Why your local business needs a Google My Business account.
Google My Business is Google’s “business directory” of sorts. It does not aggregate the list into a super-difficult-to-use website list, but rather publishes the list in search results pages (and Google Maps) when users search for certain keywords related to your business. Registering your business with Google My Business is free and helps to let searchers know that you are, in fact, a legitimate business. It can include far more useful data as well, like where you’re located, how to buy from you, and your business hours.
Benefits of a Google My Business account:
- Show up on map searching in Google search engine.
- Can put hours of operation right in search results.
- If updated regularly, you can push content from your site to search results pages.
- Respond to Google Reviews.
- Post offers, specials, photos, and news directly to your search results page.
- Complete your listing.
- Link your account to your website and vice versa.
To have the most robust search results listing, you should try to include as much information as possible when you fill out your GMB profile. Your business name, address, and phone number should be present (and accurate) at the very least. But you can also include business hours, holiday hours, a business overview, products, services, social media links, website link(s) and more!
Google My Business contributes to your overall SEO.
Having a Google My Business listing can put your business at the top of the local search results. It goes beyond just the GMB listing; it can also help you website to earn a better spot in the search results pages. Google’s local search results are based on three factors:
- Relevance – According to Google, “Relevance refers to how well a local Business Profile matches what someone is searching for”
- Distance – Distance is pretty self-explanatory. It is based on how far the business is from the location term used to search.
- Prominence – Prominence can be based on offline factors (like for landmarks and museums), but it is also based off of how much information Google has on a business. The GMB profile certainly provides them with more information (including Google Reviews).
Register your business with Google My Business.
To register your business with Google My Business, start by going to the Google My Business page. You will need to verify the business, which can involve Google sending you a physical postcard in the mail. Please make sure you provide an accurate mailing address. Once your business is verified, provide as much detail about your business as possible so that your profile is as accurate as possible.
