A Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is an essential tool for trade owners who want to increase their visibility online, particularly in local search results. It allows businesses to appear in Google Search and Maps, providing vital information such as location, hours of operation, and customer reviews.
Imagine a local bakery owner discovering that potential customers are struggling to find their location or information online. By setting up a Google Business Profile this bakery can ensure that whenever someone searches for “bakeries” on Google, this particular bakery has a chance to appear in the search results. Thus increasing store foot traffic and improving customer interaction.
In this article, we will walk you through how to register and optimize your Google Business Profile step by step, covering everything from verification to profile optimization for local SEO success.
Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows enterprises to manage their online presence across Google Search and Maps.
By registering your company on Google Business Profile, owners can ensure that their company information, such as hours, location, and contact details, is accurate and easily accessible to potential customers.
Maintaining a Google Business Profile is crucial for improving local search visibility. It helps enterprises appear prominently in local search results, making it easier for customers nearby to find relevant services or products. This is very useful for companies that want to target the local market, because “near me” searches on Google have increased by 200% over the past couple of years.
Ultimately, this profile bridges the gap between companies and local customers, fostering better engagement and trust.
Google Business Profile can be integrated with various other platforms to create a 360-degree marketing strategy.
For example, the store and product locator WP Maps has a feature that enables users to synchronize their Google Business Profile with their WP Maps account.
For those wondering what WP Maps is; it is an application that businesses use to easily add a store and product locator widget to your website.
A store and product locator widget is an extremely useful tool for companies that want to bring customers from their website to their physical location.
Creating a Google Business Profile is crucial for any enterprise aiming to improve its online presence and attract local customers.
When you search for “near me” on Google, such as “bakeries near me”, or “cafes near me”, etc. you will find a list of businesses on the top page of Google. This list is called a map pack.
When a person wants to search for something within their locality, they will usually do a “near me” search. Furthermore, over the past couple of years, “near me” searches have increased by a whopping 200%.
A well-optimized Google Business Profile is more likely to show up in the map pack. As a result, your business will gain more visibility because it will be one of the first things a person will notice when they do a “near me” search.
By setting up and optimizing your profile your enterprise can appear in Google Search and Maps, increasing visibility when people search for nearby services. Furthermore, increasing your online visibility is an excellent way to increase foot traffic to your retail store.
A Google Business Profile also helps companies build trust by displaying customer reviews and ratings, encouraging more engagement. Additionally, it allows businesses to share important updates, promotions, and events, making it easier to connect with potential customers and boost local SEO performance.
As we mentioned, having a Google Business Profile can significantly boost your SEO performance. Moreover, having an improved SEO metric is a sure way to get more customers to come to your physical store location due to the increased visibility you get by improving your company’s SEO.
Here are a few SEO strategies that beauty store owners and restaurant owners can use to boost their visibility.
Without a Google Business Profile, your enterprise loses valuable SERP (Search Engine Results Page) real estate, which reduces your visibility in local search results. This could lead to potential customers choosing competitors that do have a presence on Google Maps and Search.
Establishments without a profile also miss out on customer reviews, which are crucial for building trust and attracting new clients.
Additionally, having no profile risks damaging your reputation, as outdated or incorrect information from third-party sources could mislead customers.
Start by logging in to the Google account that you want to associate with your company. If you don’t already have an account, create one.
It’s essential to use an account that you can access regularly, as this will be the same account you use to manage your Google Business Profile in the future.
Navigate to the official Google Business Profile site. Once on the site, click the “Manage Now” button. This will prompt you to begin setting up your profile.
Next, you will need to enter your business name. For consistency, this should match the name you use across all platforms. If your company is already listed, you can claim it here. If not, proceed to create a new profile. Consistency is crucial because:
Selecting the right category is critical as it helps Google match your company with relevant searches. Begin typing the category that best describes your business, and a drop-down menu will appear with suggestions. You can choose the most fitting category for your services.
If you operate from a physical location, enter your full company address, ensuring that it’s accurate. If you do not have a physical storefront but offer services (like delivery or home visits), you can skip the location and instead specify your service area.
If you have a physical location where customers can come and visit, then in this step you will be asked to provide your business address. Entering an accurate business address will enable customers to easily find your place of business.
Alternatively, you can always use a store locator software, such as WP Maps, to add a store locator widget to your website. A store locator widget is used to show all your store locations on a map. Furthermore, it also provides accurate information (such as directions, addresses, store timings, etc.) to your website visitors on how to get to your physical stores.
If your business offers home delivery or office visits, you can highlight these options in your Google Business Profile to reach more customers. Instead of specifying a physical location, you can select “Yes” to deliver or provide services at customers’ locations.
You can modify your service areas later for better accuracy.
