As a Korean marketing agency in Los Angeles, one of the most common questions we hear is about Google Maps search. "Why does my business only show up in English searches?" "How can I attract Korean customers too?"

The answer is surprisingly simple. You don't need to spend a lot of money; just a few adjustments to your Google Business Profile information. In this post, we'll share three things you can check and change right now.

Category is the Most Important

Google uses the category you choose to understand what kind of business you are. So, selecting the right category is the first step to appearing in searches.

For example, if you only choose 'Restaurant' as your category, it's too broad. You should be as specific as possible, like 'Korean Restaurant,' or even 'Korean BBQ Restaurant.'

If you offer other services in addition to your main one, add them as secondary categories. For a permanent makeup studio, you might set 'Permanent Makeup Clinic' as the primary category, then add 'Eyelash Salon' and 'Skin Care Clinic.'

How Should I Write My Business Name?

Google's policy is to use the name exactly as it appears on your storefront sign. If you use both an English and a Korean name, it's best to include both.

We recommend putting the Korean name in parentheses after the official English name, like 'Grace Dental (그레이스치과).' This increases the chances of appearing in searches for both languages.

Do not include promotional phrases like 'LA's Best Restaurant' in your business name. This violates Google's policies and could lead to your profile being suspended.

Quick Tip: Do I Really Need a Website?

If your business primarily handles phone inquiries, a well-managed Google Profile might be enough. However, if customers need a lot of information upfront, like menus, service types, or prices, then a website is necessary. Linking your website address to your Google Profile builds trust and provides more information. Hyper Vision's $300 Spotlight plan is a one-page website designed for this purpose.

Content of Reviews Matters More Than Quantity

Five-star ratings and 100 reviews are certainly important. But Google also looks at the words used in those reviews.

If customer reviews contain specific compliments like 'delicious cold noodles' or 'meticulous nail art,' your business is more likely to appear when others search using those same words.

When asking customers for reviews, add a small request for them to be specific about what they liked. This applies to both Korean and English reviews.

Connecting a Website for Both Languages

You can only add one website address to your Google Business Profile. If you only put an English address, you might miss out on Korean customers. If you only put a Korean address, you might miss out on other customers.

The best approach is to create a website where Korean and English pages exist at different addresses. Then, use a technical code called 'hreflang' to connect these two pages, telling Google, "These are different language versions of the same content."

Hyper Vision applies this method as a standard for all web design projects. Instead of awkward machine-translated English, we redesign the message from the ground up in both languages.

In summary, 1) choose specific categories, 2) wisely use both languages in your business name, and 3) encourage customers to leave detailed reviews. Just these three things can change your Google Maps search results. If you need ongoing management, we also offer a local SEO retainer service for $100 per month.