How To Optimize Google Business Profile

Setup Your Profile 

The first step to getting started is to search Google for your business name. If your company has been around for a couple of years, you might be surprised to see you already have a Google Business Profile. If you have one, you’ll need to claim your profile before setup and optimization. If you don’t see a profile already created, use the following steps to get started.

To set up your Google Business Profile, enter your official business name, followed by your business category. Think of your business category as a one- or two-word summary of your business type. While it might be challenging to describe what you do in such a short space, it’s a way for Google to catalog your business correctly to help people find you. Keep in mind you can change or update this later. 

Next, you’ll be asked about location details. This is where you’ll clarify if you have a physical brick-and-mortar location you want people to know about, or if you operate within a particular service area or are entirely online. After that step, you can enter a couple of other business basics, such as your business telephone number and website URL. 

After you have entered all the requested information, you are ready to verify your Google Business Profile!

Verify Your Business

Next up in the process is the verification of your profile. Google does this by mail (or, in some cases, through a faster, online option) to make sure that you are, in fact, a real-life business with a human who should have access to the business profile (not a bot). If you must use the mail verification option, Google will send you a postcard with a code to enter and prove you are you! This process generally takes about five business days to complete. 

Verification is crucial, as your profile will not be displayed until this step is complete. You won’t be able to access any insights or analytics until then, either. 

After verifying your business, you are ready to make the real Google Business Profile optimization magic happen and publish your profile. (If you haven’t already, this would be an excellent time to download the Google Business Profile app on your mobile device. It allows for mobile management and a useful perk we’ll cover below).

Add Business Details 

One of the most important things to remember while optimizing your profile is that relevance is key. If you want Google to display your Business Profile, you’ll want to be as detailed and accurate as possible so that the search engine can display your business if a search relates to what you provide. Even if you think something should be obvious or implied, adding the exact details is best.

You’ll want to make sure your Business Profile answers questions like the following: 

• What does your business do?
• Where is your business located?
• How do people access your services or products?
• When is your business open?
• When are your services available? 

Don’t Forget to Use Keywords

In addition to completing business details, take advantage of keywords. Remember that you are working with Google’s search engine, and one of the most significant ways that Google identifies your relevance to a search is through keywords. 

SEO is just as crucial for your business profile as it is for your website. What words or phrases would people use to find a company like yours? What do you sell, or what services do you provide? 

Don’t assume any apparent connections between your business category and keywords. Instead, enter details that tell Google specifically which words and phrases people should associate with your business. Remember that you can continually update your profile to highlight different or additional keywords when you run a promotion or update your product or service catalog.  

Keep Business Hours Updated

When someone finds a place that provides a service or product they want, the expectation is that the location will be open when they say they are. Incorrect hours can create a significant amount of frustration and send that potential customer to a competing company. 

Keeping your business hours up-to-date is one of the easiest ways to signal to your customers that you respect their time and want their business. Another advantage to keeping your Google Business Profile current is that you can communicate with your clientele when you have changes in operating hours or when a special event or holiday impacts those hours. Be sure to add “update profile” to your to-do list when planning events or holidays. 

Add Photos

Photos are a powerful resource within the platform as they help build associations between your business name, identity, and products or services. Adding photos to your Google Business Profile is well worth the effort. And according to Google, business profiles that include photos garner 32% more website click-throughs and 42% more direction requests than businesses that skip this feature! Photos are a simple way to stand out from your competitors!

If you’re unsure which type of photos to publish, go back to your brand identity and how you want your customers to know you. Your logo is a must, as it’s the quickest way for people to identify your business. And a cover photo that shows more of your brand character is also helpful. 

Other photos worth considering are pictures showcasing your products or services and the interior and exterior of your physical location (if you have one). Don’t forget to highlight your team and happy, smiling faces! Videos are also compelling and especially important if your offer isn’t communicated easily with a single photo or two. 

Logos should be square, and cover photos should conform to a 16:9 aspect ratio. For your images to load correctly, you’ll want to add them in a JPG or PNG format, and they should be between 10 KB and 5 MB in size. For the resolution, photos should be at least 720 px tall by 720 px wide. And while filters are all the rage, it’s best to keep your photos minimally altered or filtered for your profile. 

Request and Reply to Reviews

Customer reviews are incredibly powerful (and persuasive). They can help your audience realize that you are the right business for them. And when potential customers see past clients singing your praises, it’s a trust booster!

Reviews are a significant part of your business’s reputation and boost your visibility, SEO, and more. Encourage people to leave you a review by sending an easy-to-use link or building a system to ask your existing customers to share their experience consistently. Be sure to respond to both good – and poor reviews! The best approach is to thank customers for their support, address concerns, and clarify any experience that misrepresents the norm. 

Add Messaging

One of the features available on the Google Business Profile app is messaging. This option gives your customers the ability to send you a direct message. It is another way to add that extra flair to the customer experience. 

Allowing and responding to customer messages shows people that you have good communication skills, and it’s one of the easiest ways to nurture your customer base. Be sure to respond within 24 hours, if not sooner, to increase the chance of conversions (and because Google is measuring your response times)!

Make Use of Special Attributes

Special attributes are another beneficial feature that you can add to your profile. This is a newer feature for Google Business Profiles, and it allows you to note certain things, like if your business is owned by a minority (such as a female or person of color) or a veteran. Many consumers are looking to specifically support these types of businesses, so it’s worth letting the public know if that’s you! 

Create Local Posts

Local posts are great when you are running a promotion or event or if you have updated your product or service catalog. It also keeps your business fresh in the search engine and boosts your visibility. It’s one more way to promote your offerings and nurture your client base, which leads to those coveted incoming calls!  

Take Advantage of the Product Catalog

If you are a small or medium-sized business selling products, you’ll find Google’s Product Editor very useful. The product editor helps in two ways. One, it showcases your goods and gives customers details on what you are selling, including pricing and photos. Two, it teaches Google more about your business, which can, in turn, help your visibility and increase your profile being shown to the right people. You’ll want to use Google’s Local Inventory Ads option if you are a large business.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to learn more? Below is a list of frequently asked questions and answers!

If you don’t see what you need, contact our team at www.bullseyeinternetmarketing.com for more information on optimizing your Google Business Profile!

How do I optimize my business Google profile?

Take advantage of all the features the Google Business Profile platform offers to boost your appeal to potential customers and set your business apart from the competition. Adding photos, messaging, reviews, and more is a huge part of your success. 

It’s essential to be detailed in your descriptions and use keywords. These profile features help Google connect you with more customers and demonstrate to your audience that you have a service or product that they want. Read our article above for a complete list of ways to optimize your business profile. 

What does it mean to optimize Google My Business?

Optimizing Google My Business means carefully going through each section of the platform to showcase your business’s characteristics. It creates a bridge between you and your potential and current customers by clearly communicating with them and staying up to date on everything you offer. It displays the what, where, and how of what you provide so people can identify if you have what they are looking for (and make that all-important phone call to your business)!

How do I get more views on Google My Business?

There are a few ways to get more views on Google My Business. The quickest and easiest way is by keeping your information complete and up-to-date. It’s also important to utilize and maintain relevant keywords. Lastly, inviting people to leave a review and responding to each one (positive or negative) is another excellent way to improve your visibility. 

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