Google is playing an increasingly important role in how shoppers discover businesses, products, and services, particularly in their city and surrounding area. To monitor and manage your business’ online visibility across the world’s leading search engine, Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use online tool.
Multiple times a day, consumers rely on their digital devices to find important, and often time-sensitive information. Whether meeting local consumers through a Google Search result or a Google Maps query, the search engine giant has developed a way for your business to constantly improve its online exposure.
With a click/tap of a button, your Google My Business listing provides consumers access to your:
- Hours of operation
- Telephone number
- Website
- Address – including driving/walking directions,
- Busiest hours of operation
- Customer reviews
Step One: Claim Your Google My Business Listing
Sign into your Google account. If you do not currently using any of Google’s services, you must create an account.
Go to Google Maps.
Note: If you see a page that reads “This listing has already been claimed,” click/tap the Request access button and follow the directions to claim your business.
- Enter the street address of your business [click Next].
- Enter your business name [click Next].
- Select a business category [click Next].
- Enter a telephone number and website URL for your business [click Next].
Step Two: Verify Your Google My Business Listing
Now that you have either claimed or created your Google My Business listing, it is time to verify your business. Until you have completed the verification process, your business information will not be eligible to appear across Google. Furthermore, until you are verified you are not permitted to edit the business information that appears in Google’s products and web properties.
Verified businesses are twice as likely to be considered reputable by users.
Google
Google’s verification process helps to ensure the accuracy of your business information, and it protects you from anyone who might attempt to act as an agent of your business.
For most businesses, becoming verified means requesting a verification postcard from Google. Please note that some business owners may be able to verify their Google My Business listing through other methods, such as a telephone call, text message, email address, or the Google Search Console. If you are offered any of these options, skip this guide and follow Google’s instructions to verify your business.
Within a week, depending upon where your business is located, you will receive a postcard from Google. The postcard will include a verification code that is unique to your business. Now is the time to enter this code into your Google My Business account to confirm that your business can be found at the address you provided. To accomplish this, follow these three steps:
- Return to Google My Business and sign in using your Google account information.
- Click/tap “verify location” from the menu, or click/tap the Verify now button.
- Enter the verification code from your postcard in the appropriate field.
TIP: While you are waiting for your postcard to arrive, take pictures of the inside and outside of your business, as well as your products and services. These will make a great contribution to your Google My Business listing.
Step Three: Promote Your Business on Google
When your business’ information is live, carefully review your listing by searching for your business name in Google Search and Google Maps. If you would like to change what appears, revisit your listing and make edits to the necessary information.
TIP: Google My Business provides 750 characters for you to convey a detailed description of your company.
Promoting Your Services
The Service Description feature allows you to organize your services based on categories. To communicate additional details, you can create sub-services under each category. Each sub-service contains the following information:
- Item Name – allows for a maximum of 140 characters
- Item Description – allows for a maximum of 1000 characters
- Item Price (optional)
Promoting Your Products
Google has introduced a new type of post that is designed to highlight your products. With this introduction of this you can add:
- A photo or video to showcase your products’ remarkable features,
- The product’s name,
- The minimum and maximum price, or a price range,
- A 100 to 300 word description,
- A call-to-action button.
Google Business Video Guidelines include:
- Maximum duration of 30 seconds.
- Maximum file size of 100 MB.
- Video minimum resolution is 720p.
Videos are supported in Google Event posts, Offer posts, and Product/Services posts, and are visible on your listing in Google Maps and Google’s local search results.
Special Offers
In May of 2018, Google introduced Offer Posts. These posts enable you to offer consumers a seasonal promotional, holiday sale, or special offer. This is a great opportunity to significantly reduce the cost of branded pay-per-click ads.
Offer Posts display the following information:
- Title of promotion
- Start and end dates, times
- A call-to-action button, such as “View offer”
- Add photo or video
- Include a coupon code
- Product link
- Terms and conditions to post
Restaurants
If you are a restaurant owner, Google My Business grants access to a menu editor that creates and edits your menus without having to use a third-party menu service. With the menu editor you can add and edit titles, item descriptions, prices, and even separate your menu into sections; such as, appetizers, entrees, and desserts.
Summary
Whether it be through a Search result or Maps query, an ever-growing number of local consumers are relying on Google to find the information that is relevant to them. To monitor and manage your business’ online visibility across the world’s leading search engine, it is recommended that you use Google My Business. This free online tool allows you to communicate important business information to consumers, across Google’s products.
Once your business listing has been verified, you are eligible to use powerful promotional tools – which include photos and videos – to increase your exposure in Google properties. When used to their full potential, Product and Service posts, Special Offers, and Menus for restaurants, can significantly improve exposure and eliminate third-party services; as well as, some PPC costs.
Let’s spend 30 minutes improving your Google My Business listing. Use the form below to contact me for a FREE marketing strategy session.