Google Business Profile Basics
Setting up an optimised Google Business Profile through a business account is one of the best things you can do to increase organic traffic to your website. In this post, we’ll cover some of the basics for getting started, along with some insider tips for boosting your business’s visibility online.
Setting Up Your Google Business Profile
Now that you know just how much a good Google Business profile can benefit your business, here’s what to do to get started in setting up your Google Business listing.
Claiming/Verifying Your Business Listing
Claiming or verifying your Google My Business listing is the foundation of your Google Business Profile, so it’s important to ensure that you do this key step correctly.
To begin, head to Google Maps and search for your business. You should then see some prompts asking if you are the business owner and if you’d like to claim it. You’ll need to follow the steps suggested by Google as they walk you through the claiming process.
As part of this procedure, you’ll be required to verify that you are the business owner. This ensures that only the person with access to your business website can claim that Business Listing. These verification steps may seem technical or convoluted, but they ensure the protection of your business presence online, so they are well worth the effort. In addition, verifying your Business Listing can significantly increase your rankings in search engines, particularly in the maps.
If you find that your business is not already listed when you do the initial search, it’s possible to create a new profile from scratch. To do this, head to the Google Business Profile website and follow the instructions there.
Optimizing Key Elements of Your Business Profile
Once you have claimed and verified your Business Listing through the Google Business Profile dashboard, it’s time to optimise your profile with attention to the following key elements.
Using the correct NAP
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of your Google Business Profile is the accuracy of the NAP, ie Name, business address, Phone Number. Making sure that these details are not only accurate but consistent across all your online references is one of the best ways to optimise your profile and boost visibility.
Optimising your business description
While it’s important to pay attention to the technical aspects required by search engines, always remember that User Experience is also a key factor in ranking well. This is where spending time crafting an engaging business description and accurately updating your business information can really pay off. Do your best to represent the USP of your company in the space allowed, using any relevant keywords when it makes sense for the reader.
Choosing the right business categories
When it comes to business categories, having the correct business name is crucial as it is another opportunity to increase visibility, ie get your website in front of the right people. Take some time to select the most relevant categories for your business. This will send more clues to Google about your services, which can help with SEO.
Highlighting key services and business hours
Including key services is another way to increase engagement with search users and help Google understand what your local business is about. When you highlight your key business offerings, (ideally using relevant keywords), you make it easier for potential customers to find you by increasing your website’s visibility in relevant searches.
Specifying your local service areas
Local SEO is a huge component of online search, so it pays to include any relevant location details that can help your business to stand out in Google Search and the maps. Ensure that any details of local service areas are consistent with the NAP information you specified in the main profile settings.
Adding geo-tagged photos & videos
Google Business Profiles allow you to upload geo-tagged photos and videos that include location data. These can be highly beneficial for improving rankings in local SEO searches. When you provide high quality photos and videos in your listing, you can expect increased organic traffic from improved rankings, as well as higher click through and engagement from search users – humans love great images and videos!
Engaging & interacting with customers through positive reviews
Not only is it possible to use your Google Business Profile to interact with customers and accurately list your business hours, it can be a great way to boost visibility. Asking for, and responding to, Customer Reviews is good business practice, and it can provide a valuable insight into your company. When these interactions include engaging and positive reviews and responses, it can help your business to stand out favourably in the maps and local search results.
Monitoring Performance
Good SEO is about more than the initial setup process – it requires regular monitoring and analysis to continually improve ranking and traffic, including maintaining an optimized Google Business Profile. Google provides some great free tools for checking and tracking your analytics, so that you can use insights to make improvements.
Track rankings & customer interactions
Tracking rankings is a key part of a good SEO strategy. Keeping an eye on what is working well gives you data you can use to improve future performance. It’s also possible to spot any issues that can be addressed and easily fixed, helping to boost visibility and increase organic traffic. Analysing your customer interactions is also good practice, as well as being a great opportunity to engage with your audience and show your business in a positive light.
Adjust optimisation & strategy based on insights
While these insights can be fascinating, they’re only useful if they are followed up with implementation. The best way to make the most of insights is to regularly review analytics and adjust an SEO strategy accordingly. By regularly monitoring the results from your current strategy, you’ll discover valuable ways to improve existing efforts, as well as new opportunities that can be maximised.
Summary
Setting up a good Google Business Profile is a simple way to improve your company’s visibility online. With just a few steps, you can dramatically improve your rankings and see more organic visitors to your website.
Beyond the initial setup, there are many opportunities to make the most of your business listing and the free tools available. With a strategy of regular analysis, interaction, and improvements, it’s possible to turn your Google Business Profile into a powerful asset for your business success.