Optimizing your Google Business Profile is a critical aspect of search engine optimization. Not only does it increase a business’s visibility, but it also improves ranking. Typically, Google uses three factors to determine local rankings: distance, relevance, and prominence.
That’s why businesses closest to the search user don’t consistently rank highest. This is because Google algorithms are designed to prioritize a company with a well-optimized Business Profile.
Therefore, if a business is located far off but adequately answers the user’s query, it will rank better than its competitors. So, if Google My Business Optimization hasn’t been on your mind, it’s a good time to start.
Here’s how to go about it:
It’s the process of creating Google Business Profiles and optimizing them for local search.
Beyond including the business name, address, contact, and website, the business may describe its products and services.
Google My Business optimization is essential because it:
Google algorithm changes have left businesses fighting to appear in the top three spots on the first page. Unfortunately, only three spots are available for local businesses to appear on the first page, not seven anymore.
And, although second and third Google pages attract traffic, only 0.78% of traffic clicks on the pages. As such, optimizing Google My Business profile for local searches is an excellent way to help a business appear in the first three spots.
Customers have become overly reliant on the internet to find products and services. Information in search results pages often answers their questions without clicking on the website, leading to zero-click searches.
If your Google Business profile is optimized to answer all the user’s questions without visiting the website, you’ll more likely have greater engagement.
The standard Google Business Profile might be less effective at acquiring customers. It will only provide regular details like the business name, location, and a few reviews about the business.
However, when optimized for search, a user is more likely to discover your business through keyword searches. Such local searches will likely convert to high-quality leads who will become customers.
Now that you understand the benefits of optimizing your Google Business Profile, it’s time to discuss how.
Here’s a checklist to guide you:
Since not all businesses are eligible for Google My Business listing, you want to check if yours qualifies before listing. For example, for-sale or rental properties like vacant apartments, vacation homes, or leasing offices aren’t eligible for a Business Profile.
If your business already has a local address and a Google Local Page, it has probably been listed; you only need to claim it by:
These steps make a business more discoverable for local and mobile searches on Google Maps.
The next step is creating a Google My Business account to optimize your business profile. You make one by connecting your Google Business Profile with your Google My Business account.
A complete Google Business Profile helps Google rank your business high in the search results while allowing the customers to take more actions.
Here are the most important sections you must complete:
Other sections like the category, products and services, websites, and reviews require more detailed information, as we’ll discuss later in the article.
Besides the brief description below the business name, you must provide more detailed information about the business. This section appears in the lower profile section, under the reviews section.
For proper optimization:
Choose a category that defines your business best. This is relevant because customers hardly find out about a business through direct searches; instead, they use discovery searches.
In fact,
studies show a majority of Business Profile Views come from discovery searches.
This means the customer looked for a service, product, or categorical term and found out about your business. Once you choose a category, Google provides category-specific features to make the business profile more attractive.
When optimizing your Google Business Profile using categories, ensure you:
A business’ location has a significant impact on local SEO rankings and visibility. Therefore, you want to include clear information about your business location.
Include the address and directions to the premises. If you’re an online-based business, you can create a Google Business Profile and leave the address part blank.
Google My Business page allows you to showcase your products, premises, and staff by adding photos. In addition, Google’s advanced ranking features now use image recognition technology when ranking websites for local searches.
Photos also show that your page is active, especially when added regularly.
Another reason to add photos to Google My Business page is that they increase engagement.
Studies show customers are more likely to ask for directions to the business if its profile has photos. You can add different types of images, including a cover photo, profile photo, and business logo.
Other handy tips to help you when adding pictures include:
Google My Business profile has an updates section where you can publish posts. In addition, you use it to announce offers, events, products on sale, offers, and other features that attract potential customers.
Remember, customers, tend to have a high search intent on search engines than on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Therefore, they’re more likely to engage with published Google My Business profile posts.
In addition, publishing posts help optimize Google My Business by:
Some tips to help publish the posts:
With a messaging feature, potential customers can send text messages directly from the Google Business Profile. In addition, it makes it easy to respond to their questions and send photos to them.
Since Google displays your average response time, it’s an opportunity to distinguish yourself from your competitors. Note that Google can also deactivate the chat feature on your profile if you don’t reply within 24 hours.
Reviews leave a lasting impression on potential customers, and Google uses them to rank a website. As a result, the first three results that appear on SERPs have high ratings and multiple reviews. As such, you must actively pursue your customers to write reviews about your business.
You can reach out by phone or email and include a link to your Business Listing requesting a review. However, if your business has few clients (e.g., a law or accounting firm), create a manual template you can send each customer.
Ensure the link opens easily and customers can add reviews quickly. Be sure to respond to the reviews, too, as they are critical in optimizing your Business profile and encouraging other customers to review your services or products.
Google My Business displays questions customers have asked and the answers. Unlike reviews directed to the business, anyone can answer the questions in this section. The company or other customers can respond based on their experience with the product to service.
To optimize this section:
In a nutshell, Google My Business optimization involves optimizing a business for local search.
It begins with creating a
Google My Business account, filling in essential information (business name, location, address, etc.), selecting a category, optimizing a description, and more.
This detailed checklist should help you check off most, if not all, the actions you hadn’t performed when optimizing your page.
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