Google Maps Ranking for Trades: How to Get into the Top 3 Map Pack

Google Maps ranking illustration showing three highlighted trade businesses in the top Map Pack

When someone searches “secondary glazing installer near me”, “emergency plumber in Leeds” or “electrician nearby”, Google often shows three businesses before the normal search results.

That is the Map Pack.

It is one of the most valuable places for a local trade business to appear. Most local searches are decided by the top three results, especially on mobile. If your business is not there, customers may never see your website, read your reviews or call you.

That does not mean you are doing poor work.

You may have years of experience, happy customers and better workmanship than the businesses above you. The problem is that Google needs clearer signals about what you do, where you work and how trusted your business is.

Here is how to improve your Google Maps ranking.

What affects your Google Maps ranking?

Google mainly looks at four areas when deciding which businesses to show in the Map Pack.

1. Proximity

This means how close your business is to the person searching.

A customer searching from one part of Birmingham may see different businesses from someone searching in another part of Birmingham. You cannot control where every searcher is located.

You also should not use a fake address or virtual office to try to rank in another town. That can create problems with your Google Business Profile.

What you can do is make your real service area clear. Focus on the towns and areas you genuinely cover, then build strong local signals for those places.

2. Relevance

Relevance means how closely your business matches the search.

If your profile only says “building services”, Google may not know whether you are a roofer, bricklayer or loft conversion specialist.

Your Google Business Profile should clearly explain:

  • Your main trade
  • Your key services
  • The types of customers you help
  • The areas you cover
  • Your opening hours
  • How customers can contact you

Your website needs to support this information. A page about “secondary glazing” is more useful than a vague page called “our services”.

3. Prominence

Prominence is how well-known and trusted your business appears online.

Google can use signals such as:

  • The number and quality of reviews you have
  • How recently customers have reviewed you
  • Mentions of your business on directories
  • Links from relevant websites
  • The quality and usefulness of your website
  • Photos and activity on your Business Profile

You do not need hundreds of random directory listings. A smaller number of accurate, relevant listings is more useful than a pile of poor-quality ones.

4. Engagement

Google also sees how people interact with your listing.

This can include:

  • Phone calls
  • Website clicks
  • Requests for directions
  • Messages
  • Photo views
  • Clicks through to your services

Engagement is not something you should try to manipulate. Instead, make your listing useful enough that the right customers want to take action.

Show clear services. Add real photographs. Keep your phone number correct. Make it easy for someone to request a quote.

Google Business Profile optimisation checklist with seven highlighted actions for a local trade business

A practical 7-point plan to improve your Map Pack position

1. Complete your Google Business Profile properly

Fill in every relevant section of your profile.

Add your:

  • Correct business name
  • Phone number
  • Website
  • Opening hours
  • Business description
  • Services
  • Service areas
  • Photos
  • Attributes

Google says complete and accurate information helps it understand your business and match it with relevant searches. You can read its own guidance on improving your local ranking on Google.

Do not add keywords to your business name unless they are part of your real trading name. For example, changing “Smith & Sons” to “Best Emergency Plumber in Bristol” is not a safe optimisation tactic.

2. Choose the right primary category

Your primary category tells Google what your business mainly does.

A roofer should not choose a general building category if “Roofing contractor” is the accurate option. A window fitter should choose the category that best reflects window installation rather than selecting several unrelated categories.

You can add secondary categories where they genuinely apply. For example, a heating engineer may also offer boiler installation or boiler repair.

Choose the most accurate primary category first. Do not choose a category simply because you think it has more searches.

3. Keep your NAP details consistent

NAP means:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Phone number

These details should match across your Google Business Profile, website and business directories.

Check for:

  • Old phone numbers
  • Previous addresses
  • Different spellings of your company name
  • Duplicate directory listings
  • Missing postcode details
  • Incorrect opening hours

If one directory says “J. Smith Plumbing” and another says “John Smith Plumbing Ltd”, Google may have a harder time joining those records together.

Keep your contact details consistent. This is a simple job, but it is often missed.

4. Build a steady review process

Reviews help in two ways.

