Google My Business SEO: A Guide to Improve Your Local Search Ranking in 2023
Are you having trouble getting your local business to show up on Google? Have you tried making your Google My Business profile as good as it can be? If you don’t, you’re losing out on a great opportunity to attract more customers and get more visibility. In this article, we’ll show you how to optimize your GMB profile so that it shows up higher in local business profile match results.
To put it simply, optimizing your GMB profile means giving Google information about your business that is accurate and complete. This includes the business name or address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and any other relevant information. By utilizing your profile, you’ll make it easier for people looking for businesses like yours on Google to find you. With the right SEO strategy, you can raise your business’s ranking in local results and bring in more customers.
But it’s not as easy as it sounds to utilize your Google My Business page. You need to think about a lot of things, like picking the right categories, adding high-quality photos, responding to customer reviews, and more. So, let’s jump right into Google My Business optimization and help your local business reach new heights.
Why is Google My Business important?
Google My Business is important for several reasons:
- It helps customers find your business when they search for products or services you offer.
- It improves your online visibility and credibility.
- It provides valuable insights into how customers interact with your business.
- It allows you to manage your business information, including your hours of operation, phone number, and website.
How does Google determine local ranking?
Google figures out local ranking by looking at several different things. The first factor is how relevant a business’s website and information are to the user’s search query. Distance is the second factor. It shows how far away the business is from where the user is. The third factor is prominence, which shows how well-known and respected the business is in the area. This can be based on things like customer reviews, ratings, links to the business’s website, and what people are saying about the business on social media. Google also looks at how accurate and consistent the information about a business is on different sites like Google My Business, Yelp, and other directories. Google can figure out which local businesses are most relevant and useful to searchers in a certain area by looking at all of these different things.
How to Verify Your Google Account My Business Listing
Verifying your Google My Business (GMB) listing is one of the most important things you can do to improve your local search presence and get more customers. Here’s how to make sure your GMB listing is correct:
Step 1: Sign in to your Google Account
Log in to your Google account to verify your GMB listing. If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll need to create one first.
Step 2: Search for Your Business
Search Google for your business to see if it is already on GMB. If it’s not there, click “Add your business to Google” and follow the on-screen instructions to make a new listing.
Step 3: Claim Your Business
If your business is already listed on GMB, you can claim it by clicking the “Own this business?” button. To prove that you own the business, you might need to provide more information.
Step 4. Verify Your Business
Once you’ve claimed your business, you’ll need to verify it. Google uses several ways to check your identity, such as:
- Postcard Verification: Google will send a postcard with a verification code to your business address. To verify your listing, you’ll need to put the code into your GMB account.
- Phone Verification: If your business is eligible, Google may offer phone verification. You’ll need to give a phone number that can receive text messages or calls from a computer.
- Email Verification: If you’ve already verified your website with Google Search Console, you may be able to use email verification.
Step 5. Follow the steps for verification.
Once you’ve chosen your method of verification, just follow Google’s instructions. Depending on the method you choose, it could take several days for your listing to be verified.
Tips for Optimizing Your Google Business Profile
If you want to show up better in search results and get more customers, you must enhance your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Here are some ways to make your Google My Business dashboard work better:
1. Claim and Verify Your Business
The first step is to claim your business on GMB and make sure it’s real. This lets you control what information about your business shows up on Google when people search for it. Sign in to your Google account, search for your business on Google, and click the “Own this business?” button.
2. Optimize Your Business Information
Make sure that the information about your business is correct, complete, and the same on all online platforms. This includes your business name, business hours, setting your business location on Google Maps, phone number, website address (URL), business category, other business offers, and a business description of what your business does.
3. Add photos and videos
Adding high-quality photos and videos can help you show off your business and boost your online credibility. Make sure to include photos of your business, team, products, and services.
4. Encourage customer reviews.
Customers will be more likely to leave reviews if you treat them well and ask them to leave a positive review after they visit. Customer reviews are an important part of your GMB listing and can affect where you rank in search.
5. Respond to customer reviews.
Responding to customer reviews shows that you care about what they have to say and want to give them great service. You can also help customers and improve your reputation by responding to negative reviews.
6. Post regularly on Google My Business.
By updating your business events, offers, and information about your products or services on your GMB listing, you can keep your customers interested and make your business more visible online.
7. Use Google My Business Insights
GMB gives you important information about how customers interact with your business, such as how they found you, how they use your listing, and how they look at your photos and videos. Use these tips to decide how to improve your GMB listing smartly.
