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Google My Business has become the first showcase for a company in the online world, even above web pages. It is the first contact a user has when performing a search on Google since the results pages normally show the company profiles created on this platform above the organic results.
In this Complete Guide to Google My Business in 2023, we will tell you everything about Google My Business; what this tool is for, how to create your listing on this platform, why it is the perfect ally for local SEO and the steps you have to take to optimize your business listing.
1. What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free tool created by Google that allows companies, by creating a profile, to manage their presence in the online world and increase their visibility.
Profiles in Google My Business are displayed on Google Maps and on Google results pages with the aim that customers within your area of influence find you making it easier
It is a perfect option for local businesses because businesses appear on the map thanks to the integration with Google Maps. You can do a test yourself right now from your mobile phone. You just have to enter Google and search: “Bakery in Madrid.” How many profiles have appeared?
You may already be getting an idea of the potential that the Google My Business tool has for local SEO because if your business is a bakery and Google places you in the first results, you will be impacting all potential customers who perform that search. Interesting, right?
But if your business does not appear in the top positions, do not worry; you still have time to get down to work and apply the SEO techniques for Google My Business that we will teach you below. But first, for the laggards:
2. How to register a business in Google My Business?
First, you must have a Google account to register your business in Google My Business and manage your business listing. If you already have an account, that is, you use a Gmail.
Once inside, to register your business in Google My Business, you must select “Add your company to Google.” If your business’s Google My Business listing is already created and you want to claim ownership of the business, follow these steps to claim ownership of your GMB business profile.
Now is the time to start filling in the data with the most relevant information about your company: Company name, Business category, Address (if it is a physical store), Contact information, Website, etc.
You don’t need to be too specific; once the Google My Business profile is created, you can modify and add more information later.
Once your company data has been entered, the last step is to verify your profile. You have several options to verify your business on Google: postal mail, SMS, or phone call. The last two options are the most immediate (although they are not always available). At the same time, verification by postal mail can take up to 15 days since they will send a letter with a verification code to the postal address you have selected for your company.
In any case, once we have entered the Google My Business verification code, we have to wait for Google to review the information in your profile, which can take up to three days to be displayed publicly. When it is visible, it will arrive in your email like this:
3. How does Google display a Google My Business listing?
Once your business listing is verified, your business will appear on Google’s search results page. But for what searches? Read on to find out how to optimize your Google My Business listing for Local SEO.
1. Direct searches that include the name of your company. Ideal for those clients who want to know how to get to your business, call your office, know your hours, or visit your Website.
If we use our agency as an example, we see that if a user enters “TechGogoal” in the Google search engine, the first result it returns is our Google My Business profile:
2. Searches related to the services your company offers. Perfect to impact potential customers who are looking for the service that your company offers.
In this case, a list is displayed with the different business profiles from Google My Business that Google considers most accurate for the search carried out by the user. The order of the profiles that appear can vary depending on each device, the location in which you are, the reviews, the optimization of the profiles, etc. Do you understand the importance of optimizing your Google My Business profile for Local SEO?
3. Searches from Google Maps. They are searches that seek to satisfy an immediate need. They largely depend on the location in which your business is located.
4. How to position a business with Google My Business? Local SEO
Creating a profile on Google My Business is not enough to get good results. To improve local positioning in Google, you must update your company profile by adding all the information about your business.
An optimized Google My Business profile is vital to position your business. Do you want to discover how to do it? Keep reading.
5. How to optimize a Google My Business profile?
5.1. Complete the information of your business as much as possible.
Name of your company
Our little trick to complete this information is to include the main keyword that describes your business next to the real name of your company. In our case, we offer 2 services: “Systems and Marketing.”
Category
It is one of the easiest options to complete in Google My Business, but simultaneously, it is one of the most important. The main category will mean the main local SEO keyword your company will choose to position itself for. In our case: “Computer consultant.”
In addition, you can add categories that refer to other services offered by your company.
Mailing address
Enter your Address so customers can see your property on Google Maps. Leave this field blank if your business does not have a location and you only offer online services.
Service areas
Show your customers the areas where you offer your services or where you deliver orders. Select the countries where your shipments arrive if you sell products or services online.
Keep your business hours up to date
Set your premises’ opening and closing times, and remember to modify the hours whenever a change occurs.
In addition, by selecting the “full hours” option in the management panel of your company profile, you can add hours for specific services or special offers. For example, it may be the case that businesses such as restaurants close at a specific time but continue to offer a pick-up and take-out service until later.
Special schedule
On those days in which you know that your business will have a different schedule than usual for a specific reason, you can add them to the calendar. This option is highly recommended to indicate that your business will not open on local and national holidays or if a business closes for holidays.
Telephone contacts
You can add your contact numbers, such as the landline or several mobile phone lines.
Website
Enter the company website.
Links to make appointments
If you can make an appointment in your business, customers can do so through Google My Business. You only have to enter the link that redirects to your Website.
5.2. Describe your business to Google users
Google displays the main category below your business name as a description. However, you can add a description that describes your business to customers from your point of view.
Here, you will have 750 characters that you should take advantage of to describe your company, including the services you offer briefly, what distinguishes you from the competition, and useful information for your potential customers. Do not include URLs or code in HTML.
Once again, to position your business through the Google My Business tool, remember to include the keywords you are most interested in positioning.
5.3. Describe the services your company offers
Once you include your company’s main and secondary categories, it is time to delve into the services you offer related to each of them.
We advise you to use the keywords that users use the most to describe them, those keywords for which you want to appear, but keep in mind that you have 300 characters to prepare each description. If your services have a fixed rate, you can add the price.
