most effective method for expanding your area of influence.
💬 2. Customer reviews: the written proof
Having reviews is good. Having detailed comments is even better. Google reads the content of reviews to understand what you do, but above all where you do it.
The concrete action: Gently guide your clients when they write reviews.
Example: Instead of just asking for a review, say for example: "Feel free to mention the neighborhood of the intervention in your message, it helps us a lot to get known there!"
The impact: If several clients write "Great job in Soho" or "Fast delivery in Queens", Google naturally and semantically associates your company with these neighborhoods, even if you are not physically based there.
🤝 3. Local anchoring
Google looks for proof that you are an important local player.
The concrete action: Get people talking about you locally.
An article in the city newspaper? A mention on the website of the city hall or the merchants' association? A partnership with a sports club in the neighboring district that puts your logo on its site?
Why it works: These mentions on other local sites (what we call backlinks in technical jargon) are powerful trust signals. They prove to Google that your influence extends beyond your street.
📢 4. Show that you are active
A listing that looks "dead" or abandoned inspires little confidence, neither in Google nor in customers.
The concrete action: Use Google Posts (on your Google Business Profile).
Post several times a month: a promotion, a photo of a recent project, or practical info about your holidays.
The important nuance: This does not directly boost your technical ranking. However, it increases customer engagement (they click more, look at photos, stay longer on the listing). And this engagement is a very positive signal for Google in the long run.
🎯 5. Be clear about your areas
There is a "Service areas" section in your Google Business Profile administration.
The concrete action: Fill it out honestly with the cities or neighborhoods where you actually travel.
Beware of misconceptions: Adding 20 cities here will not magically make you appear first in those cities. The physical address remains king for pure ranking.
However: It is crucial for the customer. It immediately confirms that you can intervene at their place, which prevents them from moving on to the next competitor. It is a conversion factor, not a ranking factor.
In summary
There is no magic button to bypass distance. Local SEO is a long-term effort, but by following these tips it is possible to improve your ranking on Google Maps.
📍 Where are you really visible today?
Do you think you are visible in the whole city or only at the end of your street? It is often difficult to know by searching for yourself on your own phone.
Stop guessing. With Begonia.pro, visualize your positions on a precise map, neighborhood by neighborhood. You will know exactly where you are winning customers, and where you have an opportunity to progress.