1. Identify the basic information of the shop: First, ensure you have complete information about the coffee shop, including name, exact address, phone number, and opening hours. Detailed and accurate information will help customers easily find you.
2. Create a Google My Business account: Register and verify a Google My Business account for the shop. Google My Business not only helps you appear on Google Maps but also enhances your brand and online presence.
3. Optimize your profile: Add detailed descriptions, beautiful and reasonable photos of the shop space, menu, and specialties. Attractive photos will attract more customers and create a good first impression right from the first glance.
4. Encourage customers to leave reviews: Support customers to leave reviews and feedback about their experience at the shop. Positive reviews not only increase credibility but also help the shop rank higher in Google search results.
5. Run local advertising: Try running local advertising campaigns on Google to create stronger attention to the shop.Advertising will help increase awareness and attract customers searching for coffee shops in your area.
These simple steps can help your coffee shop have a strong presence on Google Maps within just one week, opening up opportunities to attract more customers.
Learn about the benefits of listing a small coffee shop on Google Maps in today's competitive landscape
Listing your shop on the digital map – More essential than ever
In the increasingly competitive F&B business environment, especially in densely populated cities like Saigon or Hanoi, having a small coffee shop present on Google Maps is not only simply "marking the location" but also the first step to building a strong brand presence in customers' minds.
According to research from BrightLocal (2023), there are up to 87% of consumers using Google to search for dining or coffee shop locations nearby. This means that if your shop is not on the map, you have already shortened your opportunity to reach the target market – especially young customers who prefer discovering new places digitally.
Case study: From a small alley coffee shop to a viral check-in spot
Customers of DPS.MEDIA – the "November" shop located in a small alley in District 3 – have increased 250% new visitors just after 2 weeks of optimizing Google My Business and integrating location management on Google Maps. At the same time, we helped:
- Set up SEO-standard Google Business titles (name + unique + location)
- Attach attractive photos and videos about the shop's space
- Update flexible weekend opening hours
Less than a month later, the shop appeared in the top 3 search results for the phrase "garden coffee shop District 3." This is a typical example showing the power of correct location positioning on Google Maps in a fiercely competitive market.
Specific benefits for small coffee shops
| Benefit | Value delivered |
|---|---|
| Increase local presence | Appear when customers search for "coffee shops nearby" |
| Increase visit rate | Users can easily locate and choose |
| Build credibility | Authentic star ratings and reviews from customers |
| Free advertising support | Photos, menus, videos reach thousands of people |
"If you are not on the digital map, you are almost doing business in the dark." – a viewpoint that we at DPS.MEDIA often emphasize in strategic consulting sessions with new shop owners.
Prepare clear and professional business information before registering
Identify core business information
To make your coffee shop stand out on Google Maps, the first thing is to clearly identify core information about your business. You should prepare the following information:
- Coffee shop name: Use an easy-to-remember name related to the shop's style.
- Exact address: Ensure the address is clearly recorded without causing confusion.
- Contact phone number: Provide the main hotline number so customers can easily contact you.
- Opening hours: Update operating hours in detail to avoid customers coming and having to leave because the shop is closed.
Create attractive information templates and specific tools
One an attractive information template not only helps easily attract customers but also creates a good impression with Google. The content should include:
- A brief and concise description about the shop: sharing outstanding features or exclusive drinks.
- High-quality images: Provide sharp color images showing the space of the shop and its signature drinks.
- Links to social media pages: Actively connect with customers through Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms.
Conduct research from keywords and optimize SEO
An important step that cannot be missed is proper keyword research. Learn about keywords related to the coffee shop such as “delicious coffee”, “beautiful coffee shop”, and use them naturally in your description. Important factors to note include:
- Keyword appearance frequency: Ensure the main keywords appear in the title and description.
- Related keywords: Utilize main keywords to expand into other related secondary keywords to help increase visibility on Google.
Real example from a successful coffee shop
A notable case study is the coffee shop “Morning Coffee”, which has carefully prepared business information. They have:
- Clearly displayed opening hours.
- Provided beautiful images along with attractive descriptions.
- Actively participated in promotional programs on social media, leading to a 301% increase in customer volume within the first two months.
