Google Maps dominates local discovery because Google controls roughly 92% of search market share in Canada and most Western markets. When someone searches "plumber near me" or "coffee shop downtown Ottawa," they're almost certainly seeing Google's local pack and Maps results. That volume alone makes Google Business Profile optimization the first priority for most local businesses. That said, "better" depends on context. For restaurants and hospitality, Yelp still drives significant traffic in major metros like Toronto and Vancouver, and reviews there influence consumer decisions even if discovery happens on Google. Apple Maps matters if your customers skew heavily iOS and use Siri or CarPlay for navigation—we've seen this with automotive service clients in suburban Ottawa where 40–60% of direction requests come through Apple. Waze pulls data from Google but has its own ad platform that works well for retail with high drive-by traffic. The practical answer: Google Maps should get 70–80% of your local SEO effort because that's where the volume is. A complete Google Business Profile with fresh posts, review velocity above 4.2 stars, proper categories, and accurate NAP data will outperform mediocre presence on five platforms. We tell clients to nail Google first, then expand to Bing Places (surprisingly relevant for desktop searchers 45+), Apple Maps if mobile navigation matters, and industry-specific platforms like Avvo for lawyers or Zocdoc for medical. The trap is assuming Google Maps alone is enough. Citation consistency across directories still matters for ranking factors, and some customer segments check multiple sources before deciding. A mechanic in Kanata might get discovered on Google but lose the booking because their Yelp reviews are two years old and one-star. At Ottawa SEO, we prioritize Google Business Profile optimization as the foundation, then build out secondary platforms based on client data showing where their actual leads come from. Track your conversions by source for 60–90 days before investing heavily in non-Google platforms—you might be surprised where your paying customers actually find you versus where you assume they do.