Google My Business: Your online shopfront

Google My Business: Your online shopfront

How to set up Google My Business & the benefits for your business. 

If you're a small-medium business owner, Google My Business (GMB) is an essential tool to help you reach potential customers. It's like your online storefront, providing a central hub for your business information and making it easy for customers to find you on Google Search and Maps. Google loves data - the more information you can provide about your business, the better experience for your customers. 

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a free tool that allows you to create a business profile on Google. This profile includes your business name, address, phone number, website, photos, and other relevant information. When customers search for your business or related keywords, your GMB profile will appear in the search results.

Why Does It Matter for Businesses?
  1. Increased Visibility: GMB helps your business appear in local internet search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
  2. Improved Credibility: A complete and accurate GMB profile can enhance your business's credibility and trustworthiness, in the eyes of customers and Google.
  3. Customer Engagement: You can interact with customers through your GMB profile by responding to reviews and messages.
  4. Local SEO Benefits (Search Engine Optimisation): Optimising your GMB profile can improve your local search rankings, increasing website traffic and potential customers.
  5. Free Advertising: GMB offers features like Google Posts and attributes that can be used to promote your business and attract customers.
How to Set Up Google My Business
  1. Create a Google account: If you don't have one already, sign up for a free Google account. Ensure to use an email address linked to the business - not a personal email account. Once you have set up the account, you can add other administrators to the account. 
  2. Search for "Google My Business": Go to https://www.google.com/intl/en_us/business/ and click on "Start now."
  3. Add your business: Enter your business name and address. If your business is already listed, you can claim it.
  4. Verify your business: There are multiple options for verification. The most common is Google will send a verification code to your business address. You'll need to enter this code to confirm ownership of your business in the GMB Platform.
  5. Complete your profile: Add your business hours, website, phone number, and other relevant information. Vital information may be where to find your store, parking options, wheelchair accessibility, and languages spoken in the store. Remember - the more information, the better. 
  6. Add photos: Include high-quality photos of your business, products, and team. By adding your own photos, you can highlight features of your business, showcase your offerings and brand.

Tips for Keeping Your Google My Business Profile Up-to-Date

  1. Regularly update your information: Ensure your business hours, contact information, and website are always accurate.
  2. Encourage customer reviews: Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on your GMB profile. Positive reviews can boost your business's reputation.
  3. Respond to reviews: Whether positive or negative, respond to all reviews promptly and professionally.
  4. Utilise Google Posts: Share news, events, or special offers through Google Posts to keep your profile fresh and engaging.
  5. Claim your Google Maps listing: If your business has a physical location, claim your Google Maps listing to provide customers with directions and information.
  6. Monitor your analytics: Use GMB's analytics tools to track your performance and identify areas for improvement. I.e. Website visitor rates, the best performing website pages, the demographics of your website visitors
  7. Optimise for local search: Use relevant keywords in your business name, description, and category to improve your local search rankings.
  8. By investing time and effort into your Google My Business profile, you can significantly boost your online visibility and attract more customers to your small business.

More information

These resources below can help you find answers to your questions and troubleshoot any issues you encounter with Google My Business or Google Analytics:

Google My Business

Google Analytics

Additional Resources:

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