Gone are the days of looking up businesses in the Yellow Pages. Now small business owners need a more modern approach to making their business information accessible. With online business listings, you can do just that, and there is one type that is a must-have in this digital age – a Google Business Profile. By creating one for your business, you can increase online traffic, reach new customers, and boost your business. However, that is only possible if you some simple steps to make the most of your Google Business Profile.
What is a Google Business Profile?
Previously known as Google My Business, a Google Business Profile is a free service that all small business owners NEED to know about and take advantage of. Ultimately, it is a business listing on Google with all the necessary information for potential clients to look up and contact your company. By creating and using your profile, you can control the information that appears on Google Search or Google Maps. This makes Google Business Profile a great opportunity to ensure accurate information is out there, and when used properly, it can be used to interact with customers and drive traffic to your website. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty details that you need to know.
Set Up Your Business Profile
The first step to Google Business Profile optimization – making sure your business information is reaching as many potential customers as possible – is to create a Google Business Profile. While this may sound daunting, it is not as complicated as it may seem. By following these step-by-step instructions on how to create a Business Profile on Google, your business listing can be created with minimal stress. However, the setup isn’t complete by just creating a profile, you will also need to verify your Business Profile. Google does provide many easy-to-follow options for verifying your business listing including phone or text, email, video recording, live video call, and mail options. Once your profile is verified, a little blue icon will appear next to your listing, so everyone can see that it is a Google-verified business.
Manage Your Google Business Information
After making a Google Business page and getting it verified, the real fun can begin – adding all your business info. Since this will be the information Google’s algorithm will use to determine what shows up in the relevant results and when people search your business, the more detailed and accurate information, the better. It will also be helpful to incorporate keywords and search phrases that are relevant to your business. If you are not sure how to determine which keywords should be added to optimize your profile, contact our Google gurus for expert help to get your profile up and optimized in no time.
Quick Tip: Don’t be afraid to add pictures of your business. Since we are visual people, adding photos is a great way to quickly increase performance and help new customers feel confident in their ability to find your business.
Use the Special Attributes
Depending on your business type, there may be other special attributes that you can add to your Google Business Profile. These attributes may appear differently depending on the business type you selected when setting up your profile, but some of the potential options include:
- Accessibility
- Activity options
- Amenities
- Crowd information such as adults only, LGBTQ+ friendly, transgender safe space, etc.
- Dining options
- Highlights/Hidden attributes that can only be added by users
- Language assistance available
- Payment options
- Planning attributes such as reservation, appointment, and membership requirements
- Service options
- Etc.
Using these attributes will help your business stand out from your competitiors and help potential customers learn more about your business in quick, bite-sized pieces.
Encourage Google Reviews
One powerful but often overlooked tool on your Google Business Profile is the customer review feature. Have you ever looked at a company’s Google reviews before purchasing a new product or one of their services? We definitely have! The influence your customer reviews have on potential clients is huge, which is why it is important to encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Since your customer review rating will appear right below your company’s name on your Google listing, it can be a big credibility boost that directly increases website traffic. After all, people are more likely to look at the websites of businesses with good review ratings. Having a good Google review rating will also improve your Google ranking for local SEO since the algorithm takes it into account and often places higher-ranked businesses above others.
While everyone wants to see those great four and five-star reviews, we understand that it is impossible to make everyone happy regardless of how hard your customer service team works to create positive customer experiences. Though bad reviews are not fun to see, they create an opportunity to get candid feedback and give your customer service a second chance to make it a better experience. However, regardless of the rating, you should respond to ALL Google reviews. It is a great way to interact with your customers and show that you care about their feedback.
Post Updates
Did you know you can post updates and marketing materials on your Google Business Profile, too? That’s right. By using the update feature, you can add updates, offers, and events to your profile. Not only will these posts help with SEO purposes since these posts are searchable, but it is a great way to get more information in front of those potential customers which can lead to more business for you. Plus, they have a call to action button option for each post, making it even easier for potential customers to take action directly from the post. Don’t keep letting this opportunity slip by, add Google Business posts to your social media strategy! If you are not comfortable creating original and SEO-oriented social media posts, reach out to learn how we can help with our social media management services.
Though there are countless ways you can use your Google Business Profile to boost your company’s visibility and increase website traffic, it starts with creating your profile and then not letting it slip through the cracks. If you want to learn more about how you can make the most of your Google Business Profile or our Google Profile management services, talk with our Google gurus. Don’t keep letting your business be overlooked online. Start your Business Profile optimization today.
