Market Overview

The estimated size of the map engine optimization (MEO) market in Japan was 10.8 billion yen in FY2024, representing 121.1% of the previous fiscal year’s market size. With momentum expected to continue, the market is expected to reach 12.7 billion yen in FY2025, 118.0% of the FY2024 level.

MEO is a marketing method that optimizes a business's presence on map services, such as Google Maps (a trademark of Google), and local search engines, helping the company and store information at the top of search lists.
Google Business Profile (GBP)* enables businesses to improve their online and local search visibility by providing accurate business information, managing customer reviews, updating photos and posts, and using local keywords. The MEO market began growing around 2017, driven by the widespread adoption of smartphones and the resulting shift in user behavior: People increasingly rely on map services, especially Google Maps (*1), to search for destinations and stores. As location-based search has become the norm, managing a Google Business Profile (GBP) has become an essential part of digital marketing and customer engagement for businesses.

The 2020 pandemic accelerated the growth of the MEO market, as store operators were required to frequently update key business information—such as business hours and type of business–both of which changed often during that period. As behavioral regulations were gradually lifted, consumers became accustomed to collecting information on the destination before visiting. This shift in behavior significantly boosted the use of map services, primarily Google Maps (*1), to help users choose which stores to visit. As a result, businesses in sectors such as food service and beauty began evaluating return on investment (ROI) of advertising and listing fees previously paid to portal sites for customer acquisition. Many chose to reallocate those budgets to free or low-cost channel, such a Google Maps (*1).

These changes have highlighted the importance of optimizing O2O (online to offline) strategies, which guides customers from digital platforms to physical stores. In response, the demand has grown for MEO tools that automate map information updates and centralize store location management.

Government support and subsidies for digital transformation have also contributed to the widespread adoption of MEO, even among SMEs. The rise of AI-powered Google searches and the growing availability of generative AI tools now allow businesses to automatically generate post content, respond to customer reviews, and analyze feedback—without the need to hire additional staff.

Currently, MEO is not just a local search engine optimization (*3) tool but has evolved into a method that enhances the entire local marketing process, including customer reviews, social media, and advertising.  The MEO market continues to advance, driven by AI-powered data analytics and improvements in operational efficiency.

*1) Google Maps is a registered trademark of Google.
*2) Google Business Profile (GBP) is a trademark of Google and a tool that enables businesses to display and manage their official store and company information on Google.
*3) Local SEO (local search engine optimization) enhances the online visibility of stores or offices by helping them appear above competitors in relevant local search results and on map listings.

Noteworthy Topics

Customer Segments and Characteristics of the MEO Market

In the MEO market, business strategies vary significantly depending on the target customer segment. While many MEO service providers seem to base their strategies on the scale of the client’s business—such as large chains, small chains, or individual stores—quite a few offer a variety of plans designed to appeal to a broad range of customers, aiming to grow their business without limiting themselves to a specific business size.

1) MEO Services for Major Companies with Multiple Stores:
These services primarily provide a centralized management platform that integrates information from dozens to thousands of store locations. Designed for large-scale operations, they support task delegation and the creation of approval workflows for each store.

Large chain companies need to efficiently consolidate information management across multiple locations and streamline operational processes. In practice, registering and managing hundreds of stores individually on Google Maps is highly burdensome. As a result, there is strong demand for SaaS solutions that simplify this process. Today clients increasingly view their Google Maps information as part of their core infrastructure, since accurate information management directly impacts brand image and customer experience. Accordingly, the need to prevent false information posts and unauthorized edits is growing year by year, making MEO more critical than ever for proper information management and operations.

To improve operational efficiency, it is also important to use business intelligence (BI) tools that integrate with various APIs and data export functions. Additionally, accessibility across multiple platforms—including social media, not just Google Business Profile (GBP) —is essential.

2) MEO services for SMEs and individual store owners
These services are more affordable and easier to implement compared to those designed for large enterprises with multiple locations. They feature user-friendly interfaces and ready-to-use templates, making them accessible even to users and businesses with limited experience in digital tools. A wide range of pricing plans is available, allowing even single-store owners to take advantage of the service.

Additionally, MEO service providers offer managed MEO operations for businesses that wish to outsource due to labor shortages.

SMEs and individual store owners tend to use GBP (*2) primarily to drive specific customer actions (conversions), such as store visits or inquiries, rather than for accurate information management and centralized control.  

*4) Business Intelligence (BI) tools refer to the systems, technologies, and processes that analyze a company’s data to support informed decision-making, driving business strategy and operational improvements.

Future Outlook

The domestic MEO market size is expected to expand further, driven by the growing importance of GBP (*2) for customer acquisition particularly due to the surge in inbound tourism, increased use of Google MAPs via smartphones, and the potential adoption of MEO services by SMEs and individual store owners who have yet to digitize their operations. Government-led MEO initiatives and enhanced public support are also expected to contribute to market growth. The emergence of AI-powered, value-added MEO features, such as automated responses to customer reviews, is anticipated to further boost demand.

As a result, the domestic MEO market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 15% from FY2025 to FY2028, reaching a market size of 19.6 billion yen by FY2028.

Research Outline