How to Use Google My Business: All You Need to Know

Google is unarguably the world’s most visited and adored website. For a majority of people internet research is synonymous with searching things on Google and other search engines just don’t exist in their world. As entrepreneurs, you can use this massive fondness for Google to your advantage by creating a Google Business Profile (initially known as Google My Business). Through it, you can effortlessly attract new customers via Google search and maps. Imagine getting the 4.3 billion Google users globally familiarized with your business! It would certainly give you a great edge over your competitors and bestow you with enormous success. 

What is Google My Business or Google Business Profile? 

The incredible Google My Business or Google Business Profile is a free business listing offered by Google. Through it, you can effortlessly provide important details about your business to the consumers including your products, services, location, and pictures. Once you create your Google My Business profile you are bound to witness a considerable increase in your business’s visibility across Google services. Consumers can find valuable information about your precious business from Google search, Google Maps, Google Shopping, and other Google services. Sounds like using an incredible search engine to create widespread brand awareness, doesn’t it? 

It is important to note that Google My Business or Google Business Profile is limited to businesses that have direct contact with customers. This implies that if your store has a physical location or you meet your customers in other locations to provide your services, you can leverage it. However, if you run an online-only business, Google My Business is not for you. Don’t feel sad about it as Google Ads and Google Analytics are there for you. 

3 Reasons Why it is Important to Have a Google My Business Account

Enhanced discoverability in Google and Google Maps

Google is the ultimate search referrer for both foot and web traffic. Through your Google My Business Profile, you make it easy for people to discover your business when searching for similar products and services in their locality. They can effortlessly learn how, when, and where to visit your store. The best part is that Google Business Profile also boosts your local SEO rankings which in turn attracts new customers and increases your profits even more. 

Great control over your online business information

Google My Business makes it easy for you to control and update your online business information including contact information, business hours, and other important details. You can effortlessly update your customers about the status of your business - temporarily closed, fully reopened, or under maintenance. As Google Business Profiles possess strong local SEO, these details undoubtedly rank higher than third-party outdated data. 

Reviews for enhancing reputation

Nothing works better at building customer trust than authentic customer reviews. Through Google’s star ratings and detailed reviews, customers can rate your products and services and share their experiences with other consumers. The more positive reviews you get, the higher your chances of outperforming your competitors in terms of attracting potential customers. 

However, it is important to remember that Google My Business also provides customers the freedom to upload negative reviews. This might seem scary but you can rest assured that the platform balances everything out by displaying mixed reviews. This is quite advantageous as only positive reviews appear to be fishy.

Are you feeling inspired to create a Google My Business Profile but don’t know how to do it? If the answer is yes, the following section is for you. 

The 6-Step Easy-Breezy Process to Set Up Your Google My Business Profile

Log in to Google Business Profile Manager: If you already have a Google account, simply log in and you’ll automatically be signed in to Google Business Profile Manager as well. In case you are already logged in to your Google account, you can rest assured that you’re already signed in to your Google Business Profile manager too. If you don’t have a Google account yet, even then there is no need to worry. You can simply create a new Google account by providing the required details. 

Add your valuable business: This step involves adding your business to Google. For this, you simply have to enter the name of your business. In case it doesn’t appear in the drop-down menu, you can click on Add your business to Google. After that, select the category your business belongs to and press next. 

1. Log in to Google Business Profile Manager

If you already have a Google account, simply log in and you’ll automatically be signed in to Google Business Profile Manager as well. In case you are already logged in to your Google account, you can rest assured that you’re already signed in to your Google Business Profile manager too. If you don’t have a Google account yet, even then there is no need to worry. You can simply create a new Google account by providing the required details. 

2. Add your valuable business

This step involves adding your business to Google. For this, you simply have to enter the name of your business. In case it doesn’t appear in the drop-down menu, you can click on Add your business to Google. After that, select the category your business belongs to and press next. 

3. Input your location

If your store has a physical location, click on yes and add a business address. After this, you may be asked to select your geographical location on a map. In case your store doesn’t have a physical location but provides facilities for customers to visit in service areas, you can highlight the respective service areas on the map. Afterward, click on next. 

4. Enter your contact information

This step involves adding your contact information including your business phone number and website address. Google needs these details to help potential customers get acquainted with different ways to reach you. Once you input all the required information, click on next.

5. Perform business verification

Enter your actual address to verify your business. Do not add a post office address. This information isn’t available on your Google My Business Profile and isn’t made public. Once you enter your address and click next, you’ll see various options to verify your business account. 

