Google Business
Ranking in the Google map pack in Tanzanian cities
The three factors that decide local map rankings in Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Zanzibar — and how to work on each.
By Neema Mushi, Head of Search · · 6 min read
Local map rankings are decided mainly by relevance, distance and prominence. You cannot change distance, so relevance and prominence are where the work goes.
Relevance: get the categories right
Your primary category carries more weight than any other single field. Choose the most specific accurate option, then add secondary categories and list every service explicitly.
Prominence: reviews and citations
- A steady flow of recent reviews beats a large old total
- Reply to every review, positively or otherwise
- Keep name, address and phone identical across all directories
- Post photos monthly — profiles with recent images attract more calls
Measure what matters
Track calls, direction requests and website clicks from the profile itself. These are the actions that generate revenue, and they usually move before rankings do.