Did you know that 46% of searches on Google have local intent? This statistic shows the importance of optimizing its Google Business Profile (GBP) listing for a company, particularly a local business.
Currently called Google Business Profile (GBP), a GMB listing is a free service from Google that allows a brand to disseminate local information on its products and services, but above all, to improve its local reputation.
In this article, we will show you how to create, and manage, the best steps to optimize Google Business Profile listing to increase your local discernibility and attract more customers to your store.
Rise in Discovery Searches
Research data provided by Bright Local shows that businesses in the USA that use a (GMB) received more than 80% of their monthly searches from ‘discovery searches’ (e.g., dentist near me, restaurant me, bakery near me), while ‘direct.
How Consumers Search Your Local Business
In Google Business Profile, local businesses can check out the category-wise searches that consumers write to find their products or services listings. For this, we explained how many direct and discovery searches the local business receives on average and how it differs from industry, country, and over time.
Direct Search
A consumer directly searches for your business by name, address, or area.
Discovery Search
A consumer searches for a specific category, product, or service you provide, and your listing appears.
Google Business Profile Listing: What are They?
A Google business listing, commonly known as Google Business Profile or Google My Business (GMB), refers to a dedicated page on Google that provides specific information about a physical store, such as a restaurant, hotel, museum, pastry shop, salon, grocery store, florist, etc.
It is a Free Tool That has Two Main Objectives
Allow local brands and businesses to manage their online presence on Google.
Help Internet users to find companies located near their home area quickly.
Google Business Profile listings allow brands to put all their essential information. They are often associated with Google Maps and may appear in search results when users seek information about a brand or business.
Information on a Google Business Profile listing
A Google Business Profile listing is a platform for presenting essential information about your local business online. You can include details such as:
The official name of your establishment;
Your physical address, including street, city, state or region, and zip code;
Your phone number ;
Your website if you have one;
Your usual opening hours;
Photos and videos of your premises, your products or services;
Description of your business;
The benefits you offer;
Links from your social networks, etc.
GBP is the perfect tool to introduce your brand or store to local audiences. This virtual storefront makes it easy for your target audiences to find your business, get in touch, and get the information they need to visit you. Therefore, you must ensure your data is accurate and current to take full advantage of it.
Importance of a Google Business Profile Listing for a Local Business
Much more than just a listing, Google Business Profile provides a direct gateway to consumers, allowing them to discover your business or brand, explore your products or services, and leave reviews. It is a critical element in any digital strategy because it will enable a brand to create a positive first impression, increase its local visibility, interact with its customers, and collect valuable data that can increase its turnover. , all for free.
A Positive First Impression
When people search for local products or services on Google, one of the first things they see is your business’s Google Profile listing. It displays essential information such as address, opening hours, telephone number, and customer reviews. In addition to Google ratings, these are crucial elements influencing Internet users’ purchasing decisions. A comprehensive, well-maintained GBP listing with a good rating on Google is a significant asset for any business looking to thrive in the local market, as it allows it to build credibility, attract more customers, and increase visibility locally.
Increased Local Visibility
Google is currently the world’s most widely used search engine, and Google Business Profile is tightly integrated with its search results. With a well-optimized GBP listing, you can increase the visibility of your business on Google. Indeed, when a user performs a relevant search, your GBP listing may appear in local search results, on Google Maps, and even in the Knowledge Panel Area to the right of the search results. It means people can find your business more efficiently, which can result in increased traffic to your store or website.
Direct interactions with customers
One of the most valuable features of GBP is the ability to associate directly with potential customers. You can now respond to review questions, share updates, and receive messages through the GBP listing. This direct interaction with customers shows that you are attentive to their needs and allows you to improve your business’s local reputation and build customer loyalty.
Collection of useful data
Google Business Profile also provides valuable data on how customers interact with your business online. On your dashboard, you can track the number of views of your listing, clicks on your website, phone calls, and direction requests. This information can help you understand what is working well and what needs improvement in your local marketing strategy.
