GMB (Google My Business) is a free tool that allows you to manage how your business appears on local Google Search and Maps. Your free business profile includes basic information like your business name, location, and hours. It also allows you to monitor and reply to customer reviews, add photos, analyse where and how people are searching for you, and so much more.
The data suggests, that 50% of consumers search for a business the day they pay the business a visit. This is why it is crucial that these customers are able to find the business in question. Even more so, the research tells us that 80% of consumers lose trust in local businesses if they see incorrect or inconsistent contact details. It is essential that businesses keep their NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) information accurate and up to date.
It goes without saying that if you want your business to succeed, your potential customers need to be able to find you quickly and easily. If local businesses want a fighting chance, a Google My Business profile is an absolute must!
The online marketplace is an extremely competitive arena with other businesses vying for your customers eyes at any given moment. Because of this, it is crucial that you master the local SEO tools at your disposal. This way, you will understand your local search presence and how to optimize it.
There are many add-ons and small details that will help you monitor and boost your Google My Business profile performance but to start with, we recommend just setting up the basic profile and taking it from there.
How to set up a Google My Business Profile:
- Log into the Google Account you want associated with your business (or create a Google Account if you don’t already have one)
- Go to google.com/business and select “Manage now” in the top right-hand corner
- Enter your business name. If you have the same name as another business in your region, you’ll see the autocomplete function suggest those businesses for you. This is to avoid accidental duplication and to add a new GMB profile to an existing business if you’ve just opened a new location
- Enter your business address
- If you go to your customers’ locations, rather than having them come to you, check the box “I deliver goods and services to my customers.” and select your Delivery area. If you work out of your house or another address you don’t want publicly shown, Check “Hide my address (it’s not a store) Only show region”
- Choose your business category. Try to choose the most accurate category possible — you’re essentially telling Google which type of customers should see your business listing
- Add your business phone number or website
- Choose a verification option. If you’re not ready to verify your business yet, click “Try a different method” → “Later.”
Voila – your profile is set up.
You can add bells and whistles at a later stage but the important thing is that your GMB profile is active and ready for customers to find you. According to Google, businesses with photos see 35% more clicks to their website and 42% higher requests for driving directions in Google Maps so add a cover photo as soon as possible. Photos should be at least 720 pixels wide by 720 pixels high and JPG or PNG files.
The GMB process is simple but crucial for your business.
There are many ways we can assist you with your business administration or marketing needs. Feel free to schedule a call with Nicole and explore how we can support you.
