A Comprehensive Guide To Using Google My Business

posted byPatrick Chemoul10/12/2020

Do you want to escalate your local visibility by enlisting your business on Google My Business?

Obviously, you do!

Because, if your business does not have a digital presence, then it is either dead or, close to being obsolete.

Getting Started with Google My Business

In this world digital affluence has a priceless value.

This is why the importance of listing your business on Google My Business is super necessary.

One can even say that it is your mainframe for controlling how your business' data is shown on Google Search and maps.

Our SEO experts help businesses gain local visibility and they do it in an efficient manner!

From basics to more advanced, in this post, you will learn the following things in detail:

What Is Google My Business?

The primary function of Google My Business (GMB) is to present an enhanced image of your business to increase….

You guessed it right! Local Visibility

What does it mean?

Let’s get right into it!

So, GMB is a free tool that enables local businesses or companies to make an online profile.

And, control how their business' data shows up in Google Maps and Google Search.

With Google My Business (also known as GMB), you can:

  • Create your Business listing on Google
  • Make convincing business depiction to lure clients to visit your area
  • Include photographs
  • Show your hours and contact information
  • Screen and answer to the online reviews that clients leave on Google for your business.

Did you know GMB additionally has a dedicated mobile application?

And, you can use it to perform the following functions:

  • Edit the information about your business
  • Respond to customer reviews and queries
  • Share new photos, videos, and, other promotional stuff

Want to know the full features of the mobile application? Read here about full features of the mobile application.

  • Analytics: Is there any way to know the popularity of your online business listing?

    There sure is!

    Google My Business also provides free analytics feature, known as My Business Insights.

    Here are some of the many benefits it provides:
    • How many individuals viewed your business listing?
    • How they reached there?
    • What actions did they do after reviewing your information?

Importance of Google My Business

Getting in the top spot for ranking factors in local map search is not an easy feat.

And, Google My Business currently holds that spot.

This was reported by Moz, which at present is backed by the largest community of SEOs on the planet.

Setting up and optimizing your Google My Business account becomes crucial if getting search engine traffic is imperative to your business.

It is also a critical factor in organic local search.

Customers can easily discover your business if you are visible in local search.

This is important. Why?

Because the clients that are searching for organizations on Google maps in their locale are generally prepared to make the purchase.

Here's a case of what shows up when I look for "burger" on Google.

In this screenshot, Google maps results are shown over the organic search results:

Note: Google map results don't always appear on top, however, individuals still will click on them regardless of whether they are more distant down on the page.

Juris Digital completed a heat map study and found that around 32% of individuals clicked on the Google maps results, while the rest of the clients tapped on organic search items or paid promotions.

Google maps make it simple for clients to see precisely where your business is located.

Having a Google My Business account additionally enables clients to leave reviews for your business.

Google reviews are another significant ranking component for search engines.

How to Create Your Google My Business Account?

Knowing is good, doing is better!

So, now let’s take you through the process of creating a Google My Business Account.

To register your business on the most popular platform for business listings, here’s what you should do.

Go to Business.Google.Com and click on the button (START NOW) to begin the account creating process.

Upon clicking the button, Google will ask you a progression of inquiries, such as:

  • Business Name: Your official & real business name will help potential clients recognize your brand.
  • Business Location: This will help customers find your business.

    Make sure to enter a clear and easy-to-read address.
  • Business Category: A crucial step.

    Why is that?

    Because this is you telling Google which type of audience should see your business listing.
  • Contact Details: You might be aware that in this digital age, most people search for contact details of the business, before personally visiting it.

    So, a work phone number and/or website address is extremely important and you can easily add it to your business information.
  • Operational Hours: It’s pertinent to let your customers know your opening and closing hours.

    So, that they can plan accordingly.
  • Business Description: An engaging business description can do wonders for your business.

    How?

    By doing two major things:

    1. Provide a clear image of your business 2. Attract more customers who are interested in your services/products

    So, don’t forget to write an interesting business description.
  • Verification Process: So you have finished the forms and entered all the information that Google asked for.

    What is the next step?

    It is verifying your business location.

    For this purpose, Google will send a postcard to your place of work to affirm your business.

    The postcard will have a code in it that you can use to verify from your side that you are the proprietor of the business.

After you have entered the code, your Google My Business record will be confirmed and ready-for-use.

On the off chance that you need further details, Google has additionally made its support manual (shown below).

This is specifically made for the assistance of entrepreneurs who need help in setting up their Google My Business account.

Still confused on how to do it?

Not to worry, as all of this process can be easily set up by an experienced SEO expert.

How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing?

Creating your Google My Business account was merely half the job.

The real focal point is to optimize your Google My Business Listing.

What’s the reason?

Actually, there are two.

  • To amplify your outcomes from Google My Business
  • Optimize your listing according to SEO best practices to help drive more traffic

Improving your posting may set aside a little effort to do, yet isn't troublesome.

Any business that needs to be focused on local search should opt for these steps.

