Getting started with Google My Business

Considering the exceptional audience reach, Google My Business (GMB) should be your first choice for listing your business online. If your store locations are not on Google, you might as well not exist (at least in terms of online search queries).

Be relevant by claiming your Google My Business listing providing all the right information to interested people. The process is relatively straightforward but our checklist empowers you to further optimise your business listing.

We show you how to create GMB listings whether you have one or 20 business locations. But first, let’s take a look at what is and why you should consider GMB as soon as possible.

What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business (GMB) is a digital dashboard where businesses can manage information that Google provides to anyone looking for them online. All the data on GMB listings make it easier for potential customers to look for (and find) products or services on offer in Google Search or on Google Maps.

If you have searched for a business on Google, you may notice a small profile window that appears on the right of the screen. That is known as a Google My Business listing which includes a profile image, map pin and call-to-action buttons to take visitors straight to a website. It also often shows directions to the business address, operating hours, phone numbers, email address and a reviews section.

Why Is Google My Business Important?

There is no denying that the Internet continues to grow at an incredible rate making it increasingly important to put your business online. Google My Business is considered as one of a select few essential tools to help businesses grow their online presence.

When setup correctly, GMB allows businesses to appear in local searches which streamlines how customers find the information they need. Considering that Google My Business is a free tool, it is certainly worth looking into as it will help drive your promote your online presence.

How To Create A Google My Business Listing:

Setting up your GMB profile with Google Maps is relatively simple and more importantly, it’s free! The dashboard is super easy to use and there is only one place to edit, update and add your business information. However, if you haven’t already, you must first sign up and verify your business online

While this takes care of creating a new listing, what happens if you’ve been operating for some time? If you fall into this category, you should claim your business listing immediately. A simple way to tell whether a listing for your business exists is to type it into the block provided for “Business Name”. If your business name appears in the list below, you need to claim it right away.

What Information Should Be Included In Google My Business?

The more information you add the better for your business. At the very least, you should complete all the information that Google asks you for. Make sure you include the following: Business Hours, Contact Information, Physical Address And Directions and Website And Company Details

Here you can also add a 750-character description of your business and remember to use relevant keywords you rank for. This is essential considering that there aren’t many opportunities to add content you wish to rank for. The description will help Google understand your business better and what type of search queries it should show in results.

Google My Business Categories:

The categories section in GMB can also help your business listing on Google Maps.

The biggest advantage of Google My Business is on local searches. If someone searches for ‘Marketing agency in Eastbourne’, all of the relevant businesses labelled within that sector will appear in that search result. This is where Google adds the information into a detailed Map of the location where users can compare travel locations, distances and times.

Google Reviews and Requests:

You may think that the job is done after confirming the correct information but there is more you can do. A nifty feature of GMB is that you can encourage visitors and customers to leave online Google Reviews. You can also use it to monitor what other reviewers are saying about your brand. Simply download the Google My Business App to get notifications, manage reviews and messaging at anytime and anywhere.

Create Google My Business Posts:

GMB posts can be seen as ‘mini ads’ for your company’s products or services providing a great opportunity to use keywords you want to rank for. These posts appear in your GMB profile when someone searches for your brand on Google or when they view your Google My Business profile on Google Maps. There are various posts to choose from such as ‘What’s New’, ‘Event’, ‘Offer’ or ‘Product’.

Conclusion:

A Google My Business profile is the information that appears in Google Maps or Google search results when visitors use certain keywords relevant to your business. The more information you provide while encouraging customer engagement will greatly benefit your brand. GMB has proven itself time and time again as a powerful marketing ally and getting the basics right is just the beginning.

WSI is a digital marketing agency based in Eastbourne generating business for clients for more than14 years. Email: [email protected]