You have probably searched for a specific product, service, or business on Google, as have most other people on the internet. Having a Google My Business profile is very important since it drives local business search results on Google search, maps, Google Assistant, and more. And we know you probably have not figured out yet how to optimize your listing.
Here are some of the basic things you can do to optimize your Google My Business listing:
Covering the basics.
Having a consistent business name, phone number, and address is important not only for SEO purposes but also so people do not get confused when looking for your business online. You need to be careful not to spam your business name with cities, taglines, search terms, or anything else since Google’s terms of service prohibit that, and doing so may lead to listing problems or suspension.
When it comes to your business location, it is important to enter a physical address if there is a place that customers can actually visit, and make sure to format it properly, putting the street address in the primary address line and suite numbers in a second line. If you don’t have a physical address, make sure to clear the address and only use service areas.
Have in mind that you need to enter service areas only if you serve customers at their location. If you offer your services in a physical location and at a customer’s location, make sure to enter both. Consider that there is a maximum of 20 service areas per business location.
It is also important to establish regular hours of operation when customers can do business with you. Adding special hours for holidays, closures, or other special circumstances when your business is not open is important so that customers know if you can be reached.
Business Categories.
Your primary business category is the most important one; it impacts your search ranking and is the one that users see on the listing. So make sure to choose the most appropriate category that represents your business, but do not ignore additional categories; add as many as apply to your business.
Services or Products.
For certain types of service businesses, there is a service category available, such as dentists, attorneys, hotels, and marketing agencies. This option will help organize each service you offer. Make sure to enter the appropriate name and price of each service, as well as a description with important keywords to your business.
On the other hand, retail-oriented businesses have the option of adding products. It may not be practical to add every single product or category that the business offers, so focus on the most important ones. Once you select the products or categories, create separate collections for each one.
Lastly, there is a menu option available only to restaurant-type businesses that shows up for end users in the Google Maps app. You can create separate sections for each section of the menu. Make sure to add separate menu items within each action by entering the appropriate name and price of the item and adding its description.
There are more elements of Google My Business that you should take into consideration when listing your business. We know it can get overwhelming at times, especially when you are running a business. Miss Ink is here to help with your digital marketing. Contact us to learn how we can help you.
Source:
Local Marketing Institute. Ultimate Google My Business Optimization Checklist.
