Securing an Online Spot for Your Business

Securing an Online Spot for Your Business

When people go online looking for more information about a company, search engine tools like Google is their go-to. If you searched for a local business and could not find their website, business hours, and contact number, it’s most likely because their Google My Business listing was not claimed.

Google My Business is Google’s free online tool that aids business owners in managing their company’s search engine presence – especially for local exposure. As with other Google Tools, the internet company has made it easy for users to set up and claim their Google My Business listing. As such, initiating your Google My Business account is one of the essential steps in setting a substantial online presence for your products and services.

The Basics

If your company search engine marketing efforts are just getting started, Google My Business is an essential tool in helping you get the online traffic you need. There are some fundamentals to using Google My Business so you can fully understand how valuable it is for your business. Firstly, it’s free, and a listing or profile is not going to affect your website. On the contrary, a Google My Business account perfectly supplements your existing site by providing your company identity and presence tied in with Google, the most famous search engine in the entire world. The information you enter in Google My Business will also appear in other Google tools such as Google Maps, Google+, and Google Search.

Small business retailer

If you have used Google marketing tools beforehand to help your company search engine marketing endeavors, or if your business has been in operation for a while, then it’s likely that your company already has a Google My Business listing – all you have to do is claim it and verify your identity as the business owner.

Here’s how to get started on Google My Business:

  • Go to the Google My Business homepage. Find the address of your business on Google Maps, or you can add it.
  • For verification purposes, Google will either send you a letter or call the phone number you provided. This is the most time-consuming step as you will most likely have to wait for a letter in the mail that Google will send to your physical business address.
  • Check the details you have entered, and make sure that you key in accurate information about your business, including your business phone number, hours of operation, website, and other necessary details.
  • You can download the Google My Business mobile app to manage your business listing.
  • With Google My Business, your company will be easily found by users who use a search engine tool.
  • Helpful Tips

Accurate Information

Search engines favor relevant results for local searches. Businesses that provide the most detailed and accurate information will be clearer to serve in the search. Don’t leave any information to be assumed or guessed. Ensure that your Google My Business listing effectively conveys what your products and services are to your target customers, where you’re located, what areas you serve, and how they can avail of your offerings.

And of course, it’s essential to enter your hours of operation. However, it’s just as important to update them whenever necessary regularly. Google My Business’ user dashboard is easy for business owners to change their business hours for holidays or any other company-specific special events. Maintaining accurate information on your site and Google My Business profile is a surefire way to keep your site visitors happy.

Keywords Inclusion

Similar to the traditional company search engine optimization, Google makes use of multiple signals to make their search results functional. Make sure to include relevant and essential keywords and search phrases in your Google My Business content page; it will be tremendously helpful to your online marketing efforts.

Add Photos

The simple act of adding photos to your business listing will immensely help your online performance more than you probably expect. According to Google, companies with photos included on their listings get up to 45 percent more inquiries for driving directions through Google Maps and 30 percent more clicks to their websites than those other companies without photos.

Manage Reviews

Google My Business, aside from a helpful company search engine tool, is also a way for you to connect with your customers by responding to their testimonials. This gesture represents that your company values customer feedback. Positive testimonials will naturally have a good effect on potential clients when reading about your business. They also help in increasing your company’s visibility and ranking in search results.

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