In today’s digital age, where the vast majority of consumers turn to the internet for information, it’s no secret that online visibility is key to the success of local businesses. One of the most potent tools to achieve this is Google Business Profile (Google My Business).
I am Jane from Influence Agency, the leading advertising agency in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In this blog, I will explore the vast potential of Google My Business and provide you with the knowledge you need to harness its capabilities effectively.
What is Google Business Profile (Google My Business)?
A Google Business Profile is a cost-free business listing offered by Google, permitting you to manage your business information and photos, including your business’s location, offerings, and products.
To understand the concept of a Google Business Profile and its functionality, let’s ensure that we have a grasp of what a Business Profile entails.
Your Google business listing is your Google Business Profile. Creating this profile is a smart strategy to boost your presence through various Google services. Data from your Google Business Profile could surface in Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Shopping.
If you run Google Ads campaigns, having an updated and optimized Google Business Profile can enhance the relevance and credibility of your ads, especially for local searches.
Creating a Business Profile can be done by anyone, be it a stranger or an automated listing generator. A business name, an address, and a category are required for this process. Upon confirmation that it’s not a duplicate, Google will then generate the Business Profile for that specific location.
This means that regardless of whether you created the Business Profile or not, you may lack the authority to control the information it presents or the reviews it accumulates.
Your Business Profile can become accessible to consumers, enabling them to post reviews, include photos, ask questions, and even provide answers.
Additionally, your Business Profile can be enriched with data gathered by Google from various online sources. That’s why it will be a loss for you if you don’t have any authority to control your Business Profile.
Google My Business can help with that. You may access, manage, adjust, and improve your Google Business Profile by creating a Google My Business account. The best part is, it’s all free of charge.
Now I will show you how to create a Google My Business account.
How to create a Google My Business account
I bet you are wondering, “Is it real that my Business Profile can become a powerful marketing asset for my business? Where can I get started? “
I will show you how, but first, please keep in mind that having a Google My Business account doesn’t automatically generate a Business Profile, or automatically provide you with immediate access to your Business Profile. In other words, a Business Profile can operate independently without a Google My Business account.
A Google My Business account just grants you access to a Business Profile and the capacity to enhance it. So, you should ensure you already have an existing Business Profile in place to access.
Now, let’s start.
Step 1: Sign in to Google Business Profile Manager
If you’re already signed in to a Google account, you’ll be automatically logged into the Google Business Profile Manager. If not, you can enter your regular Google account login information, or if you don’t have one, you can create a new Google account.
Visit Google My Business page and click “Manage now.” This will guide you through the process of setting up your account.
Step 2: Add your business
Provide your business name. As you type, Google will present a dropdown menu featuring existing businesses from its database.
If your business doesn’t appear in the dropdown menu, click “Add your business to Google.” If your business is already on the dropdown menu, skip to the FAQs section to learn how to claim your business.
Following that, select the relevant category for your business and click “Next.” This category helps Google understand the nature of your business, making it more discoverable. You can modify your business category or add additional categories at a later time.
Step 3: Input your location
If your business has a physical location for customer visits, input your business address. You might also be required to indicate the location on a map.
If your business doesn’t have a place for customers to visit but provides in-person services, you can define your service areas and proceed to the next step.
If you don’t provide a physical address, Google will prompt you to specify the region in which your business is centered. You can either select a recommended area from Google’s suggestions or begin typing the name of the region you serve, and then click “Next.”
Step 4: Fill out your contact information
Input your business phone number and website address for customer contact, then click “Next”.
For the best results, your website should be tracked by Google through tools like Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console. This can make your Google Business Profile verification become faster in Step 5. If you’re not sure how this works, you can reach out to Influence Agency for website services.
If you don’t wish to be contacted by phone or website, you can click “Skip” as this information is not mandatory.
Step 5: Verify your business
Your Business Profile won’t be discoverable until it’s confirmed. So, even though you can choose to postpone verification during the initial setup, verification will be necessary at a later point.
Input your actual physical address. This address is solely used for the purpose of verifying your business and will not be visible on your Google Business Profile or disclosed to the public.
Provide your address and click “Next.” You’ll then be presented with the relevant choices for verifying your account.
