Google My Business 360: How To Win A Local Competition

Posted 3 years ago by Max Komonov

Google My桂Business can be桂a桂powerful tool for桂businesses looking to桂dominate their local competition. This blog post will discuss the桂basics of桂Google My桂Business and桂how you can use it桂to桂your advantage. We桂will also cover some of桂the桂more advanced features of桂Google My桂Business, such as桂reviews and桂insights. If桂you�셱e looking to桂take your business to桂the桂next level, read on!

What is桂Local SEO?

Local SEO is桂the桂process of桂optimizing a桂business�셲 website and桂online presence to桂rank higher in桂local search results. You can do桂this by桂using specific keywords, Google My桂Business, and桂other online marketing techniques. When done correctly, Local SEO can help businesses attract more customers from their local area.

Why Local SEO is桂Important

Local SEO is桂essential for桂two main reasons. First, because most people now use search engines to桂find local businesses. In桂fact, according to桂Google, 혫50% of桂mobile users are looking for桂something nearby right now.혬 Second, local businesses have a桂distinct advantage over larger enterprises regarding ranking in桂local search results.

What Is桂Google My桂Business?

is桂a桂free platform that allows businesses to桂create a桂listing on桂Google. The platform is桂designed to桂help companies connect with customers online and桂enables users to桂manage their business information, including hours of桂operation, contact information, and桂website. In桂addition to桂the桂basics, Google My桂Business also offers advanced features such as桂reviews and桂insights.

How To桂Get My桂Business On桂Google?

There are a桂few ways to桂get your business on桂Google. The first way is桂to桂create a桂listing on桂Google My桂Business.

The second way is桂to桂claim an桂existing listing for桂your business. Finally, if桂you find that your business is桂not listed on桂Google, you can directly submit a桂request to桂add it.

Creating a桂Google Business Listing

The first step in桂creating a桂Google Business Listing is桂to桂create a桂Google account. Once you have created an桂account, you can create a桂listing for桂your business.

Go桂to桂google.com/business and桂click the桂Manage now button to桂create a桂listing. You will then be桂prompted to桂enter your business information. Enter accurate information, as桂customers will use this to桂find your business.

In桂addition to桂basic information, you can also add additional details about your business, such as桂hours of桂operation and桂website. You can also add photos and桂videos of桂your business.

Once you have entered all of桂the桂information for桂your listing, click the桂Submit button. Google will then review your listing, and桂once approved; it桂will be桂published on桂Google.

Claiming an桂Existing Listing

If桂you find that your business is桂not listed on桂Google, you can claim an桂existing listing for桂your business. Go桂to桂google.com/business and桂click the桂겐늡桂끓깎껨쓩꾈 link under the桂Business profile header.

You will then be桂prompted to桂enter your business information. Be桂sure to桂enter accurate information, as桂customers will use this to桂find your business.

In桂addition to桂basic information, you can also add additional details about your business, such as桂hours of桂operation and桂website. You can also add photos and桂videos of桂your business.

Once you have entered all of桂the桂information for桂your listing, click the桂Submit button. Google will then review your listing, and桂once approved; it桂will be桂published on桂Google.

How Can I桂Create Multiple Locations for桂My桂Business?

Google also provides the桂following tools to桂help companies with multiple locations:

Location groups enable multiple users, such as桂coworkers, regional managers, and桂agencies, to桂administer accounts which helps manage local advertising.

You can bulk-update your listings with a桂spreadsheet, which is桂helpful if桂you work in桂a桂large organization with more than 10桂locations. With a桂spreadsheet, you may add, verify, and桂manage your locations in桂bulk. You may then request bulk verification to桂ensure that your listings appear on桂all Google properties (to show on桂Maps and桂Search, your firm must fulfill GMB quality standards). Update via the桂GMB dashboard or桂by桂uploading new spreadsheets.

To桂add photos in桂bulk to桂locations, use a桂spreadsheet. You may add photographs to桂particular spots using your GMB dashboard, but it�셲 more practical to桂do桂so桂in桂bulk with a桂spreadsheet. All pictures must be桂GMB compliant, and桂you can�셳 upload images to桂unverified places. It桂might take a桂few days for桂your photos to桂appear on桂Google Maps and桂Search. You must host all photographs on桂a桂publicly accessible URL like your CMS.

Advanced Features of桂Google My桂Business

Google My桂Business offers a桂variety of桂advanced features that can help businesses connect with customers online.

Reviews

One of桂the桂most powerful features of桂Google My桂Business is桂reviews. Reviews allow businesses to桂collect feedback from customers and桂can help build trust and桂credibility. In桂addition, reviews can also help companies rank higher in桂local search results.

You can view and桂respond to桂reviews.

Insights

Google My桂Business also offers insights, which provide businesses with data about their customers. For example, insights can help businesses understand who their customers are, where they are located, and桂how they found you.

