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Google My Business

January 15th 2017 / SEO

Author: LOUISE CRANSTONE

Getting your Business on the Map

Achieving a prominent position within the Google local listings (map listings) is a goal for many businesses who are wanting to reach a local audience.

At Whizz Marketing, we are often asked how easy it is to achieve this. The answer is – easy, once you have:

Optimised your Google My Business profile
Gained at least 6 strong Google+ Reviews
Optimised your website to improve your local SEO
Addressed mobile user issues to make your site mobile-friendly
Regularly share quality content across the web

Tick all these elements and your business will be rewarded with a prominent position within the local search results index alongside a pin pointer on the map.

Not yet on the map? Find out how…

If your business doesn’t appear on Google maps, you need to set up a Google My Business profile and for this, you will need to have a Google account. Hopefully as a website owner, you already are using the free resources offered by Google, such as Google Analytics to track website traffic, and Google Search Console, to monitor your site health and performance in Google search. If you are, then it is best to set up your Google My Business profile in the same Google account. If you don’t use these products, then just create a Google account for your business and you can add these extra resources later.

1. Go to https://business.google.com

2. Click on Start Now – you will be asked to login to your Google account or create an account.

3. Once you have accessed your account, just follow the instructions and complete your business profile.

4. Once your profile is complete you will need to verify your listing. This is generally through a postcard system whereby Google will send a postcard to your business address that contains a Pin Code. Once received you will need to log back in and input the Pin Code. Once this verification is complete, your maps listing will go live. Sometimes Google allows email verification for a business. If this is made available to you, the verification Pin Code will be received via email.

How to Optimise your Google My Business profile

Your potential customers could just be a click away, so making it easy for people to find information about your business is crucial. Here are some Whizz Tips on how to optimise your Google My Business listing so you can be found before your competitors:

1. Check your business information is correct and update it when necessary.

2. Showcase your business with amazing photos. Google gives prominence to businesses who are posting profile photos and are regularly posting images and video through the Google+ business page.

3. Provide Opening Hours and update Special Hours such as Bank Holidays when applicable.

4. Encourage customers to leave reviews on your Google+ profile as achieving a 5* rating will give your business more prominence and helps your brand to stand out. Respond to customer feedback – you can do this as the business owner.

5. Connect with customers by posting updates about your business on Google +, post news and special offers. Your customers can +1 the post, share it and respond to it. A +1 is like a pledge of support – it is a sign of trust. Encouraging customers and followers to +1 your content is key to increasing domain authority across the web.

You can download the Google My Business app from the App Store or Google Play to manage your profile wherever you are. You can check insights, update your business hours, share photos with customers all from your phone or tablet.

If you would like more information on how to improve your local SEO, Whizz Marketing is the go-to place! Whizz Marketing is an accredited Google Partner Agency. We have the experience and knowledge to improve the visibility of your business across the web. Give us a call on 01252 622129 or visit whizzmarketing.co.uk for information the full range of SEO and online marketing support services we offer.

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