They can support your prominence in local search, and they help customers decide whether to call you.

Do not wait for reviews to appear by chance. Ask every happy customer at the right time, usually after you have completed the work and the customer is satisfied.

Send a direct Google review link by text or email. Make the request easy to follow.

You can say:

“Thanks for choosing us. If you were happy with the work, please leave us a Google review and mention the job we completed.”

Do not write reviews for customers or offer rewards in exchange for positive reviews. Ask for honest feedback.

Respond to every review. Thank customers for positive comments, and deal with complaints calmly. A helpful response shows future customers that you take your work seriously.

Aim for a steady flow of genuine reviews rather than five reviews one month and none for the next year.

5. Create service-area pages for the towns you cover

If you work across several towns, do not put every location into one long paragraph on your homepage.

Create useful pages for important areas you genuinely serve.

For example, a secondary glazing company might create pages for:

  • Secondary glazing in Bath
  • Secondary glazing in Bristol
  • Secondary glazing in Swindon

Each page should contain original information. Explain the types of properties you work on, the services you provide and how customers in that area can contact you.

Do not create dozens of near-identical pages with only the town name changed. That gives visitors little value and can make your website look thin.

Link your location pages to the relevant service pages, a relevant trade page such as the electricians page, and your contact or instant quote builder.

6. Add useful local content to your website

Your website should answer the questions customers ask before they hire you.

A plumber could write about:

  • What to do when a boiler loses pressure
  • How much a boiler service usually involves
  • When a leaking pipe needs an emergency call-out

A glazier could explain:

  • The difference between secondary and double glazing
  • How long replacement glass takes
  • What to do after a window breaks

This content helps customers, but it also gives Google more information about your services and expertise.

Use plain language. Mention the relevant service and location naturally. Do not repeat “best plumber in Manchester” in every sentence.

Your website should also work properly on a phone. Make your phone number easy to tap, show your service areas clearly and put your main call to action near the top of the page.

Local SEO prominence illustration showing reviews, directories, website quality and local map signals connected to a trade business

7. Track your results and adjust

Local SEO is not a one-off job.

Check your Google Business Profile performance regularly. Look at:

  • Calls
  • Website visits
  • Direction requests
  • Search terms
  • Which services receive attention
  • Which areas generate enquiries

If people view your listing but do not call, your profile may need better photos, clearer service information or a stronger offer.

If people visit your website but do not enquire, make the next step easier. Add clearer contact details or let visitors build an instant estimate through the VU1 quote builder.

Track rankings from the areas you actually serve. A search made at your home or office may show different results from a search made several miles away.

Local SEO analytics dashboard showing calls, direction requests, website clicks and weekly Google Maps progress

How long does Google Maps ranking take?

Google Maps ranking usually improves gradually.

You may see changes after fixing an important error, such as the wrong category or a broken phone number. However, stronger results normally come from several improvements working together over time.

That includes:

  • A complete and accurate profile
  • Regular genuine reviews
  • Consistent business details
  • Better service and location pages
  • A faster, clearer website
  • Ongoing tracking and adjustments

This is where many trade businesses get stuck. You know the work matters, but you are busy quoting, travelling and completing jobs. You do not have time to manage profiles, directories, website fixes and local pages every week.

VU1 handles the practical work for £99/mo.

The membership includes local SEO work, Google Business Profile optimisation, citation building, website fixes, your domain and hosting, plus an instant quote widget for your website. There are no per-lead fees.

See exactly what is included on the pricing page, or read our case studies to see how trade businesses use VU1.

VU1 is built for UK trade businesses, including secondary glazing specialists, glaziers, window fitters, electricians, plumbers, builders and other local services.

Check your Google Maps ranking problems for free

Before you spend money on SEO, find out what is holding your business back.

Enter your website address into the free VU1 audit. It checks 15 local, on-page and technical signals in under 15 seconds, with no signup required.

You will see the problems explained in plain English, along with practical fixes.

Enter your website URL into the free audit now. See your 15-point local search report in under 15 seconds, then fix the issues stopping customers from finding and contacting you.