Why Is My Competitor Above Me on Google Maps?

You search for your main service on Google, look at the Google Maps results, and there they are again — your competitor above you.

It can be frustrating, particularly when you know you have been in business longer, provide a good service and have plenty of happy customers.

So why is Google putting them above you?

One of the simplest ways to think about it is this:

Your competitor may be giving Google more proof.

Google needs to understand what your business does, where you operate and whether you appear to be a relevant choice for the person searching.

If your competitor is giving Google clearer information and stronger supporting signals, Google may have more confidence in showing their business.

There are numerous things that can affect your position on Google Maps, but here are three important areas I would look at first.

1. Help Google Understand Exactly What Your Business Does

Start with your Google Business Profile categories.

A common mistake is setting up one main category and leaving it at that.

Imagine you're a plumber.

You might have selected Plumber as your main Google Business Profile category. That's a good start, but it may not tell Google enough about everything you actually do.

Perhaps you also provide:

• Drainage services
• Gas fitting
• Hot water cylinder services
• Water softener installation
• Drain camera inspections

Where appropriate, additional categories can give Google more context about your business.

Then look at the individual services you have added underneath those categories.

For example, if drain services are an important part of your business, you might provide CCTV drain inspections, blocked drain clearing and other related services.

The next step is particularly important:

Make Sure Your Website Supports What Your Profile Says

If your Google Business Profile says you provide drain camera inspections, can Google find a page or information on your website confirming that?

Think about somebody searching:

"Drain camera inspection near me"

Google wants to return a useful result.

If one business clearly talks about drain inspections on its Google Business Profile and website while another provides very little information, Google has more context about the first business.

Your website and Google Business Profile should therefore support each other.

The easier you make it to understand what you do, the better.

If you're unsure whether you've completed all the important areas of your profile, I've created a Google Business Profile Checklist that you can work through.

2. Give Google — and Your Customers — More Proof

The second area to look at is proof.

Your website and Google Business Profile shouldn't feel like two completely separate things.

Your business details should be consistent, and your website should make it clear who you are, what you do and the areas you serve.

But one of the biggest forms of proof isn't what you say.

It's what your customers say about you.

Reviews Are Your Digital Word of Mouth

Imagine three similar local businesses.

One has:

7 Google reviews

Another has:

66 Google reviews

And another has:

111 Google reviews

Put yourself in the customer's position.

Even if they originally find the business with seven reviews, there's a good chance they'll look at the alternatives before making contact.

Suddenly, the business with seven reviews may appear to be the riskier choice.

That's why reviews aren't simply about Google Maps rankings.

They're also about conversion.

Someone may find your business through Google Ads, organic search, your website or Google Maps and then check your reviews before picking up the phone.

Your reviews become your digital word of mouth.

The Words Inside Reviews Matter to Potential Customers

Detailed reviews are particularly valuable because prospective customers can see what previous customers actually experienced.

Let's go back to our plumber.

If somebody needs a drain camera inspection and finds reviews from customers talking about drain inspections, blocked drains and how the problem was solved, those reviews can provide reassurance at exactly the right moment.

The customer isn't simply seeing a star rating.

They're seeing evidence that:

"This company has dealt with a problem like mine before."

That's powerful.

You can also display genuine Google reviews on relevant pages of your website.

Rather than making visitors leave your website to investigate whether you're trustworthy, you're putting some of that proof directly in front of them.

3. Show That Your Business Is Active

The third area is activity.

If you're regularly completing work, you've already got potential content sitting in your pocket.

Take photographs of real jobs.

Show:

• Before and after photographs
• Work in progress
• Problems you've discovered
• Completed jobs
• Your team working
• Equipment being used
• Interesting or unusual jobs

If you're a drainage company, for example, you might photograph what caused a blocked drain or create a short video showing a camera inspection.

Don't just upload a collection of generic photographs and forget about them.

Add useful context explaining what the customer was experiencing, what service was provided and, where appropriate, the general area where the work took place.

This is useful information for prospective customers because they can see that you're actually doing the type of work they're looking for.

Use Google Business Profile Posts Too

If you're already creating useful content for Facebook or other social media platforms, consider whether some of it should also appear on your Google Business Profile.

Seasonal services are a good example.

A property maintenance company might talk about:

• Gutter cleaning before winter
• Exterior house washing in spring
• Seasonal pest treatments
• Other services that become important at particular times of year
• 
  

These posts keep your profile useful and give prospective customers more information about the services you provide.

You can also turn useful job footage into YouTube videos and other content rather than letting it sit unused on your phone.

Why Your Competitor May Be Winning

Your competitor isn't necessarily better than you.

They may simply be making it easier for Google and potential customers to understand and trust their business.

They may have:

• More complete categories and services
• Better supporting information on their website
• More customer reviews
• More detailed reviews
• More photographs of real work
• More regularly updated information
• Stronger connections between their website and Google Business Profile

Individually, these things may look small.

Together, they build a much clearer picture of the business.

Start by Comparing Your Profile With the Competition

Open Google Maps and search for the services you most want enquiries for.

Look at the businesses appearing above you.

Don't just look at their position.

Study what they're doing.

How many reviews do they have?

Are they receiving reviews regularly?

What services and categories have they included?

What photographs are they uploading?

Does their website clearly support the services shown on their Google Business Profile?

Then compare those things with your own business.

You'll often start spotting gaps surprisingly quickly.

If you'd like a second pair of eyes, you can also start with my FREE Google Business Profile Audit, where I look for some of the areas that could be holding your profile back.

Conclusion

If you're wondering, "Why is my competitor above me on Google Maps?", don't assume there's one magic setting you've missed.

Start with the basics.

Help Google understand your business.

Give Google and potential customers more proof.

Show that you're a genuine, active local business.

Your Google Business Profile isn't something you set up once and forget.

The more clearly you communicate what you do and the more genuine evidence you can build around your business, the easier it becomes for both Google and prospective customers to understand why your business deserves consideration.

And these are only three areas to investigate. There are several other things worth checking when you're trying to improve your visibility against local competitors.