There are five methods to verify your account:
- By phone. You’ll get a call or text from Google that provides your verification code.
- By email. An email containing your verification code will be sent to you.
- By postcard. A postcard containing your verification code will be sent to your registered address.
- By video recording. Create a video that demonstrates evidence of your location, business equipment, and your role as an authorized manager of the business.
- By live video call. Present the same evidence as in the video recording, but in a live call with a support agent.
Verification might require more than one method. The methods depend on factors such as your business category, public information, geographic location, support hours, and the scale of your business.
If your business has a physical address, in most cases, you’ll be required to verify it by postcard. This postcard will include a five-digit code that you will need to input when logged into your account.
According to Google’s announcement, you will receive this postcard within 14 days, which is a very long time. Yet, there are situations where businesses don’t get the postcard within 14 days.
To make sure your Business Profile gets verified, you can rely on Influence Agency’s Google Maps Verification service. We’re here to help you save time and make the process smoother.
If your business doesn’t have a physical location, you’ll have to use your personal address for verification.
After you’ve obtained your five-digit code, input it on the following screen and select the “Verify” option. This will lead you to a confirmation screen indicating that you’ve been successfully verified. On this screen, click “Next.”
If none of the provided verification methods suit your business, don’t hesitate to reach out to Influence Agency for assistance.
Step 6: Customize your profile
Input your business operating hours, messaging preferences, business descriptions, and photos. Once you’ve completed this, click “Continue,” and you will be directed to the Business Profile Manager dashboard.
In the next section, I’ll delve into how to optimize your Google Business Profile.
How to optimize your Google Business Profile
Google assesses local search ranking through three ranking factors:
- Relevance: The degree to which your Google My Business listing aligns with a search.
- Distance: The distance from your business location to the search or the searcher’s location.
- Prominence: Your business’s level of recognition, influenced by factors such as backlinks, review quantity, review quality, and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
Here are some actions you can implement to optimize your Google Business Profile through these factors so that you can improve your local search ranking.
Complete all elements of your profile
Having a completed Google Business Profile increases the possibility that customers will perceive your business as credible and are more likely to visit your physical location.
Google suggests that businesses providing complete and precise information are more effectively matched with relevant searches. This enhances your relevance. It is important to inform Google’s users about your services, your location, and your business hours.
If your business hours vary during holidays or seasons, ensure that you update current information.
Write your business description
Google offers you a 750-character space to concisely describe your business. Google advises using this business description to offer valuable information on your offerings, services, business’s mission and background. Following their recommendations, your business description should encompass:
- Details about your products or services
- Your distinctive selling points
- A brief history of your business
- Any other information that potential searchers might find helpful
After composing your business description, you should check if there are any spelling or grammatical errors. Google might suspend your Google Business Profile if there are inaccuracies in your profile.
Just deliver a pertinent description rather than excessively numerous keywords. Google also offers guidance on what to avoid including in your business description, such as:
- Offensive content
- Hyperlinks
- HTML code (ensure all content is in plain text)
- Sales notifications, special deals or promotions
- Incorrect or confusing information
- Vulgar language
- Spelling errors or incoherent text
Verify your location
Having your business location verified enhances your local ranking in local search results across various Google platforms. Moreover, verifying your location contributes to an improved score for the distance ranking factor.
If you skipped the verification of your location during the account setup, you can now request your verification by visiting Google My Business page.
Add real photos and videos of your business
Enhance your Google Business Profile by using photos that match those on your social profiles, making it easier for people to recognize your brand.
That’s not all. You can also add more business photos to your Google Business Profile. Include photos and videos that showcase your location, workplace, and team. You can add exterior and interior photos, product photos, pictures of your team at work, and shots of common areas.
For instance, if you’re running a restaurant, share photos and videos of your dishes, menus, and dining area. Ensure that these visuals are appealing, professional, and of high quality. According to Google, businesses with photos and videos tend to receive more requests for directions and more clicks through to their websites.
According to Google’s recommendation, your photos should meet the following standards:
- Format: JPG or PNG.
- Size: Between 10 KB and 5 MB.
- Resolution: 720 px tall, 720 px wide.
