What is Google Business Profile, and why do you need it?

Google is the website that receives the most visitors each day. More than 92 percent of the market share for search engines is currently held by the website. Establishing a Google Business Profile, which was formerly known as Google My Business, is an essential step to take in order to bring in new clients for your company through the use of Google search and Google Maps.

The question now is, how can you get management access to your Google Business Profile? The correct response is that in addition to generating a free Business Profile, you will also need to register a separate free Google Business profile account in order for that profile to be visible online.

To be able to maintain your Business Profile on Google, you will need a separate Google Business account.

You can only claim ownership of your Business Profile, obtain management privileges to it, and unlock extra free tools to boost your exposure on Google if you have a Google Business profile. This account is the only way to do any of these things. In this essay, I’m going to explain everything about Google Business profile that you need to know, including the following items:

A Google Business Profile is a free listing that your company can have on Google’s website. It enables you to provide information and images pertaining to your company, such as its location, products, and services, among other things.

Making use of Google’s free profile creator is a fantastic method to boost your visibility across all of Google’s services. Your company’s information may be displayed in Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping if you have a Google Business Profile.

Google Business Profile is only accessible to companies who interact directly with their clients and prospects. This includes businesses that have a physical presence, such as a restaurant or store, as well as enterprises that give services to customers by meeting with them in other locations (like consultants or plumbers).

You will be required to keep to using other Google technologies such as Google AdWords and Google Analytics if your company is only conducted online.

| More: Read more on how Google Maps works

What exactly is this Google Business Profile?

As was previously said, Google Business  Profile is a service that gives you the ability to maintain and enhance your Google Business Profile, which is one of the many significant company directory listings. In order to clarify what Google Business is and how it functions, let’s begin by making sure that we have a good understanding of what a Business Profile actually is.

Google refers to your Google business listing as “Your Business Profile,” and you may access it through Google Business Profile. Google Maps and the local search results both make use of the information contained inside Business Profiles.

Adding a location to Google Maps, which is the same thing as creating a Business Profile, is something that can be done by anyone (including a complete stranger or an automated listing generator). Google only needs the name of the company, its location, and the category it falls under. The Business Profile for that location will be created as soon as Google verifies that it is not a duplicate of an existing profile. After that, customers are able to post reviews, submit images, inquire about the company, and even respond to questions posted on the Company Profile. Information that Google gathers from other locations on the web might also be included to the Company Profile at some point.

This indicates that a Business Profile is able to function independently of a Google My Business profile and can operate in its own right. You also do not have the power to modify the information that is displayed on your Business Profile or the reviews that are gathered through it, regardless of whether or not you built your own Business Profile.

Google My Business was created specifically for this purpose. You’ll be able to access, create, manage, and upgrade your Business Profile on Google for no additional cost after creating a Google Business profile, which is the topic we’ll cover in the next section.

How to make the most of Google Business profile for your company’s local marketing

It has been proven that Google Business profile is not your Business Profile; rather, it is a tool that enables you to improve the visibility and efficacy of your Business Profile. Let’s go over the four most important ways in which you can use Google Business to improve the effectiveness of your Google listing as a local marketing tool for your company.

1. Get your customer’s engagement

Customers can engage with your Business Profile in a variety of different ways, and you can use your Google Business profile account to communicate with them and respond to their comments and questions. You have the ability to reply to reviews, provide answers to queries, allow direct messaging, and set up alerts connected with the associated content. You may even utilize Google Business profile to publish posts to your Business Profile, much in the same way that you would do with Facebook or one of the other social media platforms.

You can respond to reviews, create posts, and answer questions that are asked on your Business Profile all from the dashboard for your Google Business account.

2. Focus your business

A Business Profile by itself provides just a limited amount of information about your company. But, through the dashboard of your Google Business account, you have the ability to provide information such as your business’s hours of operation, a link to your website, items and pricing, qualities, and other data that distinguish your company from others. Also, you will use your Google Business account to make any necessary modifications and additions.

3. Acquire new perspectives

You may acquire crucial information about your audience and the performance of your local search using the dashboard that is provided by Google Business. You can view a breakdown of actions taken on your listing, the queries customers are using to find your Business Profile, whether they found you on Google Maps or Google Search, and how your photos are performing in comparison to the performance of other profiles in your category by going to the analytics tab of the platform. Keep in mind as well that Google Analytics and UTM parameters both offer techniques to trace clicks that originate from a business profile.

4. Perform local SEO

In the same way that Google uses several algorithms to rank its advertising and webpages, it also uses a different methodology to rank its business profiles. You may add keywords into your Business Profile and make other optimizations through the dashboard of your Google Business account in order to help it rank higher in local results, which is the topic that we are going to discuss next.

How to perform SEO with Google Business Profile

Google Business Profiles have a living, breathing dynamic nature. Not only do they alter their appearance depending on the platform, but Google will also prioritize different areas of your profile based on the term that was searched for as well as the type of content that is most relevant to customers in your category. Even better, Google will highlight keywords it believes to be relevant in the content of your profile and give them a bold font.

