Criteria For Some Businesses Getting the Big Red Marker?

[consultant]

I've seen results like this.

Google Maps > Search for "Plumbing Service, City Name, State"

Results are the map zoomed out to show you the only city yet some businesses you can see a bigger red marker and their business name. As you zoom in some businesses start to get a red marker and you see there business name, others, you have to REALLY zoom in so that it is practically the only business on the map before you see the marker and name (it's just a tiny red dot) up until that point.

At first I thought the larger markers corresponded only to the businesses listed on the left side. But this doesn't seem to be the correlation as you zoom in/out the business listings on the left don't change.

I've seen some businesses that have reviews even that no matter how close you zoom you never see the business name next to the marker unless you hover.

So what's the guess on what Google's thinking/algo behind this is?

 

[Colan Nielsen]

When trying to gauge Google's thinking I still refer people to this document - https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en

At the root of everything these are still the main factors that play into ranking and the way that the Google Maps pins display.