Your Website Is Not Enough: A Quick & Easy Way to Increase Google Ranking
Congratulations! You have a stunning new website that looks great on devices of all sizes.
You are sure to get a flood of new customers… right?
To tell you the truth, the answer is maybe.
A great website is a must in today’s digital world, but it is only great if people can find it.
As the largest and most wildly used search engine, Google is one of the biggest gatekeepers controlling what people see online.
Whether we like it or not, no one is directly typing your company’s URL in the address bar, and you are likely the only person who has it bookmarked.
For the rest of us, we will stumble upon your website the old-fashioned way through a Google search.
For this reason, the state of your Google business profile could make or break your company’s online presence.
Creating a Google business profile will take no more than 15 minutes and drastically increase your company’s chance of ranking in search results for your business name and relevant keywords.
What Is A Google Business Profile?
If you have ever searched for a local business online, there is a good chance you have seen a detailed section about the company on the right-hand side of the screen.
This information panel is a Google business profile, a free tool formally known as Google My Business.
Having the ability to create and manage this business profile allows you to directly affect how your company is presented in a Google Search.
Maintaining a Google business profile also comes with several local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) benefits. The most noteworthy of these is its integration with Google Maps.
Adding a valid business address will list your company among other local businesses in your area to help prospective customers find you.
4 Steps To Creating A Google Business Profile
1. Connect To A Google Account
To get started with a Google business profile, simply navigate to the Google Business Page and click the “Manage Now” button.
You will then be prompted to connect to a Google Account. Ideally, this will be a company email with your custom domain set up through Google Workspace.
However, if your company is not set up with Google Workspace, you can make a free account with Gmail that will get the job done.
Just remember, since this account will be used to manage your business profile, it is recommended that you use a professional-sounding email address (i.e., yourcompany@gmail.com).
2. Search For Your Business Name
Using the search bar provided, start typing the name of your business.
If your company name comes up, you may have an existing business listing set up by someone previously. In this case, Google will allow you to request access to help manage this profile.
However, if nothing comes up, Google will prompt you to create a business with that name.
3. Add Your Business Information
From here, you will simply follow the prompts on the screen and add any relevant information about your business.
The more accurate information you can provide, the better, as Google uses it to serve content to their search users (your potential customers).
Just remember that any information that you add will be public for the whole world to see.
4. Verify Your Business Listing
Once you have added all of our business information, you will be asked to verify that you are the business owner.
Google has several different ways of doing this, including email, phone, and postcards.
If you have a company email through Google Workspace, email verification will be your easiest option.
However, if you use a free Gmail account, as mentioned above, you may be limited to verifying via phone or postcard.
The phone verification is almost instant, but the postcard may require up to 14 days to reach your business address.
Regardless of the means, each verification method will provide you with a unique code that you will then enter to prove you are who you say you are.
Keeping Your Listing Up-To-Date
Now that your listing is verified, your Google business profile will be live for all to see. It is now up to you to keep the information up-to-date.
The Google Business Profile Manager is where you can update your business hours, change a phone number, add a few photos, and anything else.
From here, simply select your business from your list and get to editing.
Build Credibility With Customer Reviews
One of the many benefits of setting up a Google business profile is the ability to collect and display customer reviews easily.
Once your profile is live, new customers will naturally start interacting with your listing by posting reviews.
If you are just starting, you can jumpstart this process by sending previous customers a review link and asking for their honest feedback.
This link can be generated by clicking the “Share review form” button in the “Get more reviews” section of the Google Business Profile Manager.
All reviews are then visible to the general public through your Google business profile information pane and Google Maps.
Final Thoughts
Overall, claiming your free business profile on Google is a great digital marketing move for both small business owners and large businesses alike.
It provides an easy way to maximize visibility in Google search and maps helping potential customers find you.
Get started today by claiming your Google business profile for free!