To begin with, however, there needs to be information on your profile that can be prioritized, as well as keywords that can be highlighted. To enhance your profile and broaden your reach, you may utilize Google Business in the same way that you (or your agency) might use a content management system like WordPress to optimize your website for search engines. How do you optimize local search results with Google Business? Because optimizing a website for Google is, in essence, the same as optimizing a website for searchers, everything boils down to the same three factors: targeting, the quality of the information, and trust.

Focus on your information

If you want to use Google Business profile for SEO, you need to make sure that your Business Profile contains keywords that are relevant to your industry. This will inform Google what you’re attempting to rank for. Make use of these phrases in your “from the business” description, as well as in your responses to reviews and queries, as well as in the posts that you publish. Be sure to do it in a natural way, just like you would with any other type of SEO technique.

Always feed quality information

Because your Business Profile’s completeness and correctness have an effect on its rank, you should make sure to fill out all of the information that is needed in each section of your Google Business profile dashboard. Your contact details, special hours, and attributes are particularly essential in this regard.

Gain trust

The ultimate strategy for using Google Business for search engine optimization makes use of the trust factor that is a part of Google’s algorithm. As your company moves forward, be sure that all of your information is kept up to date and accurate. Maintain a consistent flow of reviews coming in while also responding to those reviews. You may also show Google that you are active by uploading images to your Business Profile on Google Business on a regular basis and producing content using the Google Business platform.

SEO is essential for all types of companies, but it is especially vital for smaller companies that can employ local targeting to compete with larger rivals on search engine result pages (SERPs). Because Google is making it even easier to perform local SEO with its extensive Business Profiles, it is crucial for any company that wants to maximize their visibility in their own local market to have a Google Business account.

Instructions for Creating a Google Business Profile

Step 1: Go to Google Business Profile Manager and sign in.

If you already have a Google account, Google Business Profile Manager will automatically log you in. If you don’t have a Google account, enter your usual login information or make a new one.

Step 2: Add your company

Enter the name of your business. If it’s not in the drop-down menu, click “Add your business to Google.” Then, choose the category that fits your business best, and click Next.

Step 3: Assign your location

If you have a place where customers can go, choose “Yes.” Then add the address of your business. You might also be asked to put a marker on a map to show where the place is. You can list your service areas if your business doesn’t have a place where customers can go, but it does offer services in person or deliveries. Then click Continue.

If you didn’t put in a physical address, Google will ask you to tell them where you live. Choose something from the drop-down menu and click Next.

Step 4: Enter your contact info

Enter the phone number and web address for your business so that customers can reach you. You don’t have to give a phone number if you don’t want to be called.

When you’re done with your information, click Next.

Step 5: Verify your business

Don’t use a post office box. Instead, put in your real address. This information is only used to verify your business. It is not shared with the public or shown on your Google Business Profile.

Type in your address and click Next. You will be given the options you need to verify your account. Businesses with a physical location will need to get a postcard in the mail to prove where they are. An email address can be used to check if a business is in a service area.

Once you get your five-digit code, enter it on the next screen (or go to https://business.google.com/) and click Verify or Verify business.

You’ll see a screen that says you’ve been confirmed. Click Next on that screen.

Step 6: Make changes to your profile.

Enter your business’s hours, how you want to be contacted, a description of your business, and photos. (In the next part of this post, we’ll go into more detail about how to optimize the content of your profile.)

Click Continue when you’re ready. The Business Profile Manager dashboard will appear.

From here, you can manage your business profile, see insights, handle reviews and messages, and make Google ads.

How to get the most out of Google my business profile

Google ranks the results of local searches based on three things:

• Relevance: It is how well your Google Business listing matches a search.
• Distance: How far from the search or searcher you are.
• Trust: How well-known your business is (based on factors like links, number of reviews, review score, and SEO)

Here are some things you can do to get the best possible score in all three areas.

Fill out every part of your profile.

If you have a full Google Business Profile, customers are 2.7 times more likely to think your business is trustworthy. They’re also 70% more likely to go to your place of business.

Google says, “It’s easier to match businesses with the right searches when their information is complete and correct.” This makes your score better for how relevant it is. Google visitors need to know “what you do, where you are, and when they can come see you.”

Make sure your business hours are up to date if they change for holidays or seasons.

Verify your business locations(s)

Verified business locations are “more likely to show up in local search results across Google products, like Maps and Search.” Adding a verified location also helps your score for the distance ranking factor.

If you didn’t verify your location in the steps above, you can request a verification postcard at https://business.google.com/ right now.

Add real pictures and videos of your business

You can add a logo and a cover photo to your Google Business Profile. Use pictures that are the same as the ones on your social media profiles to help people remember your brand.

Don’t stop there, though. Add pictures and videos to show off your office, team, and location.

If you own a restaurant, post pictures of your food, menus, and dining room. Make sure they look good, are professional, and have a high resolution. Google says that businesses with photos get more directions requests and more clicks to their websites.