Remember to consider the importance of GBP in today’s digital landscape. It allows you to reach expected customers at the appropriate time.
Start creating and optimizing your Google Business Profile listing for its many benefits.
Guidelines for creating and optimizing your Google Business Profile listing.
Creating a Google Business Profile (GBP) listing is necessary for any local business.
In this part, we’ll guide you through the steps needed to create a compelling GBP listing and give you essential tips for optimizing it to reach more local customers.
How do you create an impact on Google Business Profile listing?
Creating a Google Business Profile (GBP) listing for your business is relatively simple. It can be summarized in these initial 4 steps:
Step 1: Log in to Google Business Profile
Make sure you are signed in to a Google account. If you don’t have one, you will need to create one;
1. Go to the Google My Business page using the following link:
2. https://www.google.com/business/ to access the home area;
3. Click “Manage Now” to begin the creation process.
Step 2: Start creating your business profile
1. If your business does not appear on the list of suggestions, click on “Create an establishment with this name”;
2. Then, select the type of activity you do (as indicated, you can check several);
Step 3: Add contact information
1. Add your website URL if you have one;
2. Enter the category of your business, then enter your address;
-If you chose a physical location, ensure the address is correct.
-If you perform in-home or remote services, you can check the appropriate box and specify the areas you serve.
3. Enter your main telephone number: this option, as with the URL, is optional;
4. Now validate the creation of your Google My Business listing.
***Pro Tip
Before moving to the final step, check all your business information and ensure it’s the same as what you have on other digital platforms. For example, if your business name is “Digital One Step,” don’t try to put “Digital One Step Co.” on Google Business Profile. Google despises contradictions, so even minor errors like this can weaken your local SEO activity. Check that your contact details, like local business name, phone number, address, and zip code, match what is published elsewhere. It seems small, but it matters!
Step 4: Access your Google Business Profile listing dashboard
Once your business is verified, go to your GBP dashboard and add details, such as photos, descriptions, opening hours, posts, and reviews.
Once your GBP listing is created and verified, it will be available in Google search results when users search for information about your business or similar businesses in your area.
However, to improve your local visibility and attract more local customers, don’t just create a GMB listing; ensure it is well-optimized.
06 best steps to optimize Google Business Profile listing to increase your local visibility
Now that your GBP listing is created, it’s time to optimize it to maximize its effectiveness. To optimize your Google Business profile listing, you can proceed as follows:
Step 1: Upload quality photos
Since images grab users’ attention and build trust, add photos of your business, including a profile photo, cover photo, product/service photos, and interior and exterior photos outside your company.
GMB will make suggestions based on the category of your business (for example, below, menu photos for a restaurant)
Step 2: Write a complete description
Write a precise and convincing description of your business. Highlight what sets you apart from the opponent and include relevant keywords for local SEO.
Step 3: Add your work hours
Ensure your schedules are current, including those for special days like holidays. This information is essential. It avoids confusion and lets customers know your business’s opening and closing hours.
Step 4: Get Customer Reviews
Encourage your satisfied customers to drop positive reviews on your GMB listing. Positive thoughts build credibility for your business. Also, respond professionally to reviews, whether positive or negative.
Step 5: Highlight your products and services
Use the “Products” or “Services” section to detail your offer. Include specific information, pricing if appropriate, and links to relevant pages on your website.
Step 6: Regularly update your listing
Post regular updates, special offers, and events to your GMB listing. Posts appear in search results and can attract the attention of potential customers.
All its well-optimized elements will allow you to increase your visibility and improve your local reputation. Furthermore, effective management of a Google Business Profile listing requires an effective regional digital strategy and SEO skills, hence the need to use a web marketing agency specializing in local SEO.
Why entrust the referencing of your Google Business Profile listing to a digital marketing agency?
Effectively optimizing your Google Business Profile listing to stand out among the competition requires in-depth expertise in local SEO, content management, and online marketing strategy. With increasingly sophisticated search algorithms and constantly evolving consumer expectations, it is vital to use a web marketing agency that will manage your listing by Google SEO standards.
