Today, any business requires a targeted Google presence. Most businesses are aware that improving their website and Google Ads is required, but many are unaware that a third party must also be optimized: their Google company listing. This powerful listing, formally known as your Business Profile, is a dynamic picture of your firm that emphasizes its greatest features and enables potential clients to discover, learn about, and contact you from the SERP. The best news? It’s completely free.
Despite the fact that Google does 167 billion searches each month, research revealed that the typical business profile receives only 1.2660 views during the same period (that’s 0.00000075 per cent!). Even worse, just 59 of those 1,260 views result in actions. That’s less than 5%.
The issue isn’t the Google My Business platform; it’s that not nearly enough companies utilize its fantastic capabilities. That is why we’ve put up this guide.
We’re going to discuss 13 optimization ideas in this post:
- Claim your Business Profile
- Complete each component of your Google My Business account.
- Be meticulous with contact information
- Select primary and secondary categories
- Mark off applicable attributes
- Create a detailed “from the business” description
- Publish Google posts weekly
- Upload new photos weekly
- Answer questions
- Collect and respond to reviews
- Add your products and/or services
- Set up messaging
- Maintain your Business Profile
You can make your Business Profile into the greatest free customer acquisition tool you didn’t know you had with these improvements. Let’s get started.
Note: The official name for your company’s Google business listing is “Business Profile,” so we’ll stick to that throughout this article.
What does a Google Business Profile look like when it’s optimized?
Let’s make sure we’re on the same page regarding what an optimized Business Profile looks like and why you need one before diving into the tactics. To better understand what you want and why you should let’s have a look at a fake up of an unfinished Google Business Profile versus a complete and optimized one.
Why Should Your Google Business Profile Be Optimized?
Optimizing your Business Profile on Google for local marketing has several benefits, including allowing customers to choose your firm over others.
Improve engagement
Consumers are increasingly skipping Google and going directly to other websites in order to conduct searches. Why? Because the information contained in search results pages fully satisfies users’ queries, resulting in “zero-click searches.”If potential consumers are engaging with your organization more often through their Google Business Profile than the website, you’ll want to improve that profile for quality engagement.
Boost your local ranking
Google’s algorithm for ranking Business Profiles takes into account not just proximity and relevance, but also activity and quality of information. Sending Google these signals helps you rank higher in local results. And, as you already know, a higher rank equals more exposure and interaction with your company.
Convert more customers
Simply put, Google+ is not at all practical for gaining leads. They may learn where you are located and read your reviews—if they know to look for your business name in the first place! But with an improved Business Profile on Google My Business, customers can discover you in keyword searches, contact you, visit your website, conduct product and service research, view/contribute FAQs, request a quote, make a reservation, and more. You can also monitor clicks to your website, appointment, or menu link with UTMs and Google Analytics.
