Google Quick and Essential Guide to My Business

What is Google My Business?

Did you know that there is an average of 1,009 Google searches per month?

Business owners who are not taking advantage of the Google My Business listing are missing out on gold-mining opportunities in their digital marketing efforts.

Google allows My Business businesses to better position themselves online in front of both potential customers and existing customers, whether they’re local businesses or even large corporations.

By creating a Google My Business account, you can display valuable business information, including your business name, business location via Google Maps, your online reviews, and important contact information.

Small businesses, in particular, can take advantage of their GMB listings through Google’s algorithms not only to increase their search engine optimization (SEO) rankings but also to take their customers’ engagement to the next level.

Read on to find out how to get the best out of your Google My Business profile!

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Here’s why Google should use My Business everywhere

• Increases the visibility of your business: People do more than 3.5 billion Google searches per day. By creating a GMB account, you can tap into a market of online customers and gain more exposure.
• Keep your customer base informed about your business: You can use your GMB account to provide potential and existing customers with relevant information needed to get started with you. With GMB, customers can find your location, phone number, special promotions, and more.
• Boost Local SEO: Creating a GMB account allows local users of your business to search for your services (s). Take it one step further by tracking what people are searching for, how they got to your listing, and how Google targets relevant releases through My Business Insights.

• Engage with new and existing customers through reviews: Whether it’s a negative review or a positive rating, you can directly navigate feedback and conversations with your target audience, allowing you to better manage your online reputation and customer retention.
• Improve Business Practices with Acquired Insights: With Google Analytics, you can search for valuable data on how customers will fare against competitors who will guide their aspirations and even your overall business strategy.
• Gain more leads and increase sales: Online marketing optimization is possible thanks to GMB. With your GMB profile, you can target the type of customers you want to attract and gain more high-quality conversions.

How Google Started My Business

Google is a free tool to use for my business! You can claim your business by signing up here and you can manage your listing at no cost

Google has also released a mobile app to make it easier for businesses to manage their lists and other functions through mobile devices. It is available for both iOS and Android devices.

So, how do you get started and keep up with the best search engine results, online reviews and new features? Follow these steps:

1. Sign up for an account

First things first: Go to Google My Business Homepage!

You can easily sign up by clicking on the blue “Manage Now” button

If your business is already listed on Google, you may want to claim it first and link it to your own GMB profile.

2. Enter the business details and information you need

All you have to do is write down all the important details of your business. This includes industry, business departments, contact information, location, business hours, and more.

You can do this by navigating through the Google My Business Dashboard. On the left side of the screen, click on the “Information” tab.

Make sure you verify and cross-check all the information you enter. Make sure your GMB information and website information are accurate, up to date, and up to date. This is especially true of your contact information — your business name, address, and phone number (NAP).

The last thing you want is to dial a potential dead-end number or their phone call to go to the wrong business.

Pro-Tip: A business NAP is more important than you think. Consistent NAP not only helps strengthen your business credibility but also improves your organic search rankings.

3. Verify your business

Once your account has been created, it’s time to verify your listing.

Google needs verification to know if your business is up and running You can go about it in a few different ways (via email, a phone call, video chat, or even mail).

Google sends you a verification code of your choice, which you must enter into Google My Business. If you choose a slower option, such as mail, it can take up to 14 days to receive and verify.

4. Optimize your profile by adding pictures, creating reviews, and more.

Google My Business goes beyond providing basic contact information for customers to find your business. GMB really provides the opportunity to showcase your work, your reviews, your authority, and much more!

Here are some ways you can optimize your business profile to perform better on Google:

Add pictures of your location (if applicable), work, storefront, and even staff. These will appear on Google search and maps, adding to the authenticity of your business online

Answers to questions from your customers! (A Q&A section can also clear your phone lines by providing quick and accessible answers online.)

Respond to all online reviews (yes, even negative ones).

Run Google ads or Google Local Services promotions.

Enable SEO optimization to improve local search.

Publish regular Google posts on your profile to stay relevant and connect with your audience

Want to go the extra mile? Get Google Guarantee!

Google Guarantee is a special service, especially catering for local and service area businesses such as plumbers and contractors, supporting and verifying their growth by helping customers stay away from fraudulent providers.

Google Guarantee.

Remember that getting Google Guaranteed is not a free opportunity, but an affiliate program. If your business decides to get Google Guaranteed, your listing will receive a green checkmark next to its name if it appears in search results with local packs as shown above.

Why is this useful? It can improve your lead generation, increase your rankings and attract more customers who build confidence in your business.

Using Google My Business on an ongoing basis

Google My Business is not something you can set up and forget about To really benefit from the platform and maximize your returns, you need to be consistent and work hard to manage your account.

Here are some tips to make sure your GMB account stays up to date and continues to support your business growth:

Keep your business time up to date (including special times/holidays / etc).

Make sure all photos are up-to-date and accurate. This includes changes to the logo of any brand, store remodels, updates to new locations or branches, etc. (Consider special for your cover photo. Most customers will see the first presentation of your business!)

Read and respond to all the reviews you receive, even if they are not positive reviews.

Take advantage of Google Insights / Analytics to mine important customer data and constantly change your digital marketing strategy.

Update your call to action. Are you having a sale? Have an ongoing promotion? Do you want more email addresses? Update your CTA according to the specific strategies your business can adopt!

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So, you have created a Google My Business page. What then?

You can better manage your profile and keep those search engine rankings high by partnering with SmmServiceUSA.