Google My Business: It’s a Great Piece of the SEO Puzzle
Ranking well in local search is more important than ever to ensure that customers can find your business. If only there were a way to increase your chances of ranking highly and having your business stand out from others nearby.
Luckily there is, though more than half of business owners either don’t know about it or haven’t taken advantage of it. Google My Business (GMB) is a free business profile feature designed by Google to help improve the quality of business listings appearing in its search results and on Google Maps. Google uses these profiles to provide customers with the most current and relevant information as a result of their search.
As it turns out, 56% of businesses are not yet using their Google my Business profiles. Yet, using Google My Business to its full potential is one of the easiest and most important ways to optimize your SEO, especially for local businesses.
Where to find your Google My Business Profile
If your business has been around for a while, a profile probably already exists on Google. You only have to claim your GMB profile and verify your ownership to start optimizing. However, if your business is new, you can easily create a Google My Business profile, then follow similar steps to claim and verify.
How Google My Business Helps SEO
Your Google My Business profile includes the basics; company name, address and phone number. But Google My Business also offers several other ways to provide information about your business. Almost all of it is indexed, meaning it’s read by Google and used in its algorithm to determine your search ranking. So it is worthwhile to spend some time optimizing and keeping your Google My Business Profile current.
What Customers See
When someone searches for your business on Google, your Google My Business profile will appear in the Knowledge Panel on the right-hand side of the screen or at the top of the search results on mobile. With that kind of visibility, it’s not hard to see the value that a well-kept Google My Business profile can provide. It gives customers easy access to your website, location, hours and customer reviews.
Not to mention photos that can help them get a feel for your physical location and a first look at your products. Provided you’ve optimized your profile, most of the information customers need before they call or visit you is there, at their disposal.
Be Sure to Optimize These Profile Areas
Treat your Google My Business profile as an extension of your website, and ensure that the information matches – exactly. That means that address and phone number need to match.
The category you choose and the description of your business should contain similar language, keywords and tone. This helps reassure Google that your business is authentic and prevents confusion for customers when your profile doesn’t match your website or their experience when they visit your location.
A Visual Description of Your Business
Post photos and videos of your business, your staff, and your products to help customers make a connection with your business. The more they see, the more likely they are to visit or make a purchase.
List Your Locations
If your business has more than one location, don’t forget to list them all in your Google My Business profile. Customers can get an idea of the size of your business and decide for themselves which location is the most convenient for them to visit in person.
Manage Your Google Reviews
Reviews are another great way to attract more customers and build on the sense of quality and service you provide. Google no longer indexes the text of reviews – to avoid the practice of awkward keyword stuffing – however, a high customer rating does impact your SEO results.
Keep Your Profile Current
Maintaining your profile information and adding new content periodically helps Google know that your business is alive and well. To facilitate this, Google My Business has features like the ability to post business updates, offers, products, and events. Use these features to help promote your business and educate your customers even before they make it to your website.
You can repurpose content from your website, such as blogs, product descriptions and images to post as updates on Google My Business. Then share the updates on social media to close the loop on your content sharing strategy.
Google My Business is a powerful tool to have in the SEO kit. Completing your profile and keeping the information current will help to ensure that Google keeps you top of mind when users perform a local search. Your profile is an opportunity to make a great first impression and provides them with plenty of information to help move them towards a visit or contact request.
Contact Us About Your Google My Business Page Marketing
Google My Business is just one piece in the bigger SEO puzzle. Need help figuring out how to move forward? Please contact us using the form below, using the chat function on our website, or by calling 1-855-656-5262. Follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn to find out how we can help improve your SEO profile. It is our goal to get you a website that works for your business.
We are located in Burlington, Ontario, serving businesses big and small. Contact us today!