A Guide to Boosting Your Google Business Profile

Did you know that about 97% of people look for information about nearby companies on the Internet? If you own a local business, you want to ensure that when people search for local services, they can find your company online. To make this happen, it is essential to employ a reliable GMB optimization service. Google My Business is a free tool from Google that helps your business appear in online search results when local people are looking for products or services in your area. It's like an online profile for your business. Like the image below, you will find your Google Business Profile or you may need to make it from scratch.

This blog will explain the essentials and teach you how to improve your Google Business Profile.

Key Highlights

• Google My Business is a tool from Google that helps people who own businesses. It lets them make a particular page about their business.

• This page is essential because it details the business and makes it appear on Google Maps. People who are looking for something can find your business there. Your customers have the option of commenting on your business.

• Making your Google My Business page suitable helps your business appear higher in search results and makes your business more visible to local customers.

What Is A Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is a digital platform that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google's suite of products, including Google Search and Google Maps. It provides a centralized dashboard for businesses to control their visibility, reputation, and customer engagement. 

With a Google Business Profile like the above image, you can create and update business listings, respond to customer reviews, post updates and offers, and track performance metrics like views and interactions. This tool helps businesses build their brand, attract customers, and stay competitive in the digital marketplace.

What Are Its Features?

It is a robust tool that empowers businesses to enhance their online presence and connect with potential customers more effectively. Here are some key features that make it an invaluable asset for businesses:

1. Business Information

Displaying accurate business details is crucial. Include your business Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP), website, and hours of operation. This information helps potential customers find and contact you quickly.

2. Reviews and Ratings

Reviews and ratings from other customers serve as social proof and inspire confidence in a business. Whether positive or negative, responding to reviews shows your commitment to customer satisfaction and can improve your online reputation.

3. Photos and Videos

Visual content is essential for making a positive impression. Upload high-quality images and videos showcasing your products, services, team, and the ambiance of your business. Visuals help customers get a feel for what you offer.

4. Posts and Updates

Use posts to share news, promotions, events, and updates. These posts appear in search results and can drive traffic to your website or physical location. It's a way to keep your profile fresh and engaging.

5. Messaging

Enabling messaging allows customers to contact you directly through your profile. This real-time communication can lead to inquiries, appointments, or sales. Timely responses can improve customer satisfaction.

6. Insights and Analytics

Google provides data on how customers interact with your profile. Track metrics like views, clicks, and requests for directions. These insights help you understand your audience and refine your online strategy.

Pro Tip: 

It's essential to have a website if you're trying to make your brand known, especially if your business is new or not very famous.

A website with helpful information can make your company look trustworthy and increase its ranking in online search results.

7. Q&A Section

The Q&A section lets you address common customer questions and concerns. Providing informative answers helps potential customers and demonstrates your commitment to customer service. Therefore, if you keep this section updated with all the questions answered, it will send positive feedback to the potential customers and Google that you care about the questions being answered with the correct information (like in the image below).

8. Products and Services

Highlight specific products and services your business offers. This clarity helps potential customers understand what you provide, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

9. Booking and Appointments

If applicable, integrate booking and appointment scheduling directly into your profile. This convenience can lead to more bookings and customers.

10. Google Maps Integration

Your business's location is prominently displayed on Google Maps. This feature helps users find your physical location easily, which is especially important for brick-and-mortar businesses.

Thus, Google Business Profiles are essential to any successful local SEO strategy. They allow businesses to control their online presence, engage with customers, gather valuable insights, and integrate with other Google tools to maximize their reach and impact. 

9 Quick Ways To Optimize Your GMB Profile

To make your business show up better on Google, here are some tips to make your Google My Business page better.

1. Keep Your Information Up to Date

As the virtual storefront for your company on the internet, your listing is like a map for customers to find you and learn how to get in touch with you. 

As in the image, you can find the directions and the option to save the address for future use. Thus, it's really important to make sure the information on this listing is always correct and up-to-date.

Here's what you should do:

• Regularly check your business information to see if anything has changed.

• Look at your business name, address, phone number, description, and opening hours.

• Don't forget to update your opening hours for holidays and special occasions.

• Make sure all this information matches what's on local web directories and your official business website.

If your business information doesn't match up correctly, you could get into trouble and face a penalty, so be extra careful when filling out your business details.

2. Select Primary and Secondary Categories

When you make a listing for your business on Google, you have to pick a category that describes what kind of business you are.

This business category choice is important because it affects how well your business appears in Google's local search results. There are many categories to choose from, so take your time and pick the ones that fit your business best.

One thing to think about when choosing categories is how many people are searching for those types of businesses. If many people are looking for businesses like yours, it's a good idea to pick those categories. You can use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to determine popular categories. The more popular the category, the more people might see your business listing.

As in the image below, you can find the most popular keywords and categories and name your business under them so potential customers can reach you when they search on Google.

Also, think about other businesses nearby that do the same thing. You can find them by searching for a specific word related to your business and checking the list of local businesses.

Usually, you can only see the main category of these businesses. If you want to learn more about their categories, you can use a tool called GMB Everywhere, an extension for the Chrome web browser.

You should pick up to nine extra categories for your business, but don't pick any that don't make sense for your company. Like in the image above, they have chosen all the categories that define their business's services to the customers, but do not be overboard. Only choose the ones that match what your business does to follow Google's rules.

3. Add Your Products and Services

If you want more people to see your business on Google and know what you sell or offer, add your products and services to your Google My Business page. This will also help your business stand out from others.

Attract potential customers looking for businesses like yours by showcasing your products and services as in the image below.

