Google My Business is a free tool that helps you appear in related search and it is essential for local SEO. You are able to claim your business page and share information like your company’s contact details, address, operating hours and more so people can easily get in touch if they wish to. The more information you add; the more Google’s search algorithms will have to work with in terms of ranking. It is very important to ensure that the information you add is accurate and matches with the information on the landing page of your website. After listing, you can also view insights for your business listing.
Since this is your window to potential customers, it is crucial to maintain it well. Adding visuals, ensuring you have an accurate profile and responding to reviews will be very helpful. You can even add a 360-degree virtual tour to stand out if you wish to do so.
Consider this example: When you search for “hotels, Boston”, the Boston Harbor Hotel ranks #1 in the Google Places search results. To the right of the result, you can see all the information that the Boston Harbor Hotel has placed in its Google Places listing. They’ve included reviews, hotel information, and pictures of the hotel and its surrounding area.
Here’s how to set it up for yourself:
Getting started
Visit http://www.google.com/places/. To set up your business on Google Places, click the ‘Get Started Now’ button below the text, “Get your business found on Google.” Your Google Places account will be connected to your Google account. Here, you can enter the country and business phone number. Google will then search to see if your listing already exists. (Keep in mind that you can edit a current listing at any time to display new information about your business.)
If Google Places doesn’t identify any business information online for you, you can manually add it. After filling out your phone number, Google will prompt you to input more information. As you complete your information, Google will automatically generate what the Places advertisement will look like on the right, including the map image. Make sure you’re satisfied with the appearance of your listing. Keep the description short and to the point, capturing the main concept of your business and product or service. You can add anything you want, including a coupon link for your business to attract more customers to your website.
You can then set up whether or not your business provides services in a certain area or areas. This will allow your business to appear on map listings. When people search for a business similar to your listing, your business will appear on a map within a specified range. You can then select which location(s) your services cover(s). The map will show you what area will be covered by choosing this option. If you choose option #1 (“Distance from one location”), the map will show a general area that will be covered by your services.
You can then choose what location will be the central point. If you prefer to serve only certain cities or areas within a city, you can choose the second option and pick the areas you serve. This option can be helpful for companies that are only able to serve a certain area, such as a pizza delivery company, or in a very niche market, like a jet ski company on a beach.
Operating Business Hours / Hours of Operation
The hours your business operates is another important feature of a successful Google Places advertisement. Generally, when people are searching for your business, they are checking to see if you are open and Google has this feature for you to include this into your listing. Also, if your business deals with selling products or services directly to your customers, be it online or in-store, there is also an option to inform customers what forms of payment you accept to avoid any unpleasant/uncomfortable situation.
Additionally, you may include other information that may be vitally important to potential customers, such as details about the location if it is difficult to find or information about the products and services your business provides. It is a good opportunity to show potential customers why your business is worth a second look.
Validate your location
Google is able to avoid fake listings and advertisements through the validation of your location. To do so, Google will send you a postcard with verification information and the subsequent steps to follow. The validation process will take around 2-3 weeks before your listing goes live. In conclusion, this step is crucial as it saves everyone from the possibility of spam listings whenever we use Google Search to find places.
comments