6. Profile customization

At this step, you are required to specify your business hours, business description, photos, messaging preferences, and other important information. Then click on continue. You can effortlessly find yourself in the Business Profile Manager dashboard. 

Optimizing Your Google My Business Profile 

Google decides your local search engine rankings based on three parameters:

Relevance

It analyzes the extent to which your Google My Business listing aligns with a search. 

Distance

It evaluates the distance between your business location and the searcher. 

Prominence

It examines how well people know your business based on the number of reviews, links, SEO, and other similar factors.

Given below are some actionable steps through which you can maximize your score concerning all these three parameters.

Complete all the elements associated with your profile

According to Google, “Businesses with complete and detailed information are more likely to match with the right searches.” This implies that to attract your target customers, you must complete all elements of your business profile. Besides, customers are also more likely to consider businesses with complete Google profiles to be reputable and trustworthy. 

So, focus on completing all elements of your Google My Business profile with utmost sincerity. Tell your visitors where you are, what you offer, and how to contact you creatively and appealingly, and see your business flourish. 

Perform location verification

With a verified business location, you are more likely to rank in local search results across Google Search and Google Maps. So, it is crucial to make location verification a priority. Additionally, verifying your location also improves your score in terms of the distance ranking factor. In case you skipped the verification while creating your Google My Business account, you can go to https://business.google.com/ and request your verification postcard.

Upload real images and videos related to your business

A majority of people view the images of a company and its products before connecting with it. Given that, it is wise to upload real images and videos of your business, location, work environment, and team. When adding images, ensure that they are eye-catching, professional, and capable of arousing people’s interest. If you don’t know how to add or edit images on your Google profile, the following points will beacon you in the right direction. 

• Go to your dashboard and click on Photos available in the left menu. 
• Add your logo and cover photo. Depending on your preferences, you can upload a picture, select one from your business profile albums, or pick a picture with your business tagged. 
• If you want to add more photos, click on At Work or Team available in the top menu on the photos page. 
• In case you want to add videos, go to the photos page and click on the Video tab. 

Add relevant keywords to your profile

Using the right keywords is the key to catching the attention of your target audience. So, search for relevant keywords and add them to your Google My Business profile. In order to know what terms people usually search for, you can use various tools like Google Analytics, and Hootsuite Insights. When adding keywords, remember to incorporate them as naturally as possible to enhance the readability and appeal of your content.

Encourage your customers to write online reviews

People trust customer reviews more than what businesses say about themselves. This is natural as businesses can exaggerate the positive qualities of their products and hide their negative side while customers offer honest reviews and opinions. So, customer reviews play a significant role in determining the number of customers you attract. That said, it is imperative for you to encourage your customers to write online reviews. 

• Scroll down from the dashboard and click on the ‘Share Review Form’ button.
• Copy the link and paste it into a message for the customers. You can also paste it into your online receipts and autoresponder.

Always keep your business information up to date

Keeping your business information up to date is as important as building an appealing Google My Business profile. If you change your business hours or location, it is important to update it on your profile as otherwise your potential customers will be discouraged from finding your store closed during the stated hours or not finding it at the specified location. Here are some simple ways to edit your business information on the platform:

• Visit business.google.com and go to the dashboard to make the required edits. 
• Edit your business information directly through Google Maps or Search. All you need to do is search your business name on any of these platforms and then access the editing panel. 
• Create Google My Business posts to share any updates with your valuable customers.

Add all your products

If your business revolves around selling products, ensure to keep your business profile updated with the latest inventory. Along with your profile, your products can also appear in Google Shopping. 

Leverage the power of Google’s incredible yet free marketing tools

Effective marketing plays a pivotal role in determining a business’s success. Google understands this truth and offers an exceptional yet free marketing kit to business owners like you. It contains printable posters, social posts, and stickers. It also empowers you to create your custom videos. Find it interesting? Why not try out the phenomenal marketing kit now?

Let’s Wrap Up

Google My Business is a fabulous platform that empowers you to attract the attention of millions of Google users worldwide. They can find you effortlessly, know what you sell, and where you are located. Not only this, they can also read what other customers say about you and your products and get inspired to make purchases from you. If you are feeling motivated to create a Google My Business profile, you can follow the steps mentioned above and accomplish your goal. 

In case you find yourself stuck at any point and require expert assistance, feel free to contact LN Webworks, a reputed Drupal development company with expertise in developing highly profitable Google My Business profiles.