Your Google Business Profile, previously known as Google My Business, is probably the first thing a potential customer may notice when they look up your business online.
And yet, the Google Business Profile remains such an underrated tool for businesses. Many companies don’t claim their official listings, and many others don’t add enough relevant information on their page, resulting in low user traffic.
“But we do SEO to bring in traffic and rank higher,” you’d say.
Hiring the best SEO Company in India to boost your search rankings is undoubtedly a wise move. However, it takes time to not only create a full-proof SEO plan but also generate the desired results.
On the other hand, a few additions and tweaks of information in your Google Business Profile, and it’s possible to witness immediate positive outcomes. And all it takes is a few moments without any fees.
In this blog, we’ll take you through some crucial yet easy-to-implement techniques to optimize your Google Business Profile. But before that, let’s discover why such optimization is essential.
Importance of Google Business Profile Optimization
Every business wants to stand out in the eyes of its customers, as well as prospects. And Google Business Profile is one of the free tools to achieve that.
Optimizing your Google Business Profile can help you:
- Boost your online engagement
- Improve your business’s local search ranking
- Increase your conversion rate
An optimized Google Business Profile provides all the information a prospect wants to know about your business. Remember, the more relevant information on your profile, the more your chances of appearing in local searches. Moreover, the detailed profile encourages users to take action right from the search results page. That means visitors don’t have to visit your website to schedule an appointment, review your services, leave a query, or request a quotation.
The easy accessibility of relevant information adds credibility to your business and boosts user traffic. That, in turn, helps improve your conversion rate significantly.
Top 10 Tips for Optimizing Your Google Business Profile
#1 Get the basics right
The name, address and phone number of your business, together referred to as NAP, make for the most vital information on your business profile on Google. It is the primary data that a prospect needs about your business. And hence, the first step to optimizing your Google Business Profile is to ensure this information is accurate.
Make sure your profile uses your actual business name. Update your profile with correct information in case of changes, say in your address or phone number. Apart from that, don’t forget to add your business hours and check the NAP is consistent across online directories. Doing so eliminates confusion, letting users easily find your business.
#2 Write an optimized business description
The description space in your Google Business Profile is not where you run your offers and promotions. It is a field to describe your business through simple, jargon-free language in a way users find helpful.
Talk about your organization’s history, the products and services your business offers, and the mission and vision of your business. Keep the details thorough and relevant. And while at it, steer clear of stuffing the description with too many keywords. Remember, you’re writing for people, not the search engine.
#3 Verify your business locations
If you don’t verify your business, it will NOT make it to the Google search.
Yes, you read it right. No matter how much information you provide in your GMB profile (Google My Business profile), avoiding the verification will keep you from appearing in the search results. Therefore, make sure to complete the verification process right after claiming or adding your business.
You can verify your business through a phone call, text message, email, video call or recording, and postcard. The phone call is the fastest method to get verified and make the most out of your Google Business Profile optimization.
#4 Be wise with your business category
The category of your business tells Google what type of business you operate, increasing its searchability. Plus, it enables the search engine to display your listing when someone searches for a business like yours online. Thus, it is critical to choose the right business category for your GMB profile.
There are many categories available to suit all kinds of businesses. You have to pick the one that best describes your business. Moreover, you can add multiple categories in a single Google Business Profile. The best practice, however, is to have one primary category and two – three subcategories.
The best part? You can change these categories whenever you need.
#5 Select the right attributes for your listing
Attributes, also called “Highlights”, are nothing but additional pieces of information about your business. For instance, a retail store can add attributes like “wheelchair-accessible entrance”. A cafe or a restaurant can add details about their delivery services through “takeaway” & “delivery” options. It can also tell users that it’s a “family-friendly” place through its crowd attribute.
Adding such details helps users understand what they can expect from your business, building a positive experience.
#6 Add photos and videos
Apart from the textual information, Google Business Profile also has plenty of room for visual representation. You can add high-quality images, as well as videos, to your profile.
As per Google, the best practice is to upload your logo and a cover photo that best showcases your business. Moreover, you can share photos giving glimpses of the interior and exterior of your store, directions to your location, your products, and your team in action. You can also include a video tour of your store for a better experience.
#7 Make Google Posts part of your content strategy
Through the “From the Owner” section in your Google Business Profile, you can create & share Google Posts comprising text, images, videos, or the combination of all three with or without a CTA. Think of Google Posts as free display ads for your business.
The Posts option is the best way to share any offers and discounts, promote an event, update what’s happening at your business, and showcase products and services directly to the search engine, as well as Maps. Your posts show up along with your profile listing.
What’s important to note is that posts remain live only for seven days post the publication date. Multiple posts will appear in a carousel.
#8 Feature your business products or services
All the leading SEO companies in India and abroad recommend adding a thoughtfully-curated list of your products and services to your Google Business Profile. Doing so allows users access to your offerings while boosting your credibility.
Feature products individually or in a collection. You can also include details about the products/services. That helps users get more information and make quick decisions right from their search results page. Remember, your profile will display the products you’ve edited recently first.
#9 Respond to and manage customer reviews
Users lookup reviews before buying any products/services. And reviews are the first thing prospects would see in your GMB profile. Therefore, it is necessary to keep an eye on the reviews your business has garnered online.
Request your customers to share reviews on Google and always respond to the reviews users have posted. Treat reviews as a means to start and control the conversation. The more actively you manage reviews, the more engagement you’ll get on your listing.
#10 Create an informative Q&A list
A Q&A list is like frequently asked questions about your business by users. Your GMB listing lets users post questions about your business, products or services directly. And as a business, it’s vital for you to respond to these questions in detail to help prospects find the information they were looking for.
The best part is, you can also create your own list of questions. In fact, it’s a good practice to post and answer some common questions instead of waiting for the users to post their queries. It adds to your reliability and business reputation.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to optimize your Google Business Profile, you’re a few clicks away from crafting a positive impression for your business.
Whether you’re a small retail shop or an established mid-sized business, you can leverage Google My Business in more ways than one. From showcasing your products and services through photos & videos to adding maps to your locations to responding to customer reviews – there’s a lot you can do. Besides, the direct question and answers help you initiate and control conversations effectively.
All of that, together, enables you to boost your visibility, acquire new consumers, and scale your business.
Also Read: Want to Increase Sales? These Marketing Techniques You Must Try