You can view data about your customers, including demographics and桂interests.

Managing Your Business Information

Google My桂Business allows businesses to桂manage their business information, including hours of桂operation, contact information, and桂website.

You can enter or桂update your business information.

Google My桂Business also allows businesses to桂manage their reviews and桂insights.

Can I桂Turn Off Google Reviews For My桂Business?

Yes, businesses can choose not to桂show their reviews on桂Google. To桂do桂this, go桂to桂your My桂Business profile and桂click the桂Reviews tab. Then, select not to桂show your reviews on桂Google and桂click the桂Save button.

Why Is桂My桂Business Not Showing Up桂On桂Google?

There are several reasons why your business may not be桂showing up桂on桂Google.

Go桂to桂your profile and桂click the桂Verify tab to桂troubleshoot the桂issue. Then, click the桂Verify Now桂button. You will then be桂prompted to桂enter your business information. Be桂sure to桂enter accurate information, as桂customers will use this to桂find your business.

You can also verify your website. If桂your website is桂verified, you can then use the桂혫Google Search Console혬 to桂troubleshoot the桂issue.

More Tips for桂How to桂Win Local Competition

There are many ways to桂improve your visibility on桂Google and桂win a桂local competition. Here are a桂few tips:

Ensure your Google My桂Business profile is桂100% complete

The more information you have on桂Google My桂Business, the桂better. Your account�셲 completeness aids Google in桂ranking you higher in桂local search results while also increasing the桂number of桂actions customers take when they encounter your profile. There�셲 a桂lot of桂data to桂give, so桂here are some ideas for桂prioritizing:

Name
Address
Phone
Website
Hours
Category and桂Attributes
Products and桂services
From the桂business
Questions and桂answers

Select the桂proper category for桂your business

When consumers perform a桂search for桂a桂product, service, or桂categorically defined term linked to桂a桂company�셲 profile, 84% of桂their Google Business Profile views come from discovery searches, meaning the桂consumer searched for桂a桂product, service, or桂categorically described term and桂the桂business�셲 profile appeared, as桂opposed to桂just 16% from direct queries.

Add specific details

When choosing a桂category for桂your business, be桂specific as桂possible. Just selecting restaurant will lump you in桂with many businesses that might not even be桂close to桂yours. On桂the桂other hand, if桂you choose Italian Restaurant, you have narrowed down your audience and桂made your business more visible.

Once you begin to桂type, a桂drop-down list of桂categories will appear. You can also discover a桂complete list of桂Google My桂Business categories here to桂be桂sure you select the桂most specific one for桂your company.

Choose secondary categories

Don�셳 forget to桂add secondary categories to桂your business listing. For example, if桂you are an桂accountant, you might choose 혫accounting혬 as桂your primary category and桂혫tax services혬 as桂a桂secondary category.

Don�셳 overdo it

You want Google to桂connect you with consumers who need your service, so桂choose only categories that match your offering. However, adding too many categories can actually have a桂negative effect, making your business harder to桂find.

Keep your profile up桂to桂date

A桂Google Business Profile isn�셳 a桂one-and-done marketing project. Instead, it�셲 a桂local marketing tool that needs continued effort to桂improve your online visibility and桂maximize your gains.

Make sure you constantly add to桂your profile and桂keep your information up桂to桂date. This includes hours of桂operation, photos, website, and桂all other pertinent information.

Publishing posts and桂new pictures often will help keep your customers engaged. It桂is桂also a桂great way to桂showcase new and桂upcoming promos, products, and桂services.

Use Google Posts

Google Posts is桂a桂free feature on桂Google My桂Business that allows you to桂share information with your customers right on桂the桂Knowledge Panel. You can write a桂post, add photos and桂videos, and桂even create events.

pops up桂in桂the桂Knowledge Panel for桂local businesses when a桂customer searches for桂your business on桂Google.com or桂Google Maps. Google Posts expire after seven days, so桂it�셲 essential to桂keep your content fresh.

Encourage customer reviews

Positive customer reviews can significantly impact your business�셲 visibility online. In桂fact, they are often one of桂the桂first things people look for桂when researching a桂business.

You can encourage customers to桂leave reviews by桂including review buttons on桂your website and桂providing easy instructions for桂how to桂leave a桂review on桂Google. You can also email customers after having a桂positive experience with your business.

Be桂sure to桂respond to桂any桂negative reviews and桂work to桂resolve the桂situation.

Let 붚죕쳔 Help You Succeed

If桂you�셱e looking to桂learn more about increasing your business�셲 visibility online, be桂sure to桂check out our blog for桂the桂latest tips and桂tricks. Also, you can get your store up桂and桂running online for桂free with the桂help of桂붚죕쳔.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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