What’s Google My Business profile?

Google My Business is a user-friendly tool for businesses to manage their online presence across Google Search and Google Maps. By claiming, verifying and editing your business information, you can get prominence in Google search result pages and your customers can find you easily.

Why Should Businesses need to Claim and Verify their Google My Business profiles?

There are many reasons to have your Google My Business profile claimed and verified:

1. Maintain accurate information about your business online
   • Tell Google your hours, website, phone number, and location (a street address, service area, or place marker, depending on your business)
   • Use the mobile app to stay up-to-date with your online presence wherever you are
2. Interact with customers
   • Post photos of your business and its products and services
   • Collect and respond to reviews from customers
3. Attract new customers
   • Improve how your business appears online so new customers can find you
   • Point customers to your website

Sometimes, Google creates a business profile automatically for your business based on people’s check-ins, or Local guide’s actions; however, most of the time the information included is incomplete and is not up-to-date. After claiming and verifying your Google My Business listing, you are in complete control of your brand and information. You can update your business information whenever required. Here’s a list of 13 benefits you get once you have claimed and verified your GMB profile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zy7ySuTqwE 

1. It’s Free

Google doesn’t charge you a dime to set up Google My Business profile. The clicks you receive are totally free, unlike Google Ads where you have to pay for every single click you receive.

2. Better Visibility in Google Search Results

A complete and optimized listing can help your business appear in Google local listing when the people are searching about your products, services or events. A single click will direct your customers to your website, or they can call you directly, or they can get the directions.

In this example, we searched for “digital marketing courses dubai”, and Google shows SEO International’s Google My Business Profile among the top results.

3. Get found on Google Maps

Your customers can reach to you easily by finding your company name and reach to its office, outlet, showroom, shop or building by using Google Maps.

4. Customers/Prospects can Follow your GMB profile

As people can follow social media profiles such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram business pages and get their updates, in a similar manner your customers and prospects can follow your Google My Business profile and get notified whenever you publish a new update, event or offer on your GMB profile.

By clicking + Follow button, you can follow a business profile and receive notifications about the company’s updates, and offers.

Customers can find useful information about your business, including:

5. Working Hours

6. Busy Hours

7. Directions

8. Photos

You can add your business photos including interiors, exteriors, at work, your team photos and your brand images (like logo, cover photos, etc.) Your customers can also upload photos related to your business.

9. Call | Message | Website Link

10. Detailed Description

GMB profile gives you enough room to describe your business in details. Consider keeping SEO in mind while describing your business (products/services, locations, unique selling points, etc.)

11. Reply officially to your Customers’ Reviews

Once you have claimed and verified your Google My Business account, you will be able to reply to your customers’ reviews and they feel more connected with your brands. Your potential customers can also read your existing customers’ reviews and decide to buy your products or services based on these reviews.

12. Get Google My Business Insights

Most of your customers find businesses through Google Search and Google Maps. Google My Business Insights focuses on how customers find your listing on Google Search and Goole Maps, and what action they take after they find your listing.

13. Post Updates, Offers or Events using Posts feature

As you post updates on your Facebook Page, Instagram or LinkedIn Company Page, similarly you can post updates on your Google My Business page, like Offers, Updates, Events, etc.

SEO International, a Google Partner firm, can help you create, claim, verify, manage, and/or optimize your Google My Business profile. Your Business Profile appears right when people are searching for your business or businesses like yours on Google Search or Google Maps. We can optimize your profile so you can stand out, and bring customers in. Contact Us Today!