Here's how you can do it:

1. Go to your Google Business account and find your business profile. You can do this by searching for "my business" or typing your name in the search bar.

2. Once you find your profile, click "View Profile" and the "Edit Profile" button.

3. If you want to add products or services, choose the correct option (Products or Services).

4. You'll be asked to include information like the product or service name, category, picture, price, business description, and business hours. Fill in these details to let people know what you offer.

Note: Google doesn't let you put certain things on your list. These are things like cigarettes, betting websites, medical equipment, banking services, alcohol, and supplements that haven't been approved.

If you break this rule, Google might take down everything on your list, even the holy things.

4. Use The Product Catalog

Put pictures of what you sell on your profile to attract more people.

Google has a special place called the "Products" section where people can:

- Pick the types of things they want to see.

- Learn more about each thing by clicking on it.

- Call the person who owns the business.

- Easily order stuff by clicking on a button or link.

Like the image below, you can create a full catalog of your products or services such that the users can directly click and reach out to you. This only emphasizes the fact that there is a need for the business to mention everything about the business.

5. Set Up Messaging

Another way to improve your Google My Business page is by turning on the messaging feature.

When you do this, customers can easily send you a message. This is good because it helps them trust your business more, makes them happier, and gets them more involved.

Important: Google wants you to respond to messages within 24 hours. If you don't, they might turn off your chat.

With Google Business Messages, customers can start a chat with you right from your business listing on Google Search and Google Maps. They just have to click the "Chat" button (as in the image below).

To turn it on, go to the Messaging feature, and you'll get a notification when customers send you a message. You can also send a friendly automated message to welcome them and share pictures in the chat.

6. Use Special Attributes

Special attributes are like labels that tell people what your business does.

For example, if you own a business owner of a restaurant, you can use unique labels like "takeout," "dine-in," "outside seating," or "delivery" to show what services you offer.

This helps your business show up in searches related to these labels. So, if someone searches for "dine-in restaurants near me" or "delivery restaurants near me," your business has a better chance of appearing in the results.

Depending on your type of business, you can add different labels to make it stand out. For instance, you can mention what facilities you have, what languages you speak, what activities people can do there, how accessible it is, and what payment methods you accept.

In the more recent updates to Google My Business, you can even highlight whether women are the owners of your company.

Important: Remember to regularly review your unique qualities because Google may update the names of these qualities to match what people are searching for.

7. Answer Client Questions

People who look at your Google Business Profile want the correct information. This not only helps you get more customers but also makes their experience better.

Google has a section where people can ask questions about your business. Anyone can answer these questions.

Sometimes, Google automatically answers common questions based on what people have said before or what's in customer reviews. The answers with the most likes go to the top.

But these answers might not always be correct, so it's a good idea to answer the questions yourself. Like in the example below, it is better for Vann Studio Salon to reply to the question, giving credibility to the answer.

Some people think this is a way to send you a message, so the questions they ask could be about buying your stuff. You might miss out on potential customers if you don't check this section often.

8. Publish Posts and Photos

Regularly posting new photos and updates can help people trust your business and make Google see you as an honest, trustworthy business owner

Photos show what your place looks like, whether it's a hotel, café, or store. It's also good to show the people who work there to let customers know they'll get good service.

Make sure your photos are of really good quality. Give them names and descriptions, and add location information to make Google like your business more.

You can also use Google My Business to make updates to your profile. You can share news, special deals, and events to connect with your customers.

When you make posts online, like the one above, here's what you should do:

1. Use the important words people are searching for.

2. Make sure there are no mistakes in what you write.

3. Give the correct information.

4. Make your posts look nice by adding pictures or exceptional images.

5. Put links to your website in the posts.

Also, remember that Google My Business posts only stay on the internet for six months. Checking and changing them often is a good idea to show people your latest deals.

9. Respond to Reviews

Keeping an eye on your Google Reviews and replying to them is essential. This is because these reviews can make a big difference in convincing people to choose your business.

When people say good things about your business in reviews, it shows others that it is trustworthy and offers good stuff. So, it's essential to respond to these reviews. It tells customers you care about what they think and feel about your business, i.e., it comes in a Knowledge Graph. Remember, these reviews are public and can affect people's thoughts about your business.

When you respond to reviews, be transparent, helpful, and friendly (like in the above example). It's important to use enough words to address the customer's concerns instead of just giving a one-word answer.

If someone leaves a bad review, don't worry. It's a chance to make things right. You can offer something to make the customer happy, and they might change their review to a better one.

Still, Having Problems With Your GBP Profile Optimization? Contact Us Today!

More and more people are finding businesses on the internet. You need to have a Google My Business profile to ensure many people can see your company when they search online. This helps them quickly find your products, how to contact you, and where your store is.

When you make your profile, be very accurate about your business information. Also, follow Google's rules so your account doesn't get into trouble.

Besides making a profile, it's also essential to use all its features and follow some tips to improve it. This will increase your chances of appearing at the top when people search on Google and in the Google 3-Pack.

But remember, having an optimized Google Business Profile isn't the only thing you need for local SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Along with your GMB listing, you should also improve your website and create valuable content.

Get Reviews Buzz offers comprehensive Google My Business (GMB) profile optimization services, including verification, removal of fake listings, and ongoing maintenance. Our team will work closely with you to ensure your GMB profile accurately represents your business and maximizes online visibility. 

With our services, you can enhance your local SEO, increase visibility, and drive more sales. Trust our experienced team to boost your online reputation and help your business thrive.