Mike Andes explains how Google decides which local businesses to recommend. Google prioritizes businesses with strong reviews and word-of-mouth because those signals show the customer will have a good experience, just like you'd pick a well-reviewed restaurant.
You'll rank way better in all these categories because Google will trust you. Think about it. If you were trying to go to a local restaurant and all your friends and family, like, it's a great place, you're probably going to go to that restaurant, more likely than Billy Bob's burger joint over here that no one's talking about. And so from Google's perspective, if they're going to refer you as the user searching something on Google, they're going to go to the place that everyone is talking about and everyone's already been to and saying positive things.
