Introduction
If you own a business, it’s essential that you set up a Google My Business profile to help your business appear on Google search and maps.
This can be done by creating a listing for your business on Google, which will help customers find your business when searching for the type of products or services you offer.
A Google My Business profile is a great way to showcase important information about your business, including its website, operating hours, phone number, and customer reviews.
It’s also an effective method to improve your local SEO, which is important for appearing higher in the rankings for local searches.
To create a profile listing, you need to set up Google My Business, which is a straightforward process that requires you to provide some basic information about your business.
Once you’ve completed your profile listing, customers searching for the type of business you offer will be able to locate your business quickly and easily on Google.
Google Business Profile: Meaning
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is an essential tool for businesses to gain visibility in local search results.
It helps businesses be found in the Local Pack and Local Finder, where customers are looking for what your business provides.
If you want your local business to succeed, one of the most important things you can do is create a Google Business Profile. This will help people find you and learn more about you online.
Research shows that 88% of people who look up something nearby on their phone will call or visit a store within 24 hours, so it’s important to get your profile right!
Our guide will walk you through how to set up a Google Business Profile the right way.
Steps on How to Create Google Business Page or Profile
Creating a Google Business Profile or Page is a simple process that can provide a boost to your online presence. The first step is to claim your business by verifying your Google business listing.
This can be done by following the guide to creating a Google profile for your business, which will walk you through the process of submitting your business information and verifying it with Google.
Once your business is verified, it will be visible to potential customers when they search for related keywords in Google search results.
One of the main benefits of using Google for your business is that it can help increase your visibility online, allowing you to reach a wider audience.
Using Google can also help you see your business in the same way that customers see it, which can help you identify areas for improvement and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.
By following these simple steps, you can create a Google Business profile or page that will help you reach more customers and grow your business.
1. Set up Your Google Business Account
To create a business Google Account, visit accounts.google.com and click ‘Create an Account’. You can use an existing email address or create a new one. Making a Google account is easy and open to everyone.
2. Open the Google Business Page Screen
To start managing your business online, go to google.com/business and click ‘Manage now’. This will give you access to the Google Business Profile Gateway, where you can manage all aspects of your business.
3. Search for Your Business Name
Start by entering the business name into the search bar. If it shows up, you’ll know there’s already a profile. If not, click ‘Add your business to Google’.
4. Request Access to Add Your Business (existing)
You can easily request access if you need to take control of an existing Google Business profile. Just click on the ‘Request Access’ button, and you’ll be guided step-by-step through the process.
5. Input Your Business Category & Name
When you create a profile, it’s important to include the official business name and category. Make sure that the name is exactly as written on official documents, and don’t include any extra words.
Select the category that best matches your business, and remember that you can always change or add more categories later.
6. Enter the Business Address
When you set up your Google Business page, you’ll be asked if your company has a physical location that customers can visit.
If it does, just enter your business address and confirm the position of the marker on Google Maps, so it’s easier for people to find you!
Businesses that don’t have a physical space to interact with customers can still move on to the next step. Instead of entering your address, you might be asked to list all the places you offer services or products.
7. Provide your business phone number and website
Make sure your phone number and website are up-to-date on your Google Business Profile—that way you can keep track of who calls and clicks!
8. Verify Your Business Listing
To make sure your business information on Google is correct and only you can manage it, you need to verify your listing.
Depending on your business, you may be able to confirm by email or phone. If this doesn’t work for you, you’ll get a postcard as verification.
Postcard
Google will usually send you a postcard at the address you’ve provided, and it will come with a 5-digit code. This should arrive in your mailbox in about five days. Once you have the code, type it in to finish verifying your business.
Phone
Phone verification allows you to quickly and easily verify your business. You’ll receive an automated call with your verification number, which you can then input into the verification process.
If you’re verifying your business through email, enter the code that’ll be sent to the same email address linked to your Google Business Profile account. Once you’ve put in the number, you’ll have officially completed the verification process.