How to add photos to or change photos on your Google profile:

1. Click on Photos in the left menu of the dashboard.
2. Add your logo and cover photo first. You can upload an image, choose one from your Business Profile albums, or pick a photo in which your business is tagged.
3. Click “At Work” or “Team” in the top menu of the photos page to add more photos.
4. To add open video tab at the top of the photos page

Keywords should be in your profile

When you use the right keywords, relevance will go up. Don’t know where to begin? Use Google Trends or Keyword Planner.

Google Analytics, Insights, and social monitoring tools can also help you find the search terms people use to find your business. Add them to your business description in a way that sounds natural. Don’t use too many keywords or ones that have nothing to do with your content. This can hurt your search ranking.

Review and answer questions and reviews

People have more faith in other people than in businesses. A good review can be the thing that makes a potential customer decide to buy from you. Your Google ranking can also go up if you have reviews.

When you’ve done a great job is the best time to ask for a review. Google gives you a direct link to ask customers to review your business, which makes it easier.

To share your link for a review:

1. Scroll down on the dashboard until you see a button that says “Share review form.”

Review form for Google My Business Profile Manager to share

2. Copy and paste the link into a message to your customers, your autoresponder, or your online receipts.

On your Google Business page, you can’t turn off reviews. And doing that wouldn’t be in your best interest, since reviews show customers that your business is real.

But you can flag and report reviews that don’t follow the rules.

Also, you can respond to reviews, both good and bad, and you should. A survey by Google and Ipsos Connect found that people trust businesses that respond to reviews 1.7 times more than those that don’t.

Respond with the voice of your brand. When responding to a bad review, be honest and, if it’s appropriate, say you’re sorry.

Click the Reviews tab on the left side of your Business Profile Manager to see reviews and respond to them.

Update your business information

Make sure to update your business profile if you change things like your business hours, how to reach you, etc. Customers are most annoyed when they come to your store during business hours and find it closed. Make sure your Google Business Profile shows any holiday or one-time hours that are different from the norm.

You can also use Google My Business posts to tell people about updates, new products, sales, and events.

Edit your information information

At business.google.com, you can go back to the dashboard at any time to make changes. You can also change the information about your business right from Google Search or Maps. Just look up the name of your business on one of these sites to get to the editing panel.

To make Google My Business posts and share them:

1. Click Posts in the left menu of the dashboard.
2. Click Post a message.
3. Choose the type of post you want to make: a COVID-19 update, an offer, information about what’s new, an event, or a product. There is different information to fill out for each type of post.

Add unique features

Depending on the category you choose, your Google business account may have extra features.

Here is a list of the features that are available for each category:

• Hotels can show their class ratings, how they treat the environment, highlights, check-in and check-out times, and the services they offer.
• Menus, pictures of dishes, and the most popular dishes can be uploaded by restaurants and bars.
• Businesses that focus on services can show a list of the services they offer.
• In the U.S., health care providers can add information about health insurance.
• Businesses can also use different kinds of buttons, such as those for making appointments, making reservations, and placing orders.

If you think one of these features is right for your business but you don’t see it, you may have picked the wrong category. You can put your business in up to 10 categories.

You can also add facts to your profile to give your customers more information they might be interested in. If you run a store or restaurant, you might want to let people know that it’s accessible by wheelchair, has free Wi-Fi, or has seating outside. You can also say that your business is owned by women and is open veterans.

How to add attributes or change them:

• Click Info at the top of the dashboard.
• Click Add attributes under “From the business.” Or, if you’ve already added some attributes and want to add more, click the pencil next to “From the business.”
• Scroll through all the options for your business, mark the ones that apply, and click the “Apply” button.

Add your products

If you sell things, make sure your Business Profile has an up-to-date list of what you have for sale. Your products can show up in Google Shopping as well as on your profile page.

To manually add products to your Business Profile, do the following:

• Click Products on the left side of the dashboard, then click Get Started to add your first product.

If you have a retail business in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, or Australia and use a barcode scanner to sell products with manufacturer barcodes, you can use Pointy to automatically add your products to your Business Profile.

Make use of Google’s free tools for marketing

Google gives businesses free access to a marketing kit with stickers, social media posts, and posters that can be printed out. You can even create a custom video. (The link will only work once your Business Profile is set up.)

How to manage your Google Business Profile

Once you’ve set up and confirmed your Google Business Profile.

Instead of managing your Google Business Profile separately, you can now manage your Google My Business page, make posts, and respond to reviews and questions right from your dashboard.

This integration makes it possible for your social team to manage Google like a social platform, so that your messages are always consistent, on-brand, and up-to-date.

Here’s how to take care of your Google Business Profile.

• Install the Google My Business app on your phone.
• Choose whether you want to add your Google Business Profile streams to an existing tab or create a new tab, then click Finish.
• Click on the right Board under “My Streams” on your dashboard and then click “Login to Google My Business” for each stream.
• Once you’re logged in, you can create a post and respond to Google My Business reviews and questions streams.

Wrapping up

Now that you have a thorough comprehension of what Google Business Profile is, how it operates, and how it may be utilized, you can see why the utilization of this cost-free service for local marketing is not only a recommended notion but rather a requirement. Get your Google My Business account up and going as soon as possible so that your company’s profile on Google, the most widely used search engine in the world, may outshine that of your competitors and draw in more customers.