- Minimum resolution: 250 px tall, 250 px wide.
- Quality: The photo should be in focus and well-lit, with no significant alterations or excessive use of filters. In other words, the photo should represent reality.
Regarding videos, make sure your videos meet the following requirements:
- Duration: Up to 30 seconds long.
- File size: Up to 75 MB.
- Resolution: 720p or higher.
Here’s how to add or edit photos to your profile on Google:
1. From the dashboard, click on “Add photo” in the left menu.
2. Add your logo and cover photo. You have the option to upload a photo, select one from your Business Profile albums, or choose a photo where your business is tagged.
3. If you wish to add additional photos and videos, simply click on “Photo” at the top of the photos page.
Include keywords in your profile
Employing appropriate keywords can help you enhance relevance. If you’re unsure about how to begin, consider using Google Trends, Keyword Planner, Google Analytics and other tools for monitoring social media. These tools can assist you in identifying the keywords that people use when searching.
If you find trouble using these tools, you can contact Influence Agency for SEO services. Our keyword research will help you out.
Integrate these keywords naturally into your business description, but avoid overloading it with keywords or using irrelevant ones, as this can potentially harm your search ranking.
Encourage and answer reviews and questions
People tend to have more trust in reviews from their acquaintances. A positive review can sway potential customers in your direction. Reviews also enhance your Google ranking.
The right moment to request a review is after delivering an excellent experience. To simplify this process, Google offers a direct link for you to ask customers to review your business.
Here’s the steps to share your review request link:
1. From the dashboard, click “Ask for reviews” in the left menu.
2. You will see a link to your review form. Incorporate this link into a message for your customers, or into your autoresponder and digital receipts.
3. To view and reply to reviews, simply click on the “Read reviews” tab in the left menu of your dashboard.
It’s important to reply to all types of reviews, whether they are positive or negative. Maintain a professional tone that aligns with your brand voice. When replying to a negative review, you should be sincere and, when appropriate, extend an apology. This demonstrates to Google users that your business is engaged and reliable.
You cannot hide reviews on your Google Business Profile, but you do have the option to flag and report any reviews that are inappropriate. Please explore more in the FAQs section.
Keep your business information up to date
Ensure you update your business profile whenever you make changes to your business hours, contact details, and so on. If you have special holiday hours or any occasional changes, be sure to update them in your Google Business Profile.
To update your business information, you can visit the dashboard for edits at any time. You can also directly edit your business details through Google Search or Google Maps. Simply search for your business name to access the editing panel.
Another option is to generate Google My Business posts (Google Posts) for sharing updates, product information, promotions, and events. To create and publish Google Posts, follow these steps:
1. Go to the dashboard and select “Add update” from the left menu.
2. Select the type of post you wish to generate, such as a special offer, an event announcement, or an update about a service. Each post type requires different information to be filled out.
Here are the types of Google Posts you can create:
- Offers: Special deals or sales promotions your business is running. This includes a title, start and end date, along with a photo or video. You can also add a coupon code, link, and specific offer details.
- Updates: General updates about your business or links to recent blog posts. This may involve a photo or video, a description, and an action button.
- Events: Promoting events hosted by your business. This requires a title, start and end dates, as well as the event time. You can also include a description, a photo or video, and an action button.
Once you’ve selected the button type, you’ll need to insert a link, which is where visitors will be directed when they click the button.
3. Click “Preview” to preview how your post will appear once it’s live. Make any necessary adjustments.
4. When you’re satisfied with how it looks, click “Post”. Your post will become visible on your Google Business Profile.
For optimal results with your Google Posts, remember to include high-quality photos and maintain a regular posting schedule.
Posts typically remain visible for seven days, unless you choose an “Event” post with a longer duration. However, since only a couple of posts are visible simultaneously, you don’t need to have more than two live posts at a time.
Keep your content concise and to the point. While you can technically include up to 1,500 words, only about 75-100 characters will be visible in the preview.
Add special features and attributes
Your Google My Business account offers category-specific special features based on your chosen category. Here’s an overview of these special features:
- Hotels can showcase class ratings, sustainability initiatives, key features, check-in/check-out times, and available amenities.
