Learn How to Use Google My Business -Part 1

To easily manage your business listing, reviews, photos and location on Google search, Google Maps and local search, Google My Business is one of the most powerful tools available to help you rank higher in local search results and reach more customers. 

But to take full advantage of this opportunity, you must claim and complete your profile and make sure it’s optimized to be found by customers who are searching for businesses.

 

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is Google’s listing platform for companies. 

Millions of small, medium and large businesses have Google My Business profiles that help them boost search rankings and get in front of local customers.

Why Should Your Business Use Its Google My Business Profile?

Setting up a Google My Business profile for your company will help your company show up in Google search engine results, Google local search results and Google Maps results. 

Use this automatic business listing tool to see how your company appears on Google My Business other online business listing sites.

Listing your company on Google My Business will:

  • Help you show up in search results
  • Help you show up on map results
  • Use your location and potential customers’ locations to help you rank in local searches
  • Provide a place where customers can review your business
  • Google My Business is a really important tool that more local businesses should take advantage of. 

It’s critical for helping customers find you easily. 

The best part? When optimized correctly, the page shows up above normal organic search results.”

What Do Google My Business Listings Look Like?

This Google My Business listing for Gigi’s Cupcakes shows what a great small business listing looks like:

How Much Does Google My Business Cost?

Nothing!

There’s no charge to add your company information to Google My Business. It’s free to use, and it gives local businesses a way to manage their online presence by verifying and updating important information.

How Does Google My Business Work?

Listing your company on Google ensures that your small business name, address, phone number, hours and description are listed correctly and consistently across all Google internet platforms, including:

  • Google search results
  • Google’s Local Pack
  • Google Maps
  • Google reviews

Google My Business allows you to manage your entire Google business profile—including for multiple locations—from one dashboard.

What Does Google My Business Do?

Google My Business allows you to control the way your business shows up on Google. 

Using Google My Business you can correct or adjust your company’s:

  • Name, address and phone number (your NAP info)
  • Your current business hours
  • Geographic information for each of your locations

On top of these basic features, you can add photos to your Google My Business profile and encourage positive customer reviews.

Do You Still Need Google+ or Google Places for Business Pages?

No.

You can manage everything you need to right from your small business’ Google My Business dashboard.

The NAP info, photos and any other information you upload to Google My Business will automatically populate across all of Google’s platforms. 

You can even manage your small business AdWords account from your Google My Business dashboard.

These are Google’s basic guidelines for representing your company on Google My Business:

Represent your business as it’s consistently represented and recognized in the real world across signage, stationery and other branding.

Make sure your address is accurate and precise.

Choose the fewest number of categories it takes to describe your overall core business.

Do You Need to Create a Separate Small Business Listing for Google Maps?

No.

Your location information is automatically integrated onto Google Maps from your Google My Business dashboard.

Make sure your business info is correct and updated everywhere it appears. Start with a free report from Manta’s Listing Manager.

How Much Can You Manage from the Google My Business Dashboard?

Everything you need to manage for your small business’ appearance on Google you can manage from the Google My Business dashboard.

Update your business information and have it automatically update in Google search and Google Maps

Get alerts for and respond to new reviews from customer

Use Google “insights” feature to see who’s interacting with your business online and learn how they found you

See how many people click to your website from your Google My Business profile

See how often people click-to-call your business from your Google My Business profile

See how often people request driving directions from your Google My Business profile

See how often people see your business in their Google search results over time

Use AdWords Express to administer AdWords from your Google My Business profile

Is My Company Already Listed on Google My Business or Google Maps?

Begin by searching for your business in the Google My Business search bar.

If your company information is already in Google’s system, it will appear on your screen. Google will ask you to verify the contact email on file for the account.

How to Add Your Company to Google My Business

If Google has no information on your business, it will lead you through a series of steps. Follow these prompts to add your business information to the site. 

You’ll be required to verify your business with Google, which we’ll get to in the next section.

As you wait for the verification process to be completed, you can begin uploading photos, videos and logo into your Google My Business dashboard immediately. 

These won’t publish online until you’ve completed the verification process.

How to Verify Your Google My Business Listing

There are two main ways to verify your Google My Business listing: by postcard or by telephone.

Google wants to understand that you’re the verified representative from the company. 

That is why they send a postcard to the address that gives a code to input. 

With the code verified, you are able to have full control over the listing. The verification boosts your chances of ranking for local services that you offer in your business area.

Follow Google’s prompts to determine the method of verification that’s right for you. 

Verification by postcard will take between seven and 10 business days.

What if Someone Already Claimed My Business on Google?

An additional step in the process of listing your company will arise if someone has already claimed your listing.

To lock down ownership of your listing, you’ll need to request a transfer of listing ownership or request that person—maybe an employee in charge of managing your digital marketing—add you to the account as a listing manager.

What Should You Include on Your Google My Business Page?

The information you include on your Google My Business profile seems self-explanatory. 

But there are best practices every business owner should follow in the way their information is presented on Google My Business. 

The following guidelines on what to include on your Google My Business profile, and how to get it right:

Consistent Business Name, Address & Phone Number

You want to make sure that all your business details are consistent with other online listings. 

Google pulls your NAP from all different sources, but if you can tell them the correct information through a consistent business citation, you will increase your online visibility on search engines on local search.

Unique Business Description

Google wants to see that your ‘about’ section is completely unique, and not pasted from your own website. 

By having a unique description, your targeted keywords and business focus will be more in-tune to become more visible on the search engines. 

Don’t forget to include a hyperlink right in the description for maximum GMB return.

Correct Business Category

Choosing the correct business category is vital to get found for the correct user’s searcher intent. 

By pinpointing your correct category (less the better), you will show up for the right types of search traffic. 

If you are having difficult deciding which category, look at all your competitors and scout out the winning listings and copy their category.

Google My Business for Multiple Locations

You can manage up to 10 business locations from a single Google My Business profile. For more than 10 locations, you’ll need to use the Google My Business Locations dashboard. 

Are Duplicate Google My Business Listings a Problem?

Yes.

Duplicate listings for a single business location can undermine the value of your Google My Business listing.

It’s important to search for any duplicate pages that might have been created in the past with old addresses or different versions of your business’ name. Merge or close these locations.

Having multiple Google My Business pages for the same location can harm your chances for ranking locally. 

Providing old, inaccurate information can also be an issue for the user’s experience.

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