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Rising Above the Competition: How to Take Your Google My Business Listing to the Top

Looking to rise above the competition and enhance your businesses' online visibility?. Google My Business is the place where your business can always be seen. Together, step-by-step, we will go through how you claim your Google My Business listing(s), steps to optimize your listing, and the benefits in customizing your URL to be short and sweet. 

Jumping into Google My Business 

 
But first, let's jump into what Google My Business is, and how it useful is for you your potential customers. 
 
Never heard of Google My Business? Only slightly familiar? Well,  Google My Business is a free, easy to use tool for businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By using Google my Business, you are able to help customers find your business and tell your story by easily verifying your business information and updating content. This is especially important when roughly 97% of customers search online to find a local business. Google My Business can improve your odds when it comes to being found through organic search, can help boost site traffic, and even attract customers with the intent to convert. 
 
Still scratching your head, wondering how to get your business to show up whenever someone searches for one of your related services or products on Google? Well, you are in the right place. In this article, we are going to walk through the steps you need to take to make your business more visible in Google's search results. 
 

1. How to Claim your Google My Business Listing 

 
Claiming your Google My Business Account takes only a few simple steps, and all you need is a Google account to begin. Here are the steps you can take to ensure your business pops up in branded Google searches:
  • Step 1: Make a Google account for your business, and then go to google.com/business. 
  • Step 2: Go to www.google.com. Type your business name and city into the search bar, click Search, then click on the “Maps” tab to search for it on Google Maps. If your business doesn’t show up, then you will need to add it. 
  • Step 3: To add your business, click three horizontal lines to the left of the search bar, then scroll down until you see “Add a missing place.” Click it. 
  • Step 4: Then, you should see a box for you to add in the details of your business, including the name, category, hours, contact, website, and opening date. 
  • Step 5: After reviewing all the details, click “Claim this business.”
Sidenote: Your business should be added to Google listings almost immediately, but it may take up to 24 hours to appear. You’ll receive an email confirming your business listing is active, along with a link to it. 
 
For a select few businesses, other verification options may exist. So when you see options to verify by email or phone. Also, if you have already verified your business website on Google Search Console, you may see the option to instantly verify your My Business claim. 
 
Go to Google My Business Help , for in-detail steps on how to claim your Google My Business Account on mobile or computer. 
 
 
 

Benefits of Claiming Your Google My Business Listing

Google My Business is packed with features to help your company reach its potential, even before a potential customer clicks through to your site. Here are some of the benefits of your company having a Google My Business account: 
  • Detail: Besides the location of your business, you can also let customers know your hours of operation and other vital info. This gives a local user an idea of when and where to visit. 
  • Analytic Information: Insights is a feature on Google My Business that lets you, the business owner track visibility, engagement, and audience details.  This allows you to see how your site is performing across demographics like age, gender, and much more. 
  • Reputation Management: There’s a dedicated section in Google My Business for reviews, where you can thank customers for positive feedback, or to respond directly to customers leaving bad reviews and offer to set things right. 
 
 

2. How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing 

 
If you're sitting here, reading this, and wondering how you can take your business listing to the next level, don't worry-- we have some great optimization tips for you. 
 
First, after your Google My Business has been set up and listing is certified, you will want to create Google My Posts , mini-blog posts (or even ads, including sale or discount notifications) that show up with your search. Ensure that your post includes a picture, or even an emoji for mobile users. 
 
Second, adding a Booking button feature can help your business stand out from the rest of the crowd. If you have a type of business that relies on booking appointments, you can make use of Google's integrated scheduling software. Also, this feature makes it easier for your business to get new customers since they do not have to leave Google to book an appointment with you. 
 
Third, messaging is important for directly connecting with new and existing customers. Go to your Google My Account dashboard and click on “Messaging.” Then, you can set up the message people will receive after sending you a message. Bear in mind, is this feature is still in its infancy and can only be used by someone on Chrome performing a mobile search. 
 
Fourth, images are crucial to your business success. Images capture the user’s focus. With many consumers saying that search results with good images pushed them towards a decision. Also, Google My Business has many visual features available that help shows your business in the best light. When choosing images, keep in mind that you want to show images of your business in action, along with thinking about the types of photos you want to use. Lastly, your listing is an awesome place to shine a light on the photos that capture your business. 
 
For more information on the various things you can do to optimize your Google My Business account, visit https://moz.com/blog/how-to-optimize-your-google-my-business-listing. 
 

 

3. How to Create a Custom Short URL to Boost Business 

 
By creating a custom short URL for your Google My Business, your account can be accessed directly, which can help customers easily find all of your operational details-- or even let them easily leave you a Google review. This short link makes it easy to share your Google My Business URL, as well as making it easy for customers to type it into the address bar. And a shorter Google My Business URL looks quite good in marketing pieces, too. 
 
If you already have a Google My Business account, consider taking these steps below: 
  • Sign into your Google My Business account
  • Open the location you want to create a short name for 
  • From the menu, click Info> Add profile short name 
  • Enter your short name, up to 32 characters 
  • Click apply. Your short name will show as pending, and when it’s ready, it’ll show on your business profile. 
 

Boosting Business

Google My Business is a great platform to get your business noticed in the search engine results, help answer customer questions, and earn reviews. Whether you have a Google My Business account or never heard of it before, keep these tips in your back pocket, because they will come in handy-- no matter if you're a an established business owner, or you're just getting off the ground with a budding business. With so many choices out there for the consumer, you want to be at the top of the results on Google. By taking these steps and learning more about Google My Business, you can gain a step up in Google's search results. 
 
 
 Tags: Google My Business Google Business Company URL
4/19/2019 8:12:00 PM | Permalink | Trackback

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