Now more than ever, your online presence matters, and with so many moving pieces when it comes to digital marketing, it can be overwhelming!
If you’re trying to build your digital marketing presence, an excellent place to start is with updating your Google my Business profile. When people search for a product or service, they’re usually lower in the sales funnel and more likely to make a purchase. One in two people who conduct a local search (think “restaurants near me”) visit that day. Therefore, the information about your business must show up correctly.
Read on for a step-by-step guide on how to set up your Google My Business account.
What is Google My Business?
GMB is a free tool that lets you control how your business appears when someone does a Google search or pulls up directions using Google Maps. Google continues to be the primary search engine in use, starting 2020 with an average net market share of 73.34% on desktop.
Using Google My Business, you can update your business name, location, and hours, monitor and reply to customer reviews, add photos, and gain insights on where and how people are searching for you.
How Do I Setup a Google My Business Account?
If you have not yet created your google my business account, here are step-by-step instructions to help you do so.
For Physical Business Locations:
- Using a desktop computer, sign in to Google My Business using your google account.
- Enter your business’ address.
- Identify if you want your business location to appear on Google Maps.
- If you serve customers outside your business address, you’ll have the option to list your service areas as well.
- Select a business category.
- Enter a phone number or website URL.
- Select a verification option.
For Businesses without a Physical Location:
- Using a desktop computer, sign in to Google My Business using your google account.
- If your business doesn’t have a physical location but works in a service area, you can list the area instead.
- Select “I deliver goods and services to my customers.”
- List your service areas.
- Search for and select a business category.
- Enter a phone number or website URL.
- Select a verification option.
Tips for Using Google my Business
Now that you’ve created your Google my Business profile, it’s essential to keep your business information on Google accurate and up to date. You can change information like your address, hours, contact info, and photos to help potential customers find you and learn more about your business.
Here are some tips for optimizing your profile:
- Verify your GMB Profile: Once you’ve created a profile for your business, it’s time to verify your listing. Google offers you several different options for confirming your listing, including email, postcard, phone, or instant verification (which isn’t always available). The verification process can be lengthy, often taking up to two weeks.
- Update your business information: You can also edit your information without verifying your business. The changes can include the name, category, address, hours, phone number, and website. After approval, these changes can be published before the business is verified on Google Search and Maps.
- Updating your business hours: Make sure your business hours are up-to-date so when a customer visits your Business Profile, they’ll know exactly when you’re open.
- Share a post: You can create and share announcements, offers, new or popular items in stock, or event details directly with your customers. This feature is similar to a social media post, but rather than projecting to your Facebook audience, it helps with your SEO.
Additional SEO Resources
Now that you’ve set up your GMB profile and dipped your toes into the SEO pool, you may want to check out these other resources to help improve your business’s searchability.
- SEO Checklist: When diving into SEO, it is essential to know that although necessary, it requires some patience as results will not be seen overnight like with social media. We have created a checklist of items to think about and implement every time you make an update to a page or post on your website.
- What is SEO and Why is it Important? There are many benefits both your site and your business will gain from investing in SEO. Learn about why SEO is essential and why you should be implementing it into your marketing strategy.
- Ready to start implementing SEO into your digital marketing strategy but don’t want to do it yourself? Get in touch today for a free consultation with Kevin Brown Design!