Google My Business is a free and very effective tool for promoting your local business on the Internet. It is a vital tool for local businesses to display on Google maps and search results pages.
In addition, Google My Business has additional features that can help you rank better in local search results. So, if you want to take advantage of this updated tool, here are few steps to create or optimize your Google profile in 2020.
STEP 1
Complete your company profile
A correctly filled Google listing is already half the success. Fill in the information only with correct data since every change is moderated.
Once you created an account, don't forget to go to the Info sections and to fill in:
- Include your keywords in the title. It's ok o have your keywords following your business name. For example, Effective Marketing & Design | Website Design and Digital Marketing
- Choose the most suitable business category from the list but don't forget about additional categories.
- Physical address and service area. Select the country or individual cities where you provide services. Your company will not participate in searches in other regions.
- Schedule. Fill in the schedule as accurately as possible, indicating the time of the break. Also, don't forget to change your work schedule during the holidays. Keep in mind that your business marked as closed after your open hours.
- Phone number. Provide a primary and valid phone number. You can enter 3 numbers, but Google displays the first one as major.
- Link. Indicate the link to the website. If you don't have a website yet, you can hire a professional website designer or create your website on Wix and hire Wix partner to do the revision.
- Services. If your company provides services, fill in the service name, price, and description. So customers can see your price list immediately. Don't forget to keep it up to date.
- Description. Enter a description with your keywords included. Remember the 750 character limit.
STEP 2
Add high-quality photos.
Cover. Add a nice cover photo that displays the exterior of the building you are in.
Logo. For the logo, choose a square image as it will appear in your feedback responses.
Facade. Add photos to help clients find your building.
Interior. Add only those photos that represent what your customers will see when they enter the premises.
Photos cannot be edited. Inserting a logo, applying filters, and other editing tools are prohibited. If you add edited photos, be prepared for Google to remove them.
STEP 3
Post publications.
Google My Business allows you to interact with users directly on search results pages and on a Google map. In this section, you can post anything related to your business, such as upcoming events, company announcements, blog articles, promotions, holiday messages, etc. You should make sure that you only post relevant, high-quality, and valuable content.
For the maximum efficiency, add an image.
Image Specifications:
The minimum size is 400x300;
Jpg and png formats;
The maximum file size is 5MB.
STEP 4
Add products.
You can also add products or product categories that you offer the Google My Business card. This significantly expands the number of search queries for which your store will be displayed. Also, don't forget to add a link to the product on your website.
STEP 5
Collect reviews.
Customer reviews undoubtedly affect business. A local business with positive and persuasive reviews gains much more trust from existing customers and tends to gain more engagement from potential customers. In addition, reviews affect a company's ranking in search results and CTR (click-through-rate). Even if you have the best brand globally, potential customers will still want to read reviews of you before contacting you.
No one is immune from negative reviews, but you can respond to reviews and thereby increase customer loyalty.
Need consultation on Google My Business? Contact Effective Marketing & Design, and we will be happy to assist you!