Have you ever wondered how Google knows to show you a store or service near your location, even if you don’t add ‘near me’ to your search?
Google Business Profile (GBP, formerly known as Google My Business) has been around since 2014, yet many businesses haven’t claimed their business listing. If you don’t have a Google My Business profile set up, you are missing a huge opportunity to stand out in search results, which means less visibility and ultimately fewer customers.
What Is Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile helps ensure that people find your business when looking for products and services like yours in their local area. It is important to attract new customers to your business through Google search and Maps. With it, you can claim your free local business listing on Google and add things like your contact information, business hours, photos, services, and much more.
With so many time-saving, business-boosting features and functions to learn about, it won’t take long for you to see why GBP is a crucial tool for all local businesses.
Who is eligible for a Google Business Profile?
You’ll qualify for a Business Profile if:
- Your business has a physical location for your customers to go to for your products or services.
- Your business provides services or products by visiting or delivering to your customers directly.
- Your business is a hybrid business that services customers at your physical location and visits or delivers directly to customers.
You can find more information about eligible and ineligible businesses here.
Take control of your Google Business Profile
Whether you like it or not, your business can and likely will get listed on Google. Anyone can enter your business name and register it with Google. And just like any other Google Business Profile, it’s a place where customers can leave reviews and do things like upload photos of your business.
Claiming your Google Business Profile allows you to control and manage your contact information, business hours, and other essential details.
Get started with Google Business Profile
Step 1: Sign in to Google Business Profile Manager.
Step 2: Enter your business name. Then select the appropriate category for your business.
Step 3: Enter your location. You can list your service areas if your business does not have a physical store but offers in-person services or deliveries.
Step 4: Fill in your contact information so customers can reach you.
Step 5: Verify your business.
Optimize your Google Business Profile
Once you’ve claimed and verified your business, it’s time to optimize your Google Business Profile for better local search rankings. Here are some steps you can take:
- Make sure your business information is complete and accurate.
- Select from many attributes that give your customers further details about your business, such as free Wi-Fi, patio seating, payment methods, and the like.
- Ask your customers for reviews and respond to them.
- Add images and videos to showcase your products, services, location, work environment, and team.
Customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider your business reputable if you have a complete Google Business Profile. They’re also 70% more likely to visit your location. The key here is to tell Google visitors “what you do, where you are, and when they can visit.”