These steps not only help the shop exist but also stand out in customers' minds. By focusing on these factors, you can also quickly and effectively put your coffee shop on the map! 😊
Create and verify a Google Business Profile properly step by step
Prepare information and register an effective account
To get started, make sure you have fully prepared accurate information about the shop – name, address, phone number, opening hours, and high-quality images. DPS.MEDIA recommends using a dedicated business email address to register in order to increase professionalism and security for Google Business Profile.
A keyword research Journal of Digital marketing in 2023 showed that businesses that carefully prepare information before creating profiles are usually verified faster by Google and have better rankings on Google Maps.
Guide to creating and verifying an account by simplifying the process
- Access the Google Business Profile page: select “add business” and enter complete information.
- Verify location via mail or phone: Postal verification is still popular due to high reliability, but phone number verification is becoming faster.
- Update attractive images and descriptions: Clear images showing the shop space will create trust and increase search traffic.
According to a case study of a small coffee shop in Hanoi that DPS.MEDIA accompanied, just 5 days after registering and successful verification, clicks and calls from customers on Google Maps increased by 401%. This clearly proves that doing the right steps in the right way quickly brings results.
| Step | Description | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prepare information and register an account | Increase accuracy, reduce verification time |
| 2 | Correctly fill in address and phone number | Help customers easily find and improve user experience |
| 3 | Verify account by choosing the appropriate method | Increase trust with Google, quickly get displayed |
| 4 | Update photos and attractive descriptions | Attract customers, improve search rankings |
| 5 | Monitor and interact with customers through reviews | Increase credibility and boost loyal customer volume |
Optimize displayed content on Google Maps to attract potential customers
1. Update accurate business information
To make your cafe stand out on Google Maps, the first thing you need to do is update business information accurately. This includes:
- Cafe name: Use the official and easy-to-remember name.
- Specific address: Provide detailed address so customers can easily find it.
- Phone number: Ensure the contact phone number is always active.
- Opening hours: Update operating hours to avoid confusion.
2. Add high-quality photos
Images are an important factor to attract customer attention. Make sure you also add:
- Photos of the cafe interior and exterior.
- Attractive photos of food and drinks.
- Photos of friendly service staff.
3. Encourage reviews and ratings
Customer reviews not only increase credibility but can also affect your cafe's search ranking. Encourage customers to leave reviews through promotional campaigns or send thank you messages. According to a study by BrightLocal,68% customers will trust a business with at least 4 stars.
4. Optimize keywords for descriptions
In your description, you should actively use keywords related to the services your cafe provides. Make sure the description is not only concise but also shows:
- Service style: Friendly and professional.
- Unique menu: New or signature dishes of the cafe.
- Promotional programs: Discounts on certain days of the week.
5. Regularly update and interact
Finally, spend time regularly updating information and interacting with customers via Google Maps. This not only helps increase interaction time but also improves your visibility in local search results.
| Activities | Frequency | Expected results |
|---|---|---|
| Update information | Every month | Accurate information |
| Add image | Every week | Increase customer volume |
| Encourage reviews | Continuous | Increase reliability |
Connect with customers through reviews and feedback to increase the shop's credibility
The importance of authentic reviews in building reputation
In the increasingly competitive coffee shop market context, customer reviews are not only simple feedback but also become a "weapon" to enhance the reliability and reputation of the shop. According to BrightLocal 2023 research, 87% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends. This means you need to pay attention to conversations, dialogues, and take advantage of positive feedback as well as skillfully handle negative feedback to build a professional, friendly image.
Effective interaction strategy with customers through feedback
The key to sustainable customer connection lies in consistent and sincere responses to reviews on Google Maps. DPS.MEDIA advises you to:
- Respond quickly with a personal thank you or clear explanation when there is feedback.
- Handle professionally negative feedback to turn bad experiences into opportunities for improvement.
- Use deep responses, avoid redundant words, causing a mechanical or insincere feeling.
