Local SEO in Kazakhstan: maps, 2GIS and reviews

For queries like “dentist near me”, “tyre fitting Almaty” or “coffee shop Astana”, half of the clicks go not to websites but to maps: the Google Maps block in the results, the 2GIS app, Yandex Maps. For a local business, maps are a separate channel, often more important than the website. And almost nobody runs it systematically.

Three platforms

Google Business Profile — your listing in Google Maps and in the map block of search results. The main platform: Google is the primary search engine in Kazakhstan.

2GIS — for many people in Kazakhstan the main directory and navigator. Especially strong in Almaty, Astana, Karaganda and Shymkent. The listing is free; there are paid priority packages.

Yandex Business — your listing in Yandex Maps and Yandex search. A smaller share, but a solvent audience, especially in Almaty.

You need all three. The data must match: name, address, phone, hours, category.

What to fill in

Name. The company's real name. Stuffing keywords into the name (“Denta Dental Clinic Almaty Best”) breaks the rules, and the listing can be blocked.

Category. The primary one is the most precise available; secondary ones are adjacent. The category determines which queries you appear for.

Address and area. The pin on the map is exact, the entrance is correct. For mobile services, a service area.

Hours. Up to date, including holidays. “Closed” at the moment of the search is a lost customer.

Phone. The one that is actually answered. WhatsApp separately, if the platform allows it.

Website. A link to the page that matches the listing: for a branch, the branch page, not the home page.

Description. Living text about your services and location, with no keyword spam.

Photos. Façade, entrance, interior, team, work. At least 10, refreshed every quarter. Listings with photos get several times more clicks.

Services and prices. Google and 2GIS let you list services with prices — fill them in, it affects impressions.

Reviews: the main factor

Rating and review count affect both your position on maps and the customer's choice. What to do:

• Ask for a review right after the service is delivered — a link in WhatsApp or a QR code at the counter.
• Reply to every review within a day: thank people for positive ones, handle negative ones calmly and to the point.
• Do not buy reviews: the platforms detect them and penalise.
• Use reviews as a source: if people complain about parking, put in the listing where to park.

The goal is a steady flow: 3–5 new reviews a month look more alive than 50 in a single day.

The link with your website

The listing leads to the site, and the site confirms the listing. On the site: a contact page with the address, a map, hours and phone in the same format as in the listings; Schema.org LocalBusiness markup with address, coordinates and hours; for chains, a page for every branch with its own listing.

More on structure under SEO and corporate websites.

Posts and updates

Google Business Profile and Yandex Business let you publish posts: promotions, news, events. Active listings rank higher. Once a week is enough.

Several branches

Each gets its own listing on every platform, with its own address, phone and photos. Manage them through a business account so you do not lose access when staff change. The names are identical, without “branch no. 2” in the name.

Analytics

All three platforms show how many times the listing was seen, for which queries, and how many people built a route or called. Check once a month and compare with the website: maps often bring more calls than advertising.

Checklist

1. Listings on Google, 2GIS and Yandex exist, and the data matches.
2. Categories are precise; services and prices are filled in.
3. 10+ photos, kept fresh.
4. Reviews: we ask, we reply, 3–5 a month.
5. Website: a contact page and LocalBusiness markup.
6. Posts once a week.
7. Statistics once a month.

This is part of our SEO service as the local block — or done separately for a business that does not need full SEO yet.