Google My Business: Make Your Business Stand Out On Google

People rely heavily on Google to find answers to their questions within seconds.

Google has become an important tool to find information and discover new products/services in the local area. With 82% of people turning to search engines to find local information, your Google listing is the perfect place to showcase what is unique about your business.

Google My Business is a platform where businesses can manage their online presence and assemble all their business information from Search, Maps and Google+, and manage them right at one place.

Google My Business is a free and easy tool – so why wouldn’t you get it?

Google My Business offers a variety of benefits that can help your business stand out online and improve its local presence:

• Cost effective: its free!
• Boosts SEO: When setting up your account, you can select categories relevant to your business; this will strengthen search results and boost SEO when users search for your specific category.
• Local 3 pack: This feature shows the top 3 local search results on a map at the top of the page. This is a recent change that Google has implemented and the 3 core results are based on location and the amount of key information on the Google listing.
• Respond to reviews: Customers are encouraged to leave reviews which businesses can easily respond to. Reviews help you understand your customers’ experience and create a community around your business.
• Google posts: Increase your search visibility by attaching posts to your Google My Business profile to promote events, offers and news for the brand.
• Chat to your customers: Google Allo is a smart messaging app that connects users with local restaurants that have it installed – so they can easily find out the information that they’re looking for.

While Google My Business is a valuable tool, it comes with a few limitations that businesses should be aware of:

• Mailing address: In order to set up an account you must have a physical address where Google can send your profile validation. If you are a home business, you can change this information at a later date and hide it so it isn’t common information.
• Reservation links: On profiles for hospitality businesses, booking platforms associated with the business will connect up to the reservations link which will drive the user to a page directly from the bookings provider. This will also incur a charge for the business. You aren’t able to update this in the dashboard, however you can call Google and they can remove the link.
• Competition: Competition is high and with there being so many small businesses, you need to keep on top of your online presence so that is it fully optimised.

To ensure your business stands out and stays competitive, here are some best practices for effectively managing your Google My Business account:

• Keep information updated: Businesses need to stay updated, so if there is a change in address, contact number, opening hours, you have new imagery etc. then this will need to be updated so customers can easily connect.
• Multiple user access: Assign multiple users to manage your account, so you can split the work load between multiple users for efficiency.
• Consistency is key: Businesses need to make sure there is a consistent name, address and phone number as Google places a lot of weight on having information that is correct and accurate.
• Optimise for mobile: When it comes to mobile local search, nothing beats a responsive site. As internet users on mobile devices are consistently growing, Google is putting more prominence on search results from mobile friendly sites.
• Monitor your insights: Regularly review the insights and analytics provided by Google My Business. This will give you valuable information on how customers are finding and engaging with your business. Use this information to improve visibility and engagement.
• Stay ahead of algorithm updates: Keep an eye out for future algorithm updates from Google. By staying informed about changes, you can proactively adapt your strategy and stay ahead of the game!

Setting up your Google My Business profile is a straightforward process. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Go to Google My Business: Visit google.com/business and click on Start now at the top right corner of the page.
2. Sign in or create a Google account: Sign in with your existing Google Account, or create a new one if you don’t already use Google services.
3. Enter your business name: Type the name of your business and click Next. Note: You may also see business suggestions as you type.
4. Enter your business address: Add your business address and click Next. You may be prompted to place a marker on the location of your business on a map. For service-area businesses:
   1. Tick the box for I deliver goods and services to my customers.
   2. Optionally, tick the box to Hide my address (if it’s not a physical store) and select a region to display instead.
   3. Click Next.
   4. Select a delivery area and click Next.
5. Choose a business category: Search for and select the most relevant business category, then click Next.
6. Enter contact information: Provide a phone number or website URL for your business.
7. Complete sign-up: Verify your connection to the business by clicking Continue.
8. Select a verification option: Choose a verification method. If you prefer to verify at a later time, select Try a different method and click Later. If you’re not authorised to manage the business, find the appropriate person in your organisation to complete the process.

By following these simple steps, you can set up your Google My Business profile and start enhancing your local search visibility today.

For more detailed steps and guidance on signing up and verifying your business, you can read the full guide here: Google My Business Verification.

Google My Business is a free, powerful tool that boosts your local visibility and customer engagement. By keeping your info updated, managing reviews, and optimising for mobile, you can stand out in local searches.

Need help setting up or optimising your profile? Contact Propeller today to enhance your online presence!