My company needs to show up on Google Maps but there's no traffic when I open a profile — how to do local SEO step by step?

Our auto repair shop's profile had been stagnant for months. Then we told customers to 'write a review on Google', and we got 27 reviews in six months. It jumped from 8th to 2nd place on the map. Google said reviews matter and we saw it for ourselves.

Photos are super important too. anyway if we post photos of the workshop potential customers think 'okay, this place is legit'.

Reviews are crucial but I've always failed at getting them. Some customers write them but most are 'too busy'. I think it's better if you go there yourself, write the review and give them the link to copy-paste.

Local SEO vs Global SEO: For local, if you're targeting 'Bağlarköy Barista' (city + service), your page needs to have city info and link to the profile. For global, write 'best barista' (no city), targeting national rankings.

Verification (SAV) is absolutely important. If you don't verify, Google suspects 'is this real?' and you won't show up on the map.

Is your website prepared for local SEO? If your about page has your verified address, your sitemap has location schema, and your schema has address + telephone, it supports GBP. It's not a single channel, it's a site + GBP + review ecosystem.

reviews really change lives. if our newly opened branch gets 10 reviews, it starts trying to beat competitors in that market. ask customers, make it easy for them to write — I give them the link, copy-paste spot is ready. it moves fast.

I'm a small business, let me explain from my side. Don't trust anyone who gives guarantees; there are no guarantees in this business.

Im also curious if anyone does it differently.

The discussion got scattered, let me summarize. Map listings bring more business than blog posts for most local businesses.

Of course, it varies if your situation is different.

i've been dealing with this for a long time.. and btw everyone rushing into local seo google maps gets stuck at the same point.

mistakes made on the local seo google maps side are usually reversible but expensive then good luck with that.

id appreciiate it if you shared the outcome.

I didn't know that.

Timely topic.

Let me share my experience. Everything goes well for the first three months; problems arise in the fourth.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

I've been down this road, let me tell you. If you get three different answers on a topic, the question was asked wrong.

We've heard this a lot, but it never happened like that for us. The harder it is to reverse a decision, the slower you should make it.

That's all, sorry if I went on too long.

Let me summarize the topic, since several different answers were given. Map listings bring more business than blog posts for most local businesses.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

The answer above hits the nail on the head. When we decide without measuring, we always end up in the same place.

The biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say.

Noted, thanks. A page with low traffic might be reaching the right people. Look at where sales come from.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

To get into the details: Most time waste accumulates in tasks waiting for approval.

Proven by experience.