- Restaurants, coffee shops and bars can upload menus, photos of dishes, and popular menu items.
- Service-oriented businesses can provide a list of their offered services.
- Healthcare providers can include health insurance details.
- Businesses also gain access to various category-specific buttons, such as appointment bookings, reservations, and order options.
If you believe your business qualifies for any of these features but are not visible, you may have selected an incorrect category. You can select as many as ten categories for your business.
You also have the option to include attributes in your profile to provide additional information that your customers might find valuable. For instance, if you operate a store or restaurant, you can highlight features like wheelchair accessibility, free Wi-Fi, or outdoor seating.
Here’s how to add attributes:
- From the dashboard, click “Edit profile” in the left menu.
- Within the “More” section, click the pencil icons next to “From the business”, “”Accessibility”, “Amenities”, and “Crowd”. Then, choose “Yes” or “No” for each attribute according to the situation of your business, and click “Save.”
Your updates may require up to three days to become visible to the public.
Add your products
If you’re engaged in selling products, it’s crucial to ensure that your Google Business Profile features an accurate and current inventory. Not only will these products be visible on your profile, but they can also be showcased on Google Shopping.
To add products to your Business Profile, access the dashboard and choose “Edit products” from the left menu, then click ‘Get Started’ to add products.
You can upload product images and enter product name, price, category, description, and URL. Click “Publish” and your product will appear like this:
Make use of Google’s free marketing tools
Google offers several free marketing tools to help businesses improve their online presence. Some of the notable free Google marketing tools include Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Google Ads Keyword Planner, Google Trends, and more.
Add questions & answers
You can deliver essential information by posting responses to customer questions directly on your profile.
Make sure to stay responsive to customer questions. This not only offers your customers current information about your business, but also contributes to enhancing your reputation and credibility.
To see these questions, begin by searching for your business on Google Maps. Click “More questions”. On the page, you’ll see a list of unanswered questions in the “Others are asking” section, along with answered questions below.
To provide responses, click “Answer this question” or “See all answers”.
You also have the option to submit your own questions. Just use it as an FAQ page.
If you come across outdated or incorrect answers, you can post the accurate response or click on the three dots next to the inaccurate answer to report it.
Why you need a Google My Business account
Boost your visibility on Google
Whether you’re aiming to attract physical visitors or online traffic, Google is the primary source of search referrals. A Google Business Profile is a vital tool for ensuring that potential customers discover your business when they search for products and services near them.
Your Google My Business listing not only provides searchers with information about your business’s location and how to reach it but also enhances your local search engine optimization (SEO). Specifically, a local business listing is more likely to appear when people search for nearby businesses using Google Maps.
Manage your online business details
With your Google My Business profile, you have the ability to manage and modify your contact details, operating hours, and other critical information as required.
You can also publish updates to inform users about service expansions, temporary closures, or complete reopenings. Google Business Profiles have robust local SEO, which means the information you provide will rank higher than third-party websites that might have outdated information.
Foster trust through customer reviews
Customer reviews play a pivotal role in cultivating trust. Google’s star rating system and space for detailed reviews enable customers to share their experiences with your business to the extent they prefer.
All this valuable feedback helps potential customers make informed decisions on whether they should visit your business or buy your products.
It’s natural to feel worried about receiving reviews on such a public platform because you cannot cherry-pick the Google My Business reviews you wish to showcase. However, a mix of positive and negative reviews is more trustworthy than an abundance of positive reviews.
Acquire valuable insights
Use the Google My Business dashboard to gain insights about your customers and local search performance.
Within the Performance section, you can review the keywords that customers use to discover your Business Profile, identify whether they see you via Google Maps or Google Search, gain an understanding of the interactions on your Profile, and compare your Profile to other Profiles in a similar category.
Also, you can contact Influence Agency to explore methods to track clicks from Google Analytics.
Use Google My Business for SEO
Similar to how Google employs algorithms to rank advertisements and websites, it also uses one for ranking Business Profiles. Within your Google My Business dashboard, you have the ability to integrate keywords into your Business Profile and execute optimizations to enhance its ranking in local search results.
Google prioritizes sections of your profile according to the search terms and the most relevant information for consumers in your category. Moreover, Google identifies and highlights keywords in your profile’s content that seem relevant.
