Unlocking the Power of Google Business Profile: The Ultimate Guide

Why Optimize Your Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is a powerful tool that allows businesses to connect with potential customers in their local area. When someone searches for a business in Google, the Business Profile appears at the top of the search results. Optimizing your Business Profile can help you stand out from your competitors and increase your visibility to potential customers.

The two types of results are direct search results and discovery search results.

Direct searches, which happen if someone searches for your name on google will pull up your business profile which showcases, pictures, hours, phone number, address, and other relevant information.

Discovery searches are in the local map pack where google shows the “top 3 results” for your search and you can pick from there. This is typically searches like “near me” or discovery-type searches where you are trusting google to recommend a company for you.

How to Access Your Google Business Profile?

Claim and Verify Your Business Profile

The first step to optimizing your Business Profile is to claim and verify it. To do this, you’ll need to log into your Google account and follow the steps to claim your profile. Once you’ve claimed your profile, you’ll need to verify it by phone or mail.

Go to google.com/business

Click sign in or manage now

Click Add Single Business

Typically, they send a postcard to your address with a code to verify

Once verified, you are ready to start optimizing.

What to do If you have a google business profile but can’t access it

Type in your business name here and request access. It will send a notification to the owner of the account which should help you gain access.

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile

1.Fill Out Your Business Information

Make sure to fill out all the necessary information in your Business Profile, including your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and a brief description of your business. This information should be accurate and up-to-date to ensure that potential customers can find you easily.

It’s important to keep your name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistent across all your listings, this is one factor taken into consideration when ranking companies. If you have different numbers or addresses, google may lose trust in accurate information and move you down their rankings.

2. Add Photos and Videos

Adding high-quality photos and videos to your Business Profile can help attract potential customers and give them a better understanding of your business. Make sure to include photos of your storefront, products, and team to showcase what sets you apart from your competitors.

Add before and after pictures or “real” photos of projects, prospective customers do not want to see stock photos or graphics here, they want to see real work. We have found that by adding real photos, it builds trust with prospects and also shows a real side of the company that staged photos do not.

3. Encourage Reviews

Encouraging customers to leave reviews on your Business Profile can help boost your visibility in Google search results. Responding to reviews and addressing any negative feedback can also help build trust with potential customers and show that you care about their experience.

17% of your google ranking is based on review count and rating. We recommend establishing a system to gather reviews. Another benefit of reviews is that customers’ comments about your service help tell google the exact service that you provide which helps with ranking for keywords.

4. Use Posts to Share Updates

Google Posts allow you to share updates, promotions, and events directly on your Business Profile. Using Posts can help keep your profile fresh and up-to-date, and can also help increase engagement with potential customers.

Through our research, we have found that google actually indexes the content you share and the words your write and will pull from recent posts when showing results in the local map pack. This is why posting several times a week helps boost your ranking on google.

5. Use Relevant Keywords

Including relevant keywords in your Business Profile can help improve your visibility in Google search results. Make sure to include keywords that accurately describe your business and the products or services you offer.

You can do this by building out services and products with proper keywords. An example of this is the term “mold remediation”, customers would probably say “mold removal” when searching for service.

6. Choose the Right Categories

Choosing the right categories for your Business Profile can also help improve your visibility in Google search results. Make sure to select categories that accurately describe your business and the services or products you offer.

Google scrapes your website and will pull in categories based on what they think you do, but it’s important to check monthly to ensure your primary category and secondary categories are accurate with the services you want to attract business for.

7. Link to Your Website

Including a link to your website in your Business Profile can help drive traffic to your site and improve your overall online visibility. Make sure the link is accurate and leads to a relevant page on your website.

Be sure to take advantage of the appointment link as well by putting a link to your contact form, estimate request page, or online scheduling page.

8. Respond to reviews

Regularly monitoring your Business Profile can help ensure that all the information is accurate and up-to-date. It can also help you stay on top of any customer reviews or feedback, allowing you to address any issues promptly.

Google wants to see you are active and up to date with information, it builds trust that your information is accurate. Not only that but responding to reviews is a positive sign for prospects reading reviews.

9. Consider Advertising

Once you get your profile optimized with reviews, consider advertising your Business Profile through Google Local Service Ads. This can help increase your visibility in Google search results and drive more traffic to your website.

10. Use Google Q&A

Google Q&A allows potential customers to ask questions about your business directly in your Business Profile. Make sure to respond promptly to these questions and provide accurate and helpful answers to improve engagement and build trust with potential customers.

You can leverage your FAQ section on your website to answer questions directly on Google, this again is another positive sign for google and helps with rankings.

11. Highlight Unique Selling Points

Your Business Profile should highlight what makes your business unique and set you apart from your competitors. This could include your products, services, customer service, or any other aspect of your business that makes you stand out.

Professional GBP Local Business Marketing Experts

Optimizing your Google Business Profile is an important step in improving your online visibility and attracting more customers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can create a comprehensive and engaging Business Profile that will help you outrank your competitors in Google search results. Remember to regularly monitor your profile and adjust your strategy as needed to stay ahead of the competition. Looking to take your marketing to the next level? Setup a 30-Minute Strategy Meeting to discuss your business goals.