Among Google’s ubiquitous marketing applications is its dynamic business listing feature, Google Business Profile (GBP). Formerly known as Google My Business (GMB), GBP is available to all organizations and allows a company’s owner(s) and employees to upload and modify crucial details (including phone number, address, and hours of operation). However, setting up a Business Profile and capitalizing on its marketing potential requires digital know-how and strategy. You can turn to a marketing agency for Google Business Profile support to ensure you reap the benefits of this application.
Businesses in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, can rely on KME.digital for help managing their business profile(s). Our team offers in-house web design, SEO, and digital advertising for organizations of all sizes across numerous industries. We find creative solutions to deliver high-performing results based on our extensive digital marketing experience and cutting-edge tools. Moreover, we offer monthly contracts and transparent account management for all customers. You can learn more about our services and get a digital evaluation by calling (703) 585-3321 or visiting our website today!
Below, we explain the ins and outs of Google Business Profile optimization and why you should invest resources into it:
How Does Google Business Profile Work?
Every Business Profile gives a run-down of the subject organization’s operational details for users searching it on Google. GBPs appear at the top of the SERPs (set off in the right-hand corner) with such basic company information as address, hours of operation, phone number, website, and more.
Depending upon the information available online, your GBP might also interlink with other Google features. For example, Google Maps will show your premises’ location, Google Images will share relevant and tagged pictures, Google Reviews will share customers’ feedback on your services, and more. Moreover, GBP account holders can personalize these elements to influence how users perceive their business on Google’s SERPs.
One of the most impactful benefits of GBP is its capability to standardize details across platforms. If you change your hours of operation within the GBP interface, Google will update those hours everywhere else in its system. Such consistency is critical for digital brand-building, as it helps customers find reliable information about your business.
Why You Should Use Google Business Profile
GBP’s potential benefits for your organization more than justify the time required to optimize its details. Its collation of critical facts and placement at the top of SERPs are a boon for interested users, saving them the trouble of hunting down those details on your website. Furthermore, Google remains the internet’s dominant search engine, tallying nearly 5.5 billion queries daily. Failing to appear on Google (or appearing with contradictory information) squanders a vast pool of potential customers.
An optimized Google Business Profile also boosts your company website’s SEO. Search engines determine GBP rankings based on query relevance, a business’s proximity to users, and local prominence. If your profile is optimized, your business is more likely to appear for relevant searches in your area. An optimized GBP can also rank for keywords even if your website does not. Finally, while a GBP is not a direct ranking factor for standard organic rankings, an optimized and active profile (especially one that responds to reviews, both good and bad) communicates positive signals to Google.
Setting Up Your Google Business Profile
You must understand how to use your GBP’s interface and capabilities before you can capitalize on its benefits. First, add or claim your Business Profile using a Google account—you can create an account for free if you don’t have one already. On Google Maps, search your company’s name or address and select “Add your business” if it doesn’t appear as a search result or “Claim your business” and then “Manage now” if it does. A business that does not serve customers at their business address can still make a GBP but should leave the address field blank and instead specify a service area.
When adding or claiming a business, you’ll enter or confirm some basic company information: location, hours, website, etc. Once you do so, verify your business on Google to give your GBP further credibility. You can then leverage your GBP profile to engage with customers, supply additional information, and optimize your business’s online presence.
KME customers seeking Google My Business support sometimes ask whether they need multiple GBPs to maximize the potential of customers finding them. We recommend business owners set up numerous profiles only if they have multiple physical locations or a distinct and separate business venture from their primary one. Moreover, we discourage customers from renting virtual offices if they only use them as addresses for creating multiple GBPs. In recent years, Google has cracked down on virtual office use for Business Profiles and has strict guidelines that can make it difficult to verify these profiles or get them to rank on SERPs.
Optimize Your Google Business Profile to Interest Readers
Past, present, and potential customers must be able to find your GBP before you can interact with them. So, use the following tips to optimize your online presence:
- Check and double-check that your business’s name and contact details on your GBP match those on your website
- Update your business hours
- Select your primary business category (and any applicable secondaries)
- Add a business description that incorporates relevant keywords
- Mention your products and services
- Add your service areas
- Upload relevant photos, including the logo and the office (if you have one)
- Respond to positive and negative reviews to engage with customers
Many businesses like to receive reviews, yet they fail to respond. Responding to Google reviews shows you meet customers where they are. You can capitalize on positive customer experiences and even amend negative ones with the right approach.
Northern Virginia’s Go-To Provider for Google Business Profile Support
Although claiming and updating a company profile on Google may seem complicated and time-consuming, doing so can only help your business. Better yet, save time and effort by contacting KME.digital for Google Business Profile support. Our team of digital marketing experts and design professionals work with organizations throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, DC. You, too, can benefit from our outstanding customer support and valuable insights: call (703) 585-3321 or visit our website to learn how our marketing strategies can help your business thrive.