To facilitate this, your profile must contain relevant information and keywords. To use Google My Business for local SEO, you need to focus on three factors: targeting, information quality, and trust.
Targeting
When using Google My Business for SEO, it’s essential to include relevant keywords in your Business Profile. This helps convey to Google the specific terms you want to rank for.
Incorporate these keywords naturally in various elements of your profile, including the description, responses to reviews, answers to questions, and Google Posts.
Maintain information quality
The accuracy and thoroughness of your Business Profile directly influence its ranking. It’s crucial to supply all the requested information within your Google My Business dashboard. Ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of your contact details, business hours, and attributes.
Nurture trust
To nurture trust, it’s essential to maintain the accuracy of your business information. You should encourage a consistent flow of customer reviews and actively engage with them. Remember to show Google that you are active by regularly uploading photos and publishing posts through your Google My Business account.
SEO holds significant importance for all businesses. Small businesses can harness the power of SEO to compete with larger competitors on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). That’s why a Google My Business account is vital for any business to optimize its presence within its local market.
Concerned about your online presence? Influence Agency can help you. We’re here whenever you need us.
FAQs
How to flag and report inappropriate reviews
- Find your Business Profile on Google Maps.
- Find the review you’d like to report. Click on the three dots next to it.
- Choose “Flag as inappropriate.”
How to claim an existing, unclaimed/unverified listing
Google auto-generates and continually updates business information, which means an unmanaged, unverified listing of your business might already exist in Google’s database.
To solve this, you just need to claim your listing. By claiming your listing, you gain the ability to maintain accurate business information, share updates, and engage with customer reviews and questions. Here are steps to get it done:
1. Search for your business on Google Maps. If your business doesn’t appear on Maps, it’s likely that the listing doesn’t exist. In this situation, you’ll need to create a new one.
2. After you find your business on Google Maps, search for the “Claim this business” button.
If you don’t see this button, there are two possibilities:
- The listing is already verified. To claim a verified listing, you must contact the current business manager. See how in the next question of this FAQs section.
- You are the profile manager. Log in to your Google account and go to your Business Profile Manager dashboard to check if the listing has already been assigned to your account.
3. On the next page, click the “Manage now” button if you are certain that the listing belongs to your business. Otherwise, select “I own or manage another business” to begin creating a new listing.
4. Verify your business to prove to Google that you are the rightful manager of the business listing you’re claiming. Google grants management rights, allowing you to respond to reviews and update information only after successful verification. After verification, you’ll gain access to manage the listing via your Google Business Profile Manager dashboard.
How to request access to a Google Business Profile managed by someone else
- Head to the Create page and search for your business. You’ll encounter a drop-down menu featuring pre-existing listings in the Google database. From this menu, choose the business listing that you wish to claim.
- Google will verify that the listing you intend to claim is associated with an email address. If that email address belongs to you, sign in with it, and you should then have access to the listing. Otherwise, click the “Request Access” button.
- Following this, Google will prompt you to provide some personal information, including your name, contact number, the level of access you require, and your relationship to the business. Upon submitting this information, the account holder managing the listing will receive your request. They have three days to either approve your access to the profile or decline your request.
If you don’t receive a response, it’s possible that you’ve been granted permission to claim the profile independently. To do so, go to your Google Business Profile Manager dashboard and search for the option to claim your business.
Google will grant full management access to your new business listing seven days after you become the new owner.
Can I pay for a better local ranking on Google?
It is impossible to make a request or payment to improve your local ranking on Google. Google maintains the confidentiality of the search algorithm to ensure a fair ranking system for all users. If you want to have a better ranking, you can contact Influence Agency for advice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, harnessing the power of Google My Business can be a game-changer for your online visibility and local SEO efforts.
However, this process is quite complex and time-consuming. To save time, you can leave it to Influence Agency, the leading advertising agency in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We are committed to providing the best quality.
Head office: 1st Floor. KVBC Business Center, Keo Chenda St Phum 3, Sangkat Chroy Changvar, Khan Chroy Changvar, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Hotline: (+855) 67 74 00 00
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://theinfluence.ai
