For any business, having a Google My Business (GMB) listing is imperative. This will help with your SEO and will increase your chances of being shown on Google’s Local Graph and Map Pack. A well-filled out listing will give your customers all the information they need to know when they’re looking for your services.
You’ve seen Google My Business listings when you’ve looked up a store or restaurant. Google pulls the listing based on your search query. On mobile, it’s typically the first thing you see. On desktop, the listing generally appears on the right side of the screen. When you manage a Google My Business listing, you have the ability to update the information that people see when they search for you. You can add your location, service areas, hours, phone number, website, and more. Your customers will also be able to review you, and while you can’t edit those reviews, you do have the ability to respond to those reviews.
It’s important that you keep your information on your listing up to date so that your customers get accurate information when they’re researching you.
First, you must know if your business qualifies for a Google My Business listing. If you’re unsure, check out Google’s guidelines for representing your business on Google.
When you’re sure that your business follows the guidelines, head over to Google My Business and click “Manage Now.”
Next, click “Add Location.” You’ll have the option to add a single location or import locations. If you decide to import locations, be sure to follow Google’s directions for uploading spreadsheets. If it applies, you can also create a group location In this case, click “Add A Single Location.”
Next, type in your business name. If your business already exists in Google my business, you’ll see the information for the listing and you can request access from whoever created the listing. Otherwise, click the drop down that says “Create a business with this name.”
After agreeing to the terms of service and privacy policy, you’ll fill in the information for your business’s category, physical store location, service areas, region, and contact details.
You’ll need to verify your address to activate your GMB listing.
Next, add your services to your listing. If you don’t see a service you offer, you can add a custom service as shown above. Then, add a description of your business so that customers can find out more about you. Add photos of your business and the products or services you offer.
Complete your listing by adding your store hours and a logo. Once you verify your listing, it will show all your listing edits when customers search for your business.
Now that you’ve created your listing, you’ll want to put your best foot forward and optimize for success.
When yielded correctly, Google My Business can be a powerful (and free!) tool for people to learn more information about your business to make sure potential customers become actual customers. Take the time to brush up on your Google My Business, and put your best foot forward to potential customers.