Out of the many free marketing tools available today, Google My Business is one of the most powerful. In order to gain the trust and traffic that Google can afford you, you must make sure your client’s Google my Business profile contains the information that both Google and it’s users are seeking. Below are 8 steps marketers can take to improve the quality and rank of Google My Business listing and get more customers from it.
Claim
In order to make any of the suggested changes that follow, you need to have editing rights to the Google My Business listing. If you haven’t already claimed the listing, use Google’s instructions here: https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778?hl=en.
Complete
Google is moving toward a model where users can get all of the information they need about a business before even having to click through to its website. Incomplete listings hinder this experience and thus will not be favored in ranking. Make sure to complete every section of the GMB profile, including:
- Business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Category
- Website
- Hours of operation
- Description
- Photos
- Depending on your industry, there may be additional fields such as menus for restaurants
Correct
Frustrating experiences like getting a dial tone, arriving to find a store is closed or being unable to find it in the first place give a business (and Google) a bad name. Make sure to check for any inaccuracies and to update listings with any changes, even suite numbers.
Collect
Consumers rely on customer reviews to make decisions about businesses, and Google factors them heavily into its rankings. The more stars a business has, the higher you will rank and the more clicks you will get.
Characterize
Use all 750 characters of the description field to illustrate the features of your customer’s business that set it apart from competitors and attract customers. Prioritize the information, as only the first 250 characters show in the Knowledge Panel.
Categorize
Selecting a category for your client’s business allows it to show up for relevant searches. Do not try to cast a wide net with multiple categories. Select only categories that are applicable to the business’s core products and services, not attributes that can be communicated using other fields.
Communicate
Google My Business allows you to communicate events, offers, and announcements through direct posting. Posts inform and engage customers, keeping your client’s business top of mind, and send information for Google to rank you with real-time relevancy.
Clarify
Upload photos to your Google My Business profile that paint a crystal clear picture of what it’s like to physically be at the business. Use pictures to depict the atmosphere, customers, and products and services, rather than promotional photos with logos, text, and other graphics. The profile picture, however, can and should contain the business’s logo.
A Google My Business profile is even more of a storefront for the online world than a website. Google is constantly changing, but so long as you focus on supplying accurate, consistent, and up-to-date information with each listing, your clients will continue to benefit from its power to grow their business.
Get Your Google Grade
Already have a GMB listing? ThriveHive’s free Google Grader will assess its effectiveness and provide recommendations for improvement.