Case Study: Small coffee shop leveraging reviews to increase check-ins
A coffee shop in Da Nang recorded a 40% increase in check-ins after optimizing interaction methods on Google Maps. The owner actively replied to each review, even creating mini-polls for customers to contribute ideas for new dishes. The result was not only an increase in customers but also deeper trust in the local brand, proving the importance of feedback in long-term development strategy.
| Benefits of increasing interaction through reviews | Impact level |
|---|---|
| Improve ranking on Google Maps | High |
| Increase trust in the eyes of consumers | Very high |
| Quickly detect and effectively fix service errors | Average |
| Encourage customers to return and refer | High |
Utilize photos and keywords to enhance visibility on the map
The importance of quality photos
Using sharp, attractive images is an indispensable factor in the strategy to improve visibility on Google Maps. Photos of the coffee shop, drinks, and interior space should be carefully invested in, not only in quality but also in presentation. A BrightLocal study shows 60% of users tend to rate higher places with clear and eye-catching images. This not only helps your coffee shop stand out compared to competitors but also creates a good first impression.
Use appropriate keywords in descriptions
To optimize display capability, the location description content needs to be written smartly and reasonably. Keywords related to the coffee shop, such as “delicious coffee,” “quiet space,” or “diverse drinks,” should be naturally integrated into the article. According to Moz research, articles containing appropriate keywords have a 70% higher chance of appearing on search tools. This helps customers easily find you on Google Maps, thereby increasing traffic and revenue.
Successful case study from optimization
A small coffee shop in Hanoi applied this approach by taking photos of the shop space at different times of the day and updating regularly. The shop recorded a significant increase in local search traffic, especially on weekends. The shop increased customer visits by 50% just by improving images and effectively using keywords in the description. Below is a summary table of results after 1 month:
| Monthly | Customer visits | Revenue (VND) |
|---|---|---|
| Before Optimization | 200 | 10.000.000 |
| After Optimization | 300 | 15.000.000 |
Monitor performance and adjust strategy using Google Maps Insight data
Analyze customer behavior and improve touchpoints experience
Using Google Maps Insight is a simple but extremely effective way for small coffee shops to understand how customers find and interact with their business. From the number of searches by keywords, clicks on directions, to actions like calling or viewing photos - all are valuable data reflecting "touchpoints" in the customer journey.
According to research from Harvard Business review (2023), the use of local behavioral data helps increase the ability to adjust business models to fit local consumer behavior. DPS.MEDIAWith
- , we usually guide SMEs customers to monitor this data regularly on a weekly basis, from which:
- Detect peak times to optimize opening hours
- Edit profile titles to match frequently searched user keywords
Build basic KPI tracking tables from Google Maps data
Improve featured images to increase click-through rates
| Indicators | We suggest small coffee shops build KPI tables in a WordPress-amiable style as follows, which can be uploaded to an internal blog or shared within the team for easy tracking: | Goal/week | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actual | +10% | +8% | Number of searches for the keyword “nearby coffee” |
| Need to add images with brand names attached | Click-throughs only on the map | 100 clicks | 120 clicks |
| Effectiveness from campaign Google Post | Number of calls from Maps | 20 calls | 15 calls |
Adjust communication strategy based on display area
Recommendation to update clearer operating hours
A typical case study implemented by DPS.MEDIA in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City for the Tự Nhiên café showed: After identifying that the majority of visitors accessed via Google Maps from the area near Landmark 81, we suggested increasing the frequency of posts near this location along with the description “beautiful view close to the Saigon River.”
The result was that within just 2 weeks, the number of business profile views increased by 37%, followed by a slight revenue increase of 15%. Interestingly, according to the theory of “location prominence” from Google’s Local Search Ranking Factors, the map is not only a navigation tool but also a potential communication platform if optimized ưnder rational integration. Advice from DPS.MEDIA:
A perspective from someone in the field
Don’t look at data as dry numbers – see it as the emotional guidance of customers in the digital space.
In today’s digital world, having a presence on Google Maps not only helps your small coffee shop attract more customers but also builds reputation and brand. With the 5 simple steps we just presented, you are ready to put your shop on the digital map within a week.
Remember, optimizing information about your coffee shop is a continuous process. Don’t hesitate to update new experiences, promotions, or special events to keep customers always feeling excited. This not only increases your ranking on Google Maps but also creates tight connections with the community.
We at DPS.MEDIA are always ready to accompany you on the journey of business development through effective digital marketing strategies. If you want to explore more about advertising on social networks, SEO or other online channels, don’t hesitate to seek support from us.
