Optimizing your business on local search engines is essential to online marketing and customer engagement. More and more people are using their smartphones to quickly search google for what they need. You want to make sure your business is one of the first to appear, and that it gives your next potential customer the information they need.
Claim and Update Your Business on Google My Business
If your business has been around for some time, there are chances it already has a Google Business Profile. In order to claim and update your Google Business Profile, you need to create a Google My Business account. Once an account is created, you can connect it to your Google Business Profile or create a new profile from there.
Optimize Your Google Business Profile
When someone is searching for a business to use, they will likely be more trusting of a business that is clearly active and that they can engage in. A business that appears more active has a fully utilized and completed Google Business Profile. This means their profile has each of the following:
- Website
- Phone number
- Address
- Hours
- Name
These are the most important sections that should be filled out when you are completing your Google Business Profile. Make sure these are updated if there are any changes, such as a change in hours or a new address. Google also recognizes profiles that have more activity, resulting in the profile being more relevant and ranking higher in search results.
But, when it comes to fully utilizing your Google Business Profile, these are just the basics of getting started. When each section that makes up your profile is filled out and routinely updated, it will help your business stand out and rank higher in google search results. The following
sections will take more time and activity but are highly rewarding for the engagement they create.
- Products and Services
- Attributes and Categories
- Questions and Answers
- Reviews
We’ll briefly dive into what each of these sections is, but first, let’s highlight one thing that will authentically optimize the look of your business: pictures.
Giving Life to Your Google Business Profile
When you add real pictures of your business, products, and services, it will show people that you are a trustworthy and active business. It’s important to add high-quality images of who you are and what your business is; don’t add stock or poor-quality images. Adding more pictures every week or so will help you rank higher in google search results as well.
Make sure the description of your pictures includes keywords that describe your business/product/service. This helps Google to link your business to certain products and services people are searching for.
Products and Services
Adding products and service descriptions to your profile will help potential customers know what you offer. It also gives more content to your profile, helping you rank higher in google search results. Add detailed descriptions with helpful keywords so that Google can link specific searches to your business.
Categories and Attributes
Adding categories to your profile helps describe what your business offers and will help you be discovered in Google searches. This is because most people will search for a service or product term, instead of an actual business name.
Once your specific categories are chosen, Google will offer you various attributes to choose from that will further describe what your business offers. These are special features that highlight what makes your business stand out, such as “Dine-in,” “Free-Wifi,” and “Pets Welcome.”
Questions and Answers
Creating a list of questions and answers not only adds content to your profile but also helps provide more information to your customers. To complete this, you can refer to your Q&A page, ask a frequently asked question, then respond to it with your answer.
People online can also ask questions, so this is a section where you can engage with others and stay active in.
Reviews
Having a number of positive reviews on your profile truly helps your business rank higher in google search results. When someone sees you have 4 or 5-star reviews, they are much more excited to buy your product or service. To do this, simply reach out to your long-time customers and see if they will leave you a review.
Be One of the First to Appear in Google’s Local Listings
With a complete, detailed, and active Google Business Profile, you will be sure to rank high in Google search results. Making sure to include keywords in your descriptions will increase search engine optimization and create more engaging content.
Following these simple practices will take time and dedication, but they ensure that you’re making the most of Google’s local listings for your business.