One of the simplest ways to boost your business’s visibility on Google is to claim and optimise your Google My Business (GMB) listing. When you do this you get the opportunity to list your business’s important information, display reviews, posts and so much more.
But before you do so, here are a few questions to consider:
- What information comes up when your customers search for your business on Google?
- Can customers easily find your phone number if they need to get in touch with you?
- Can they quickly and conveniently view your business office hours?
It’s always best to have this information easily accessible to potential consumers before they reach your website. Granted your website might already have these details, but having a Google My Business listing significantly improves your chances of being found on Google.
Not only that, but it acts as a powerful tool (when optimised) and has the potential to increase your revenue and provide valuable insights about your customers through its customised dashboard.
The number one mistake businesses make with Google My Business
Customers usually find what they are looking for on the first page of Google. So showing up on the first page of Google should be a priority. There are many ways to get your business to show up on the first page of Google, but having a Google My Business listing is the easiest.
Having a GMB listing helps you:
- Control, index, and display pertinent business information.
- Easily interact with customers and manage your business’s online reviews.
- Create and curate both your own and user-generated (UCG) content for your business.
- Gather insights into how customers are finding and arriving on your website.
Having a Google My Business listing can also play an important role in your overall SEO strategy because Google uses it to determine where your business will rank in the local search results as seen below.
Image source: Mike Khorev
Many local businesses haven’t claimed their free Google My Business listing, despite the above advantages and that’s a shame. There is enormous benefit to claiming your business and all it takes is a few steps.
How to claim a Google My Business listing
To begin, visit https://www.google.com/business. Then follow the prompts to fill in your basic information such as business name and type, address, phone number, and website.
Once you’ve filled in this information, you will be required to verify your account. Google usually chooses how you do this.
You typically have the option to verify it through phone, text, email, or video. Or you might need to verify your account using more than one method. Available methods will depend on which category your business falls into as well as your business’s public information, region, office hours, etc.
After adding your company information, you’ll have access to the dashboard to customise your business profile.
There might even be a chance to claim some free advertising credits, courtesy of Google just for signing up.
How to optimise your Google My Business Profile
Now that you’ve claimed your business listing, it’s time to get your name out there by optimising your profile.
To start, add your business hours and a messaging feature so that your customers can get in touch with you easily. Once that’s done, ensure that all business information is accurate and up to date.
All core business information like your business’s name, address, phone number, website, description, category, and attributes should be correct and should correspond with the information found on your website. This is vital because your GMB profile will serve as a top local SEO ranking factor.
When adding your address, make sure that it also reflects the correct coordinates on Google Maps and that it has the same postal code found on your website.
Next, look at your business category and company attributes. These sections provide an ideal opportunity to add relevant keywords and details to your listing. Just try not to overdo it. Google doesn’t take kindly to overstuffing your listing with keywords. This kind of behaviour will be regarded as spam and may result in your account receiving a penalty or even being removed from Google search entirely, so keep the keywords to a reasonable minimum.
Take a look at this great example of a local restaurant business listing below to see how it’s done.
Expand on your capabilities when it comes to attributes. For example, if you own a restaurant, does it have free Wi-Fi? Outdoor or bar seating? Is it kid-friendly? Does it have on-site bathrooms? If you’re in the hotel business, what are the amenities? Do you have a tennis court? An indoor heated pool? etc.
Adding these kinds of details to your listing in an effort to answer potential customers’ questions is a great way to stand out and give those who are viewing your listing a better understanding of your business and its offerings.
Here is an example of a listing with amenities:
After you’ve filled in the details, you can move on to personalise the visual aspect of your listing. Google My Business allows you to upload a profile photo, cover photo, and video to showcase your business and each has its own purpose, as seen below.
If your business serves food, consider adding images of your delicious meals along with your menu. You can also feature user-generated content. Taking advantage of the amazing photos that your customers take is a great way to feature your unique and delectable dishes.
If you happen to like a particular photo that a user took of your business or product, you can use it as your profile picture by selecting the “photos tagged of your business” option.
Ask for reviews
Lastly, highlight customer testimonials by asking them to review your business. Google reviews are the lifeblood of local search and the more positive your reviews, the more people are likely to trust your business and buy from it.
Don’t be afraid of bad reviews. They are not the end of the world. In fact, people tend to like a second opinion. A mixture of honest reviews (good and bad) is mainly why 98% of people read reviews before purchasing online.
Send your Google My Business link to customers to review your business by following these easy steps:
Once you receive your reviews it’s important to respond to them, all of them, even the bad ones. Take the time to write an honest, kind, and sincere response to each one, and show your customers that you care.