Advantages of using a web marketing agency
There are several advantages to which a local business should entrust the referencing of its Google Business Profile (GBP) listing to a web marketing agency.
Among the latter, there are:
Specialized Expertise: Web marketing agencies typically have a team of experts specializing in local SEO, including GMB listing management, who can professionally optimize your listing.
Tracking Best Practices: Digital marketing agencies are up to date with the latest trends and have more knowledge of best practices in local SEO. They can help you comply with Google guidelines and use the latest GMB features.
Saves time: Managing a GMB listing can be time-consuming. Outsourcing this task to an agency frees up time to focus on other aspects of your business.
Continuous optimization: web marketing agencies can regularly monitor and adjust your GMB listing to improve its ranking in local search results and guarantee constant visibility.
Analytics and reporting: Agencies can provide detailed reports on the performance of your GMB listing, allowing you to measure the effectiveness of your online efforts.
Overall strategy: By working with an agency, you can integrate the management of your GMB listing into an overall marketing strategy, ensuring consistency in your online presence.
Using a local SEO company like Digital One Step is a valuable investment for brands concerned about their online presence and local visibility.
Examples of GBP Sheets optimized by Digital One Step
Digital One Step is a web marketing agency specializing in local SEO. We create websites for SMEs/VSEs and ensure they have good positioning on search engines. In this same vein, we are responsible for managing several companies’ Google My Business listings and implementing effective strategies, allowing them to gain local visibility.
Below are some of our successes:
1. Home Textile Business
The client is doing the business of Home Textile products like towels, and bed sheets in Pakistan. Google Business Profile allows us to give a better image to Studies. It is how 2 GMB files were set up referring to the geographical locations of the client.
Essential information from the research firm was highlighted:
-addresses;
-hours of operation ;
-phone numbers ;
-Google reviews;
-itinerary;
-website, etc.
In addition, for optimal management of files, our teams are responsible for monitoring customer reviews and after-sales service.
Once management was adequate, the files were redesigned and enriched, new services were added, and the old ones were reworked. Posts around promising themes are regularly published to liven up the sheet.
The efforts enabled generating a 4.5-star rating on GOOGLE after 1 year of management.
2. Food Business
The client is running a Chinese restaurant located in Lahore, the challenge with this local business was to attract prospective residents to the surrounding area.
To increase the visibility of its GMB listing, we have provided all the information that may be of interest to target audiences, such as:
The address
The menu
Opening hours
The route
Photos of the restaurant, etc.
All this optimization with optimal management of customer reviews allowed the restaurant to have a 4.8-star rating on Google!
How Digital One Step can help you?
Eh yes! We are not a poorly shod shoemaker!
The optimization of our Google Business Profile listings with all the necessary information for target audiences and optimal monitoring of customer reviews has earned us more than 5 reviews on Google and a 5-star rating!
Please take advantage of all opportunities; entrust us with managing your GMB listings so you can take advantage of all opportunities and guarantee visibility on Google.
Optimizing your Google Business Profile listing is essential to strengthening your online presence locally. This powerful tool lets you provide crucial information to your potential customers and influence them meaningfully.
However, remember that optimizing your GBP is an ongoing process. The needs of your business evolve, as do the expectations of your target audiences. Continue to monitor your performance, collect feedback from your customers, and adjust your listing accordingly.
The success of your local visibility depends on your ability to remain responsive and deliver an exceptional experience with every interaction.
For more information on the digital strategy of local businesses, do not hesitate to visit our Best Local SEO Services page.
Stay connected on our social platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube to get all the information on local SEO.
Summary
There you have it! Everything you, as a local business owner, need to know about 10 Best Steps To Optimize Google Business Profile in 2024. We have spelled out the what, why, and how of Google Business Profile, so now it’s your turn to get to work and make the magic happen. We firmly believe in this tool’s power and hope you’ll use it to its fullest potential throughout the rest of your business journey. Best of luck!