Here are some straightforward steps you can take to expand the viability of your GMB listing.

  • Basic Information & Business Name: This is a simple, yet an important step in this process.

    For the business name, Google needs entrepreneurs to enter their real business name and that's it.

    Abstain from utilizing slogans, location data or referencing items in your business name.

    Some SEO experts say that including keywords into your business name will enable you to rank better.

    Filling the form is quite similar to data already present on Google Maps. For example:

    • Some important points to note:

    • Fill out your different business data including business hours, address, website’s address, and telephone number.
    • Select the correct business class with the goal that Google will rank you for the correct terms.
  • Business Description

    Engaging Business Description = More Views = More Clients = More Sales

    If it’s that important, the question is what approach should be followed when writing a business description?

    Let’s start with things that should be avoided at all costs.

    Self-limited time language, hostile tone or irrelevant content.

    Abstain from discussing uncommon advancements that you are offering at the time.

    You are additionally not permitted to use links inside your business description.

    Rather, set aside the effort to compose a portrayal that precisely reflects what your business offers and focus on key selling points.

    Do a speedy search for your business & also other ones and take a gander at what different companies have composed for their business depiction.

    Consider how you can compose a description that stands out from the rest.

    Remember, writing quality content is a key part of the best SEO practices.

    And it is also recorded as a huge plus in the Google search algorithm.
  • Photos

    As indicated by Google, organizations with photographs see 42% more requests for driving directions.

    And, 35% a more clicks on their business website, as compared to those with no photographs.

    Your business can look appealing to customers when you upload high-quality photos and videos.

    A cover photo is also a huge attractive point.

    You don't need to be an expert video editor and photographer or video editor.

    At some places, even mobile phone photographs can work.

    Google has set the minimum limit for photographs to be at least 720 x 720 pixels and saved in either png or jpg format.
  • Videos

    Good News!

    For whom?

    Business’ who thrive on making videos to promote their business.

    As Google enables you to upload videos to a Google My Business profile.

    Including a video can be an incredible method to draw in customers, exhibit your business location, or display your products.

    Most local businesses don't have video recordings on their Google profile, so it's not so much required.

    Be that as it may, taking effort to make and upload a video can be a decent method to stand out from your competition.

    A great video idea may incorporate:
    • Giving a tour of your business location
    • Having the entrepreneur share a message
    • Filming happy clients
    • Flaunting a portion of your products.

How to Gain Reviews On Google My Business?

Is the most significant thing after setting up your Google My Business account?

It sure is!

Getting online traffic from Google and drawing in more customers is to get reviews on Google My Business should be your top priority.

So, the question is ….

How do you get more reviews?

Here’s how.

Creating a Direct Link for Google Reviews: You can make a direct link for Google reviews by following these steps:

  • Utilize the Google Place Lookup Tool to create your "PlaceID"
  • Supplant the words "placeid" in the accompanying URL with your real PlaceID: https://search.google.com/neighborhood/writereview? < placeid >

Now, you can request customers to leave reviews by sending an invitation to their email addresses & essentially requesting for a review, once they join your email list.

Finding it hard to create a direct link for Google Reviews?

Not to worry! Our SEO experts are here to help.

Staying attached with your GMB account is a big REASON which influences how sites rank in Google local search

Showing regular commitment and doing frequent sign-ins to your GMB account is super important.

Some of the things that you should regularly check on are:

Review your images, business description, & other details, and update them to improve your listing, if needed.

Replying to reviews takes time, but increases engagement from your customers.

Additional GMB Features

Setting up and optimizing your Google My Business account isn’t the full story.

There is much more that GMB offers!

You can build your site traffic and get more clients by utilizing a portion of the different tools that Google offers.

What else would you be able to do to stand out from your rivals?

What different steps do business owners take to improve commitment and get more clients?

In this segment, we will cover some other ground-breaking Google My Business features that entrepreneurs can use to:

  • Improve search rankings
  • Draw in more clients
    • Google Posts: Much like Facebook Posts, Google Posts is an incredible tool for businesses.

      Because it enables entrepreneurs to share
      • Offers
      • News
      • Announcements
      • Other engaging content from their Google My Business account

A few SEO marketing specialists recommend that creating Google Posts can enable organizations to rank higher in organic search results.

  • Google Messages: Contacting a business directly always leads to a greater chance of…

    Yes …. SALES!

    How can a customer contact a business directly?

    The answer is: Google Messaging

    As it enables clients to contact businesses directly through their Google My Business Listing.

    Using this feature can enable businesses to address client questions at a fast and efficient manner.

    Messages are sent to your mobile phone and you can answer.

    Telephone numbers are not uncovered for either the entrepreneur or the client, so you can even set it up to send messages to your phone.

    That is it, you now have all the knowledge required for setting up your account on Google Business and increase your website traffic and the number of clients.

    If you still do not feel comfortable setting up your Google My Business listing or short on time, don’t worry.

    Simply, contact us and we’ll set it up for you along with providing top-notch SEO services.

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