What is Google My Business?
Google My Business (GMB), is a free tool to help you manage your online presence and drive traffic to your website and physical location. Google continues to add features to enhance the user experience and help businesses provide information customers are looking for. Get started or learn more about Google My Business at the Help Center.
Google My Business Checklist
Use the seven tips on the checklist below to create or improve your presence on Google search and maps.
1. Create a Google My Business listing and verify your business. Note: if there is already a listing for your business, claim it. Create a listing even if you don’t have a physical location. You can hide your address if needed.
2. Update all the basic information about your business, name, address, phone number, business hours, etc.
3. Monitor the insights data to see how people are discovering your business, via search or by using your name. Check out the list of keywords people use to find your business. If search terms are missing that are important to your business, it’s time to update your website content and search engine optimization (SEO). Learn about insights here.
4. Add Google My Business Posts weekly including, special offers, blog posts, product features, etc. The post image size is 720 x 720 px but many of the same graphics you use on Facebook or Instagram will also work on a Google post.
5. Add Photos weekly, especially for retail businesses (take pictures of products), and restaurants (take pictures of menu items), service providers show the exterior and interior of your space. Consider a video walkthrough of your space and add videos that help potential customers get a feel for your products/services and team.
6. Add top-selling products to your GMB listing. If you are a services company add your most popular services. This is another way to give customers information they need to visit your office or website or call you.
7. Answer reviews, especially the negative ones. Apologize, be nice, and offer to fix the issue, say something like, “I’m so sorry that happened. We would love to make it right. Please direct message me your contact information.” Thank people who give good reviews too and/or click the like (thumbs up) button.
Google My Business is more than a business listing. Use all of the features above, watch your insights and website data for what’s working, and adjust your content and approach accordingly.
Contact me to get started with, or improve your Google My Business or search engine optimization (SEO).
