Getting the Most from Google My Business

Google My Business (GMB) is a powerful tool for any local business looking to improve its online presence and attract nearby customers. Whether you’re new to GMB or optimizing an existing profile, these essential tips will help you fully leverage the platform to increase visibility and drive more traffic to your business.

1. Claim and Verify Your Business Listing

Claiming and verifying your GMB listing is the first step to gaining control over your online presence. If you don’t claim your listing, your business information could be incorrect or incomplete, which can negatively impact how customers find and interact with your brand.

How to claim and verify your listing:

• Visit the Google My Business page and search for your business.
• If your business isn’t listed, create a new listing and fill in your business details (name, address, phone number, website).
• Google will prompt you to verify ownership, usually through a postcard with a verification code, a phone call, or email.
• Once verified, you have full control to optimize your profile.

Why verification matters:

• Verified businesses appear more trustworthy to Google and customers, improving your chances of showing up in local search results and Google Maps.
• Once verified, you can respond to reviews, update your business info, and track how people find you through GMB Insights.

2. Optimize Your Business Information

Optimizing your GMB profile starts with providing complete, accurate information. This includes your business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation—essentially the details that customers will see when they search for your business. Incomplete or outdated information can frustrate potential customers and hurt your local rankings.

What to focus on:

• Business Name: Use your actual business name—avoid adding unnecessary keywords as this can violate Google’s guidelines.
• Address: Make sure your address is accurate and consistent with what’s listed on your website and other online directories.
• Phone Number: Use a local phone number, as Google prioritizes businesses with local numbers over toll-free ones.
• Business Hours: Keep your hours of operation up to date, including special hours for holidays or events. Outdated hours can lead to missed opportunities and negative customer experiences.
• Categories: Choose the most relevant categories for your business. Don’t overload with irrelevant categories—select the primary category that best describes your business, and then add a few relevant secondary categories.

Pro tip: Add specific attributes like “women-led,” “outdoor seating,” or “wheelchair accessible” if they apply. These can help you stand out to customers looking for those features.

3. Add High-Quality Photos and Videos

Photos and videos are one of the most engaging aspects of your GMB profile. Businesses with photos get significantly more clicks and direction requests than those without. Your visual content gives potential customers a glimpse of your business, helping them form a connection before they even visit.

Types of visuals to include:

• Exterior photos: Show customers what your storefront looks like from the street. This is especially helpful for people trying to find your location.
• Interior photos: Give customers a feel for the atmosphere, whether you’re a restaurant, retail store, or professional service.
• Product or service photos: Highlight your key offerings. For restaurants, this could be dishes; for salons, it could be services in action.
• Team photos: Help humanize your brand by introducing your staff and giving a behind-the-scenes look.
• Videos: Use short, engaging videos to showcase your products, services, or customer experiences.

Why visuals matter:

• Businesses with photos see 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their website.
• High-quality visuals make your business appear more professional, credible, and appealing to potential customers.

4. Collect and Respond to Reviews

Customer reviews are a critical component of your GMB profile, influencing how both search engines and potential customers view your business. Positive reviews help build trust, improve local SEO rankings, and can be the deciding factor for customers choosing between your business and a competitor.

How to encourage reviews:

• Ask satisfied customers directly: After a positive interaction, ask for a review in person or via email. Make it easy by providing a direct link to your GMB profile.
• Use follow-up emails: For service-based businesses, send follow-up emails after providing a service, asking for feedback and reviews.
• Incentivize reviews (carefully): While you can’t offer rewards in exchange for reviews, you can highlight that honest feedback helps others choose your business.

How to respond to reviews:

• Positive reviews: Thank the reviewer, and be specific about what you enjoyed about serving them.
• Negative reviews: Stay professional, acknowledge the issue, and offer to resolve the situation offline. Responding well to a negative review shows potential customers that you care about customer satisfaction.

Why reviews are vital:

• Reviews play a major role in local SEO. The quantity and quality of reviews directly impact how Google ranks your business in local search.
• Responding to reviews—positive or negative—shows that you’re active and engaged with your customers.

5. Use Posts to Engage with Customers

GMB Posts allow you to share announcements, offers, and events directly within your GMB profile. Think of them as mini-ads that appear when people find your business in search results or on Google Maps. Keeping your posts fresh and relevant encourages engagement and shows Google that your business is active.

Types of posts to create:

• Offers and discounts: Promote limited-time offers to encourage quick actions.
• Event announcements: Share information about upcoming events or in-store promotions.
• New products or services: Highlight recent additions to your offerings.
• COVID-19 updates: Let customers know about health measures, adjusted hours, or new services like curbside pickup.

Pro tip: Use clear images and concise messaging in your posts, and always include a strong call-to-action like “Buy Now” or “Learn More.” Posts expire after seven days, so keep them fresh to maintain visibility.

6. Monitor and Use Google My Business Insights

One of the best features of GMB is the Insights tool, which provides data on how customers find and interact with your business. Understanding how people are searching for your business and what actions they take can guide your marketing strategy.

What GMB Insights shows:

• Search queries: See what terms customers are using to find your business, helping you refine your SEO strategy.
• Customer actions: Track the number of customers who call, request directions, or visit your website directly from your GMB listing.
• Photo views: Compare the number of views your photos receive with other businesses like yours.
• Where customers view your business: Insights show whether customers find you via Google Search or Maps, giving you a better idea of how people are discovering your business.

Why Insights are valuable:

• Data from Insights helps you optimize your listing based on what’s working and where there’s room for improvement. If a particular photo or post type is getting a lot of engagement, lean into it. If certain search queries are driving traffic, consider focusing more on those keywords in your content strategy.

Conclusion

Optimizing your Google My Business profile is one of the most impactful ways to improve your local search visibility and engage with customers. From claiming your listing and adding visuals to leveraging customer reviews and using GMB Insights, a well-managed GMB profile can make a huge difference in attracting new customers and growing your business. By investing the time to refine and maintain your profile, you’ll ensure that your business stands out in local search results and Google Maps.

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