Manage Your Google Business Profile
1. Complete Your Profile
To make the most of your Google My Business profile, it’s important to keep it up-to-date and complete. Filling out all the relevant fields shows customers that you are trustworthy and reputable.
Extra details like product descriptions, company information, and even photos of your business give customers an idea of what they can expect when they visit.
So make sure your profile is comprehensive—it could be the difference between a visitor and a customer!
2. Focus on Reviews
Improve your Google My Business profile by getting reviews from satisfied customers. People who are considering buying your product will look at the reviews to see what their experience might be like.
Reviews can also help your business show up more in local searches. Customer reviews are not just for internal review. In fact, they can have a major impact on how others view your business and whether or not your business succeeds online.
Reviews from customers can influence how people think of your business and if it succeeds. Before someone buys from or trusts a company, they might read online reviews or customer testimonials to decide if it’s worth it.
If the reviews are bad, they’ll likely look for alternatives. So, make sure to pay attention to what others are saying about you!
Listening to customer feedback can be hugely helpful for your business. Reviews also let you know what customers need from you and point out any issues with your service or products.
By paying close attention to this feedback, you can improve the quality of your offerings and provide better experiences for your customers. As a business owner, it’s important to talk to customers and people who are interested in your services.
Responding to reviews on Google My Business is another way to make use of reviews & help you win back customers that weren’t happy with their experience, and show your potential customers that you care.
When someone gives you a bad review, use it as an opportunity to solve the problem and show potential customers that you are committed to customer satisfaction.
People who take the time to try to please unhappy customers are more likely to have customers return in the future.
3. List All the Products or Services
To get the most out of your Google My Business, make sure to list all products and services you provide. Give a brief description and price for each item so potential customers will know what you have to offer.
This way, you can show off your unique items or services that others don’t have.
4. Make Use of Google Posts
Boost your online presence with Google Posts! These ‘free ads’ can help draw more viewers to your business. Make sure to include a high-quality image that’s at least 1200×900 pixels, and check how it looks in the thumbnail version so it isn’t cut off.
There are 3 different types of posts you can make. The amount of text people will see in the preview will depend on which template you pick and if you add a CTA button.
1. What’s New Posts let you show off your most important info in a thumbnail image. Without a button, you can show up to 100 characters of text. If you use a button, the link will take up the last line instead, leaving you three lines of text.
2. Offer Posts let you share special offers with your customers. Each post includes a name, a date range for the offer, and choices for how to redeem it like coupon codes, visual coupons, or a link to your website.
To make room for all that info, your description gets only one line if you include a CTA button. All the redemption details will show when someone clicks to see the full Post.
3. Event Posts help you quickly share important events with your followers. They include the title and date of the event, but this information takes up space that would normally be filled with text.
You can add a call-to-action button to save some of the text, but it will still reduce the number of available lines.
Posts remain visible for one week after they have been shared. If you publish more than one post at the same time, they will appear together in a rotating display with the most recent post appearing first.
5. Use Messaging
Making sure your Google My Business profile is in top shape is important. You can turn on messaging to make it simpler for customers to get in touch.
Set up alerts from your dashboard so you don’t miss any messages. When customers are looking for you, they can quickly send you a text!
Conclusion
Thus, creating a Google business profile is one of the most important steps for any modern business. A Google business profile listing is essentially a free tool offered by Google that allows businesses to have a presence on Google search and maps.
By creating a Google my business listing, businesses can appear more visible on Google and reach potential customers. Small business owners can verify their Google listings to ensure that their information is accurate and up-to-date.
Once verified, businesses can promote their business by adding photos, reviews, and a detailed description of their services. It’s important to select the primary business category carefully to ensure that the right target audience is reached.
In summary, by creating a Google business profile, businesses can increase their visibility online and attract more customers, making it a crucial aspect of their online presence.
Good Luck!
