For businesses with one or more branches, you can increase the number of local customers through your Google Business Profile (GBP) and benefit from your business' local presence on Google Search and Google Maps.
However, in many local searches, Google will not show your local business listing in full if it is not complete.
3 essential statistics in a fully complete Google Business profile:
- Local businesses receive 94 % of their calls through their Google Business profile during weekdays.
- On average, users discover a local business more than 1000 times/month in local searches.
- 64 % consumers use Google Business Profile to search for contact details.
Perfecting your GBP listing is easy, just follow the simple steps in this short guide to improving your Google Business listing.
Increase the visibility of your Google Business profile
Do you have a local business? Did you know that your local business can get great search results online for free?
With Google Business Profiles, you can take advantage of local optimisation in a quick and easy way, which is especially useful for businesses with physical offices, as they appear above organic search hits, which in turn get the most clicks and phone calls. Your business could be one of them.
Once your Google Business profile is properly completed and verified, your business will appear immediately below paid listings and above organic search results. It will appear to users searching locally using the phrase "near me" (e.g. "dairy products near me" or "car mechanic near me") or using location-related keywords (e.g. "chiropractor Ljubljana"). You'll start to see important benefits such as:
- Increased visibility or your business appears at the top of local search results - more people will see your business.
- More relevant traffic: relevant traffic increases sales because users (your future customers) who find you through your Google Business profile are looking for what you sell.
- Increased number of ratings and reviews: almost all of us check, how your company is rated and read reviews or the experience of your customers before they decide to buy. A Google Business Profile makes it easier to collect positive reviews.
To enjoy these and other benefits of your Google Business Profile, you need to make sure your information is always up-to-date and accurate. This can help you avoid bad reviews that can have a negative impact on your online reputation.
How can I complete and optimise my Google Business profile?
First, find your Google Business profile by typing your business name into Google search. If your business profile doesn't appear at the top of the page, you can try searching for it at profile creation pages. If you still can't find your profile, the next step is to create a new one on the Create profile page and follow the instructions.
Google has given you three ways to complete your Google Business profile so that local SEO can start bringing in customers:
- Click on the link under the profile indicator in the top right corner.
- The sliding cursor below your entry contains a field for editing each field of the entry.
- The right column shows a mobile example of your entry, where you can see links to add or edit business information.
Let's go through each option so you understand how to get the most out of each area.
Using the "Profile Strength" indicator
The "Profile Strength" indicator is a circle in the top right corner of your Google Business profile. In the screenshot above, you can see that the circle is coloured a little over halfway. It is also bright red, which means there is still a lot of room to fill out the content in your profile. This leaves the owner with a lot of work to do to complete and optimise the Google Business profile.
Clicking on the "Fill in the details" link under the half-red circle opens a handy wizard that will guide you through each incomplete part of your Google Business profile.
For this incomplete entry, the wizard guides you through the following steps:
- Add working hours
- Turn on messaging
- Describe your company
- Add services
- Add photos of your business
Using the slider
Below your Google Business listing, you'll see a slider with a series of fields. Select the first field to move to the wizard.
Clicking on any of the other fields will take you to the editor where you can enter the missing information for that field. Some of the fields are:
- Add updates
- Set reservations
- Create an offer
- Get first opinions
- Switch on chat
- Add photos
- Add working hours
- Advertise
Let's go through each field to understand how to make the best use of each one.
Adding an update
You can write a post up to 1500 characters long and include images and a link. The post can include:
- Notifications or updates: your core services or products should be the focus. Keep your customers informed of changes.
- Products/services: it could be new, seasonal or popular products or services you offer. Add a link that will send your (potential) customers to your online shop.
- Events: They can include the title of the event, a description, start/end date or time, a photo and a link. The best way to prepare for an event is to already have a page on your website that describes the event and tag it with an event scheme so that Google doesn't get confused and pick the wrong event from the wrong website.