In this step, you’ll enter your company phone number and website URL. This information will help customers contact you directly or learn more about your services. If you don’t have a website, you can select the option to skip this, though it is highly recommended to have a digital presence.
Verification is an essential step to ensure that only legitimate business owners can manage the profile. Google offers several verification methods depending on your location and type of enterprise, including:
Once you’ve selected your preferred method and received the code, enter it into your Google Business Profile dashboard.
After verification, it’s time to fully build out your profile. Adding complete and accurate information improves your chances of appearing in search results. Here’s what you should include:
The more detailed and accurate your profile, the more likely you are to attract local customers.
Once your Google Business Profile is set up, you may be eligible for up to $1,000 in free advertising credits through Google Ads. This offer allows you to promote your business directly in Google Search and Google Maps, helping you reach a larger audience.
If you skipped the verification process in step 8, then you will be required to verify your business before your profile will be live.
In some cases, a person can create a profile of your business on Google Maps. However, they won’t be able to interact with the profile until it is verified. Therefore, you will be able to claim this profile by verifying that it is indeed your business.
If your business is already listed on Google, you can claim it by following these steps:
Optimizing your Google Business Profile helps improve your local visibility and engagement.
Follow the below steps to ensure your profile performs well in local searches.
Ensure that all company details—address, contact information, hours of operation, and trade categories—are filled out thoroughly. Incomplete profiles may reduce your visibility and trust with potential customers.
Maintaining up-to-date contact details is crucial for customers to reach you. This includes your phone number, website URL, and physical address or service area.
Inaccurate details can lead to confusion and missed opportunities.
Selecting a primary business category and relevant secondary categories is key for appearing in the right searches.
Categories help Google match your business to search queries.
Mark applicable attributes such as “women-owned,” “wheelchair accessible,” or “free Wi-Fi” to further specify your services. These help attract specific customer groups and improve your visibility.
Your trade description should clearly outline your services or products while including targeted keywords to boost discoverability.
Use industry-related terms that reflect your expertise and offerings.
Regularly publish Google Posts to keep your audience informed about offers, events, or news.
Weekly updates keep your profile dynamic and relevant, and they may influence search rankings.
Fresh visuals—such as images of your store, products, or services—can help keep your profile engaging. Adding new photos encourages customer interaction and highlights the experience your business offers.
Showcase products, staff, and store ambiance.
Actively respond to customer reviews, both positive and negative. This interaction builds trust and shows that you value customer feedback. You can also respond to common customer questions to help future visitors.
Highlight your offerings by adding details about your products and services. Include pricing, descriptions, and availability to help customers make informed decisions.
Activate the messaging feature to allow customers to contact you directly through your Google Business Profile. This is an effective way to engage in real-time communication and improve customer satisfaction.
Continuously maintain your profile by updating information like holiday hours, new products, or changing business circumstances. Adding industry-specific terms and keywords further enhances discoverability.
Include links to your social media profiles to engage with customers across multiple platforms. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, which help boost your company’s credibility and visibility.
If you have a store locator widget added to your website, then after creating and optimizing your profile you may want to consider upgrading your store locator by synchronizing your Google Business Profile with your store locator.
1- Is Google Business Profile free?
Yes, using Google Business Profile is 100% free, there are no costs whatsoever.
2-How long does verification take?
Verification usually takes between 5-7 days when done via postcard, but other methods like phone or email may be faster.
3-Can I manage multiple locations?
Yes, Google allows you to manage multiple business locations from one account using the “Business Locations” feature.
4-How can I resolve duplicate business listings?
Use Google’s Business Profile dashboard to either merge or report duplicate listings.
5-Do you need a website for Google My Business?
No, but having a website improves your visibility and customer engagement.
6-Can multiple people manage a Google Business Profile?
Yes, you can assign multiple managers to your business profile with varying access levels.
Setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile is essential for any company or enterprise looking to improve local search visibility and customer engagement.
By registering your company, completing all profile sections, and keeping your information updated, you can increase your chances of appearing in local search results. As a result, you will have taken the first step to grow your business to new heights.
Engaging with customer reviews, adding fresh photos, and regularly posting updates are also key to maintaining an active and effective profile. With this step-by-step guide, you’re now equipped to claim, verify, and optimize your profile for long-term success.
Talha has 3 years of experience in writing blogs and guide articles about topics that cover e-commerce practices, WordPress plugins, and SaaS apps. His blogs are SEO-oriented and have ranked high on SERPs. His main goal is to convey complicated topics in an easy-to-understand format for his readers. Usually, this involves thoroughly researching a topic beforehand before translating it into a comprehensible article. Talha has completed his bachelor’s from the American University of Sharjah where his passion for writing and communication was sparked by learning to write about a wide range of topics such as social issues, history, and scientific methodology. His main area of expertise was writing technical papers that were easy to digest by a general audience.
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