Why does a competitor show up above my business on Google Maps?
Google says local results depend mainly on three things: relevance (how well a profile fits the search), distance (how far the business is from the person searching) and prominence (how well known the business is). A competitor can sit above you because it is closer to that searcher, fits the words they typed better, or is better known, reviews included. Google also says no one can request or pay for a better local ranking.
The three factors Google names
Google's help page on local ranking says local results are mainly based on three factors, which together help it find the best result for a search. Its summary line calls the third one popularity; the heading for it says prominence. In owner terms, as Google describes them:
- Relevance: how well your profile fits what the person searched for. Google says complete and detailed business information helps it understand the business.
- Distance: how far your business is from the person searching. Google says that if a customer does not share where they are, it uses what it knows about their location.
- Prominence: how well known the business is. Google says this includes how many reviews a business has, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help.
Why the order changes from search to search
Because distance is measured from the person searching, the order is not fixed. A customer on the far side of town can see a different order from the one you see at your own front door, and a competitor closer to that customer can come out ahead even if your profile is just as good.
Relevance works the same way: a search for a different service can reorder the results, while a search for a different service can reorder the results. Checking your spot from one phone in one place is usually a poor guide to what customers see, and distance is the factor an owner usually cannot change.
No one can buy a higher map spot
Google's page is direct about this: "There's no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google". It adds that it tries to keep the details of its ranking system confidential to keep it fair. Ads can appear near local results, but they are usually a separate, labeled placement; the related answer on whether Google Ads help your free rankings explains that split. Anyone who calls promising the top map spot deserves the caution in the related answer on how to spot an SEO scam.
What Google tells owners they can do
- Verify the business, which Google says tells it you are authorized to represent it.
- Keep the profile complete and accurate: address if customers visit, hours, what kind of business you are, and other details. Google's guidelines also ask for a precise, accurate address or service area and one profile per business.
- Reply to reviews; Google says replies show you value feedback. How to ask for more reviews is in the related answer on getting more reviews the right way.
- Add photos and videos that show what you offer.
Sources
- Google, "Tips to improve your local ranking on Google", Google Business Profile Help
- Google, "Guidelines for representing your business on Google", Google Business Profile Help
Related answers
- Does paying for Google Ads help you rank higher in the free results?
- How do you spot an SEO scam?
- How do you get more reviews the right way?
SEO for service businesses
Get found on Google by the people already looking for what you sell, in the places you serve, and see which searches turned into inquiries.