Google business listing or GMB account is a listing created using the GMB tool that assists you to create and administer your business listing online, provided you serve locally. If you are into a business that serves people in any area, it is compelling to have your presence on Google. Because, Google is a default search engine on a large number of mobile devices, and 46% of all the searches that happen on Google are for local search. This business listing encompasses information about a business such as –
. Business name and business type
. Working hours
. Address
. Contact number
. Photos
. Reviews and ratings
How one can do Google Business Listing?
One can do Google Business Listing by following these steps such as –
. Enter your business name
Your business name should be the same as it is on marketing materials and legal documents. Logo consistency is essential across all platforms, so naturally, the business name should be dependable too.
Also read: What exactly is Semantic Search and how does it affect the SEO of a website?
. Choosing your business category
You are not limited to choosing broad umbrella categories, so do not be afraid to be specific. There is an extensive range of category choices benign you to do so such as –
Pick the most convenient primary business category even if other categories are highly relevant, the primary one is the only one people see. For instance, if you own a restaurant that delivers pizza, you could choose “restaurant”, but “Italian restaurant” and “pizza restaurant” are some other available options.
. Entering accurate business hours
If your Google business listing says your business is open, people expect to be able to contact you. This is an opportunity to say whether or not you will be open on holidays, and it is especially crucial for seasonal businesses.
. Verify your listing
You can verify your GMB listing by various options such as email, phone, or by instant verification if your business is already verified with Google Search Console.
. Writing your business description
Write a detailed business description, but make sure that the most crucial information is in the beginning because visitors will only see the first 244 characters. But if they want to read the rest, then they need to “click” more.
Also read: Top Digital Marketing free and paid tools in 2021 that you need to grow your business
. Linking to your website
The URL entered should be your website’s page, not a social media account or any other page. For example, Restaurants can link their menu to their website. It cannot be a PDF file, and it should not link to a menu on their Facebook page.
. Adding photos
One needs to choose photos that best epitomize your business – not stock photos or promotional photos. Shoe the interior and exterior of your business. Include candid photos of management and employees. Include photos describing the services your business endeavor or photos interacting with customers. The cover photo, not the logo photo, is the favored photo and the one visitors are most likely to see first. Visitors will be advised to respond to questions about whether or not particular photos are a good representation of your business. If you have a good quality video that speaks for your business, upload that to your GMB listing too. Most businesses do not have videos within their listing yet, so it will assist you in standing out.
. Respond to reviews and questions
Google My Business is a platform to listen to and connect with customers. Responding to negative reviews is just as crucial as responding to positive ones!
. Post articles, news, promotions, and events
Posting within your GMB listing shows that your business is active and up to date before users even explore this information. Posts will emerge on your listing below the reviews and Q&A sections. Keep your posts between 150-300 characters even though you are allowed 1,500.
Where one can find Google Business Listing?
The first thing you might want to know is how Google Business Listing works and where one can find a GMB listing. To understand this, let us dive into the sections on the search engine. On any Google Search Engine Result Page (i.e. SERP), the top section displays Ads. This section is devoted to displaying paid Ads for businesses or Google Business Listings. Below this section, one can find the Local Pack.
Local Pack is elegantly the first section where your GMB listing appears. This section only exhibits the local listings that rank among the top 3. The goal of any business is to target that your GMB listing has a good enough ranking to be displayed in this section. Below the Local Pack, one can find the link for “more places”. This Google for a business listing section then bolsters the Local Pack to display the users all the other business listings based on their search query. If your Google business listing is not displayed in the Local Pack, then this is the section where it can appear.
Tips to optimize your Google Business Listing
Some of the tips to optimize your Google Business Listing are such as –
. Add business information
Your preference should be adding complete business information which includes things such as your keyword seeded business name, detailed address, phone/mobile number, days/hours of operation, and business category. These details will benefit your users to get a better idea of your business and it will be easier for them to search your business location with address and location map. A keyword seeded business name is an asset as your business name will rank higher in SERPs because of the proper usage of relevant keywords.
Also read: Top Digital Marketing Terms You Should Know in 2021
. Using keywords
Google is all about keywords and it is very compelling when it comes to ranking on top position. Similarly, for best SEO optimization, you need to use keywords in your business title, description, and labels. There are a lot of options for adding labels where you can directly add business keywords. Business descriptions can be pre-owned to target keywords. You can use 750 characters in your business description, but only 250 characters are obvious in the Google knowledge graph.
. Uploading images and videos
Take interior and exterior pics of your office to show users how your office presence is from inside or outside. In many cases, digital marketing agencies, use these pictures to show inside views of the office to applicants who contemplate working there. External images assist your clients to analyze the buildings to reach your office for meetings. Upload pictures of your team so that your clients know how big your team is.
. Adding posts to promote events and content
Posts are almost like social media posts that display in Google search in your Google My Business listing. You can add weekly posts which you can add on your social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and promote your brand as well. You can use it to share your promotional content and endeavor through Google posts too.
Also read: What is SEO and how SEO works for Small Businesses?
Wrap Up
Setting up your Google business listing is just the start of your local marketing journey. Competition is abundant, no matter how niche your business is. So you must have the local SEO tools on hand to assist you to understand your local search presence. That is true of your website as well as your Google My Business listing, so you will want a toolset that gives you an overview of how both are performing.