- Introducing the staff is a great way to give your local business a personal touch that will help customers connect before they even cross your doorstep.
We suggest that the link in your update leads to a sales or order page on your website or online shop. If your business has multiple locations, you can mass publish via the API. Posts remain active for six months, but Google encourages businesses to post more frequently.
Set reservations
Most businesses can accept bookings on their Google Business profile without directing customers to their website. If you see the "Set up bookings" tab, you are entitled to do so. You will need to work with an external booking service provider - as there are many, this will not be a problem.
Create an offer
Offers can be year-round or "evergreen" offers (available all the time), you can include special discounts or even free prizes such as an e-book. Offers have a start and end date within a range of one year. Google highlights your offer prominently in your Google Business profile - it may include a voucher code, a redemption link and terms and conditions.
Get first opinions
Word of mouth remains the most effective form of advertising, as people trust their friends more than companies. Online reviews and opinions are the equivalent of a recommendation from a friend, according to research.
More positive reviews lead to more sales and higher search engine rankings. Google makes it easy to start collecting online reviews:
- Click on the "Receive first opinions" tab.
- Copy the link provided by Google.
- Start sharing the link with your friends and best customers and ask them to rate/review it.
Remember to follow Google's rules for getting reviews, otherwise your profile may be severely limited:
- You must not offer any rewards in exchange for grades.
- Your GBP must be verified.
- Your business must be present on Google Maps.
Switch on chat
When you turn on chat, you'll see a chat button in your Google Business profile. Your customers will be able to chat with you live for free. Their messages will be displayed in your Google Business profile and you will receive notifications of incoming messages. You have the following options:
- You can customise the welcome button.
- You can share photos in the chat.
- You can allow multiple owners or employees to chat with customers.
Add photos
Photos and videos will bring your GBP to life. They will get more clicks, build trust, help customers find your physical store more easily with pictures of the exterior. Show them what to expect before they visit you with a series of photos and videos. Believe me, what they see will help them decide to visit more quickly. Don't forget to take photos of your staff - we all like to see smiling faces. You can upload here:
- a logo representing your company;
- the cover photo that appears on your Google Business profile;
- general images that tell your story.
Follow Google's image guidelines.
The photo requirements are:
- JPG or PNG format;
- size from 10 KB to 5 MB;
- a minimum resolution of 720 × 720 pixels;
- without filters or changes.
The requirements for videos are:
- a duration of less than 30 seconds;
- file size less than 100 MB;
- a minimum resolution of 720 pixels.
Add working hours
You will probably agree that it is very uncomfortable and frustrating when a customer comes to your business and finds that it is closed. Do you think she will ever come back? Probably not. You can prevent this by posting your exact opening hours and updating regularly when changes occur (e.g. if you are open during the festive season, make sure your customers know about it - and you might get a new customer at that time).
Clicking on the "Add working time" tab will redirect you to the Business Information Editor. Scroll down to the "Working hours" section and select the first option "Open with core working hours". You can set your own working hours for each day of the week and add unique options such as:
- vulnerable groups,
- delivery,
- happy hours,
- Breakfast,
- online working hours, etc.
Advertise
Clicking on the "Advertise" tab will take you through the wizard to create a Google Ad to increase traffic to your website or Google Business profile.
Google wants your local search efforts to succeed
Google is working hard to help you get the best possible user experience from your Google Business profile, as it wants to drive as much search traffic to your business (or more specifically, your Google Business profile) as possible, both on Google Maps and in Google Search.
It makes it easier for you to optimise your Google Business profile locations by providing you with a number of ways to improve or complete your profile. It only takes a few minutes. Take this time to make sure your potential customers/guests find your business. The reward for your time will be an increase in the number of customers, which ultimately means an increase in traffic. The latter is welcome in any business, isn't it?
Need help managing your Google Business profile?
If you prefer, we can take over the whole process for you. Contact us for a consultation. We are happy to help.
