How To Optimize Google My Business: A Comprehensive Guide

Google My Business (GMB) is a powerful and free tool that allows business owners to manage their online presence.

While simply having a GMB profile can give you some local visibility, optimizing your GMB profile can significantly enhance your exposure.

In this article, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started with Google My Business and leverage local search to boost your marketing efforts.

When potential customers begin their buying journey, they often start with a Google search.

Whether they’re looking for a mover to hire, a carpet cleaning service or office supplies, Google has become the primary tool for finding products and services that solve their needs.

Google reports that 46% of all searches have local intent, meaning that nearly half of the users are looking for products or services within their vicinity.

These are potential customers in your area actively searching for what you offer.

In many cases, local searches display three Google Maps results, known as the local 3-pack.

When users click on these results, they’re directed to a business’s Google Business Profile (GBP).

If your business isn’t appearing in these local search results, your competitors likely are.

To improve your chances of being featured in these crucial search results, having a Google Business Profile is essential.

Optimizing your profile, a practice often referred to as GMB SEO, makes it easier for your target audience to find you and choose your services over the competition.

Claiming and verifying your company is the first step towards improving your GMB profile.

Here’s how to do it:

• Sign In: Use your Google account to log in to Google My Business.
• Search for Your Company: Type your company’s name in the search bar. If it appears, click it; if not, add it.
• Verify Your Business: Google offers several ways to verify your business, including email, phone, and postal mail. Follow the guidelines to complete the verification procedure.

Why Is Verification Important? 

Verification helps confirm that you are the legitimate owner of the company and that the information you provide about it is accurate. This procedure protects your company’s reputation with potential customers from illegal changes.

Customers are more likely to check out a complete GMB profile.

Make sure you include precise and thorough information, such as:

• Business Name: Use the same name officially registered under your business online. Consistency is essential for local SEO because changes might mislead search engines and potential customers.
• Address: Give your actual address, ensuring it corresponds with the addresses you have listed online. Maintaining the same address information across listings and directories improves local SEO and makes it easier for clients to locate your business.
• Phone Number: Use a local phone number to gain the trust of local clients. Having a local number shows that you are an approachable community member.
• Website: Link your company’s website to increase traffic and lead generation. Your website needs to be user-friendly, mobile-friendly, and SEO-optimized. Provide a link to a relevant landing page, such as your “Homepage” or “Services” page.
• Business Hours: Provide an accurate listing of your operating hours, considering any extended holiday hours. Update this information regularly to reflect changes such as extended hours during the busiest times of year for relocation or holiday closures.  
• Category: Select the category that best fits your company. Categories like “Mover” or “Moving and Storage Service” suit a moving company. Choosing the right category guarantees that your company will appear in the right searches. Additional categories are another option if you want to give a further overview of your offerings. For instance, long-distance moving, storage options, and packing services can be included as additional categories to attract more customers.

Additional Information:

• Attributes: Use attributes to draw attention to particular features or services that make your company stand out. For example: “Senior Moving Services” or “Piano Moving Specialist.”
• Service Area: Please include information in this field if your company operates from an ongoing location yet serves a specific region. For example: “Serving the Greater Tacoma Area” and “Providing Moving Services Across Richmond and Surrounding Communities.”

Photos can significantly improve your GMB profile.

They give potential customers a visual sense of your business. Here are some points:

• Profile and Cover Photos: Use recognizable, high-quality photos that accurately reflect your brand for your profile and cover.
• Interior and Exterior Photos: Images of your business’s interior and exterior will help customers find and identify your location.
• Product or Service Photos: Use high-quality pictures of your goods or services to showcase your offer.
• Team Photos: Share a photo of your employees with potential customers to show your company’s personality.

Tips for Photos:

• Use High-Resolution Images: Make sure every picture is clear and has a high resolution.
• Expose Your Best Side: Pick photos of your company’s identity and distinctive qualities.
• Updates Often: Adding new images to your gallery frequently will keep it looking fresh.

Pro Tip: Google is great at recognizing images. If your brand serves a specific location, including photos taken in that area can significantly boost your credibility. For instance, if you’re a moving company in St. Louis, take some photos of your trucks and crew with the arch in the background to validate your presence!

Customer reviews are essential for increasing your local SEO and fostering trust.

Motivate happy clients to write favorable reviews.

To demonstrate that you appreciate client feedback, you should always reply to reviews, whether they are positive or negative.

• Request Reviews: Request reviews from clients following a satisfactory service or transaction. You can accomplish this through your website, in person, or by email.
• Respond Quickly: Express gratitude to clients for positive evaluations and professionally and constructively resolve any concerns brought up in unfavorable assessments.
• Learn from Feedback: Apply the input to enhance your offerings and address ongoing issues.

Tips for Managing Reviews:

• Be Professional: React politely and professionally at all times.
• Show Appreciation: Express gratitude to clients for their time in leaving reviews.
• Address Concerns: If unfavorable reviews exist, admit the problem and explain your plans to fix it.

Using Google Posts, you can share deals, events, and updates.

Posting regularly helps maintain an informed and engaged audience.

• Create Engaging Content: Use vivid images and clear, compelling content. Ensure that the information is exciting and relevant to your readers.
• Add a Call to Action: Urge visitors to take specific actions, such as visiting your website, calling you, or finding out more information about a special deal.
• Use Different Post Types: Try a variety of post formats, including What’s New, Events, Offers, and Products, to determine which ones your audience responds to the best.

The Advantages of Google Posts

• Increased Interaction: Provide frequent updates to your audience to keep them informed and engaged.
• Increased Exposure: Make yourself more noticeable in local search results.
• Increase Traffic: Send more people to particular landing pages on your website.

Disclaimer: Google Business Profile (GBP) posts are not a direct ranking factor. However, they can encourage more user interaction with your GBP, which in turn boosts engagement and helps search engines recognize signals that may improve your business’s ranking.

Maintaining an updated GMB profile is crucial.

By regularly checking and updating your posts, images, and business details, you can ensure that they accurately represent your current state and offerings.

• Seasonal Hours: Modify your business hours for holidays and notable occasions.
• New Photos: To keep your profile updated, post new photos regularly.
• Special Offers: Post about sales or special occasions to attract more clients.
• Keep an eye on Insights: Make data-driven decisions using the GMB insights feature to learn how customers interact with your profile.

Proactive Management:

• Set Reminders: Make sure to update your GMB profile regularly.
• Remain Active: Respond to immediate modifications or updates that Google or users request.
• Engage with Users: Answer customer inquiries directly on your profile using the Q&A function.

Google My Business provides several extra tools that might improve your profile, including:

• Messaging: Enable messaging so that clients can get in touch with you directly via your GMB profile.
• Bookings: If applicable, allow clients to arrange appointments directly using the bookings tool.
• Products and Services: Provide thorough details regarding your offerings, such as prices and descriptions.