What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses and organisations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By verifying and updating your business information, you can help customers find you, contact you, and learn more about your products and services.

With Google My Business, you can create and manage a business listing that appears when customers search for your business or businesses like yours on Google. You can also use the platform to share updates about your business, such as special offers or new products, and to see how customers are interacting with your listing.

To use Google My Business, you’ll need to create a Google account and verify that you are the owner or authorized representative of the business. You can then add information about your business, including your business name, location, hours of operation, and contact information. You can also add photos and videos to showcase your products or services.

Google My Business is an important tool for local businesses and organizations because it can help you connect with customers in your area and increase your visibility on Google. It is especially useful for businesses that rely on foot traffic or local customers, as it can help you attract more customers to your physical location.

How does Google My Business help with SEO?

Google My Business can help with SEO in several ways:

Local SEO: By claiming and verifying your business listing on Google My Business, you can improve your local SEO, which is the process of optimizing your online presence to rank higher in local search results. When customers search for businesses like yours in a particular location, Google will show local results first. By providing accurate and up-to-date information about your business, you can increase the chances of your business showing up in local search results.
Keyword optimisation: When you create your business listing on Google My Business, you can add information about your products and services, as well as keywords that describe your business. This can help Google understand what your business is about and improve your ranking for relevant searches.
Customer reviews: Google My Business allows customers to leave reviews about your business, which can help improve your SEO. Google takes into account the number and quality of reviews when ranking businesses in search results. Positive reviews can help improve your ranking, while negative reviews can hurt it.
Google Maps integration: Google My Business is closely integrated with Google Maps, which means that your business listing may appear on Google Maps when customers search for businesses in your area. This can help improve your visibility and attract more customers to your physical location.

What are the advantages of Google my business?

There are several advantages of using Google My Business:

Increased visibility: By creating a business listing on Google My Business, you can increase your visibility on Google, which can help you attract more customers. Your business listing may appear in search results and on Google Maps when customers search for businesses in your area.
Improved local SEO: Google My Business can help improve your local SEO, which is the process of optimizing your online presence to rank higher in local search results. When you provide accurate and up-to-date information about your business, you can increase the chances of your business showing up in local search results.
Easy to use: Google My Business is a user-friendly platform that allows you to easily manage your online presence across Google. You can add and update information about your business, as well as add photos and videos to showcase your products or services.
Free: Google My Business is a free tool, which makes it an affordable option for businesses and organizations of all sizes.
Insights and analytics: Google My Business provides insights and analytics about how customers are interacting with your business listing. You can see how many people have viewed your listing, how many have requested driving directions, and how many have called your business. This can help you understand what’s working and what’s not, and make adjustments accordingly.

So do I recommend you set one up? Yes! Especially if you are a locally-based brick and mortar business or perform services in-person in a certain area such as a dance school, plumber, health centre, hairdresser or similar.

Google has reported that a staggering 46% of all searches have local intent, meaning that people are searching for information that is specific to their location, such as nearby businesses, local events, or maps and directions. This highlights the importance of having a strong local presence and optimizing your website and online listings for search engines in order to reach potential customers who are looking for products and services in your area.

How to set up Google My Business

To set up Google My Business, follow these steps:

Create a Google account: If you don’t already have a Google account, go to google.com and click “Sign In” in the top right corner. Then, follow the prompts to create a new account.
Go to google.com/business: Once you have a Google account, go to google.com/business and click “Start now.”
Enter your business information: You’ll be prompted to enter your business name, address, and phone number. You can also add a website if you have one.
Choose your business category: Select the category that best describes your business. This will help Google understand what your business is about and show your listing to relevant customers.
Verify your business: Google will send a verification code to your business address or phone number. Enter the code to verify that you are the owner or authorized representative of the business.
Add photos and details: Once your business is verified, you can add photos and details about your products and services. You can also add your hours of operation and other information that will help customers find and contact your business.
Publish your listing: When you’re ready, click “Publish” to make your business listing live on Google.

It’s important to keep your business information up to date on Google My Business, as this can help improve your ranking in search results and ensure that customers have accurate and current information about your business. You can make updates to your listing at any time by logging into your account and making changes to your business information.

How to optimise Google My Business

Here are some tips for optimising your Google My Business listing:

Claim and verify your business: To ensure that your business information is accurate and up-to-date, it’s important to claim and verify your business on Google My Business. This will allow you to make changes to your business information and respond to customer reviews.
Use accurate and consistent information: Make sure that the information on your Google My Business listing is accurate and consistent with the information on your website and other online profiles. This includes your business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation.
Add photos and videos: Adding photos and videos to your Google My Business listing can help customers get a better sense of your products and services and make your business stand out in search results.
Use keywords: Include relevant keywords in your business description and services to help Google understand what your business is about and show your listing to relevant customers.
Encourage customer reviews: Google takes into account the number and quality of reviews when ranking businesses in search results. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business listing to improve your ranking and attract more customers.
Respond to customer reviews: Responding to customer reviews on your Google My Business listing can help improve your reputation and show that you value customer feedback.

What to avoid with Google my business

Here are some things to avoid when using Google My Business:

Spamming keywords: Avoid overloading your business description and services with irrelevant or spammy keywords. This can hurt your ranking in search results and make your business appear less trustworthy to customers.
Misleading information: Don’t include false or misleading information on your Google My Business listing. This can confuse customers and damage your reputation.
Incomplete or outdated information: Make sure that your business information on Google My Business is complete and up-to-date. Outdated or incomplete information can mislead customers and hurt your ranking in search results.
Ignoring customer reviews: Don’t ignore negative customer reviews on your Google My Business listing. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, can show customers that you value their feedback and are committed to providing good service.
Buying fake reviews: Don’t buy fake reviews for your Google My Business listing. Google takes measures to detect and remove fake reviews, and buying them can damage your reputation and lead to penalties from Google.

By avoiding these practices, you can maintain the integrity of your Google My Business listing and build trust with customers. This can help you attract more customers and improve your ranking in search results.

How to write great posts for google my business

Here are some tips for writing great posts for Google My Business:

Keep it concise: Google My Business posts have a maximum length of 1,500 characters, so it’s important to keep your writing concise and to the point.
Use strong headlines: A strong headline will grab the attention of readers and encourage them to read more. Use action words and make the most important information the first thing readers see.
Include images and videos: Posts with images and videos tend to get more engagement than those without. Use high-quality images and videos that are relevant to your business and add value for customers.
Use bullet points: Bullet points can help break up long blocks of text and make your post easier to read. Use them to highlight key points or to organize information.
Use hashtags: Hashtags can help make your posts more discoverable and increase their reach. Use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience.
Include a call to action: Encourage customers to take action by including a call to action in your post. This could be to visit your website, make a purchase, or leave a review.

By following these tips, you can write great posts for Google My Business that are engaging, informative, and actionable. This can help you attract more customers and improve the visibility of your business on Google.

How often should you post on google my business

There is no specific frequency at which you should post on Google My Business. The amount of posting you do will depend on your business and the content you have to share. Here are some general guidelines to consider:

Share timely and relevant updates: If you have important updates about your business, such as new products, sales, or events, you should post about them on Google My Business. This will keep your business listing fresh and relevant to customers.
Don’t overdo it: While it’s important to keep your business listing up-to-date, you don’t want to overwhelm customers with too many posts. Consider the amount and type of content you have to share and how often you can realistically post updates.
Engage with customers: In addition to posting updates about your business, you should also use Google My Business to engage with customers. This can include responding to reviews, answering questions, and sharing helpful content.

Need help setting up your SEO or Google My Business profile? Get in contact.