Most Important Google My Business Profile KPIs
- Impressions: is how many times your Google My Business listing is found in local searches or on Google Maps. By keeping track of impressions, you can find out how often people look at your business online.
- Clicks: Customers click on your GMB listing to find out more about your business or to go to your website. Tracking clicks can help you figure out how well your GMB listing is doing and how interested customers are in your business.
- Search Queries: It is the words that people type into Google to find your business. Tracking search queries can help you figure out how customers find your business and what keywords send the most people to your GMB listing.
- Reviews: It is an important part of your GMB listing and can affect how you rank in local search results and what people think of you. Keeping track of reviews can help you keep an eye on what customers say and find ways to improve.
- Photos and Videos: Adding images to your business can help you show it off and build trust online. Keeping track of how many photos and videos are on your GMB listing can help you make sure you’re giving customers enough visual content.
- Messaging: It is a GMB feature that lets customers send you a message right from your listing. By keeping track of messages, you can see how customers use this feature and how you can improve your customer service.
- Driving Directions: Customers click on the “Directions” button on your GMB listing to get driving directions. Keeping track of directions to your business can help you figure out how customers find it and how you can make it easier for them to find it.
Pros & Cons of Using Shared Proxy Network
Pros of Using Shared Proxies:
- Cost-Effective: Shared proxies are usually less expensive than dedicated proxies because the cost is shared among multiple users. This makes them a cost-effective option for businesses and individuals who want to access the internet without breaking the bank.
- Anonymity: Shared proxies provide anonymously by masking your IP address, making it difficult for websites and online services to track your online activity. This is especially useful for online activities that require a high level of anonymousness, such as web scraping and social media marketing.
- Access to Geo-Restricted Content: Shared proxies provide access to geo-restricted content by bypassing restrictions put in place by websites and online services. This is useful for businesses and individuals who need to access content that would otherwise be unavailable in their location.
- Reduced Risk of IP Blocking: Shared proxies reduce the risk of IP blocking by sharing the load among multiple users. This is useful for businesses and individuals who need to access websites and online services that restrict access from a single IP address.
Cons of Using Shared Proxies
- Shared Resources: Shared proxies share resources, such as bandwidth and processing power, among multiple users. This can result in slower speeds and longer wait times, especially during peak hours.
- Security Risks: Shared proxies can be less secure than dedicated proxies because they are used by multiple users. This makes them more susceptible to hacking and cyber-attacks.
- Limited Control: Shared proxies are managed by a third-party provider, which means users have limited control over how the proxy is used. This can be a disadvantage for businesses and individuals who require a higher level of customization and control.
- Risk of Blacklisting: Shared proxies have a higher risk of being blacklisted by websites and online services. This is because multiple users are accessing the internet using the same IP address. This can result in users being blocked from accessing certain websites and online services.
How to fix GMB issues
Google My Business (GMB) is an important tool for businesses to manage their online presence and bring in more customers. But there may be problems with your GMB listing sometimes. Here are some ways to fix common problems with GMB:
1. Incorrect business information
If the information about your business, like your name, address, or phone number, is wrong, it can hurt your local search rankings and make it hard for customers to find you. To fix this, log in to your GMB account and update the information about your business. Make sure that the information about your business is correct, complete, and the same on all online platforms.
2. Duplicate Listings
Customers can get confused by duplicate listings, which can hurt your local search rankings. Log in to your GMB account and delete the duplicate listing to fix this problem. You can also use “Suggest an edit” to let Google know about duplicate listings.
3. Suspended Account
If Google suspends your GMB account, it means that you broke one of Google’s rules. To fix this problem, log in to your GMB account and look at the notice of suspension to find out why your account was suspended. Make the changes to your account that are required by Google’s rules, and then ask for it to be reactivated.
4. Inaccurate map location
If the location on your map is wrong, it can be hard for people to find your business. To fix this, log in to your GMB account and change where you are on the map. You can also use “suggest an edit” to ask Google to change your location on the map.
5. Missing reviews
If your GMB listing doesn’t have any reviews, it can affect your search rankings and make it hard for customers to trust your business. To fix this, log in to your GMB account and make sure that reviews are turned on in your Google review settings. You can also get people to leave reviews by giving them great customer service and asking them to leave a review after they’ve been to your store.
Use Google My Business to Boost Local SEO Presence
It is an excellent tool to boost your local SEO presence. By creating a profile on Google My Business, you increase your chances of appearing in Google Maps searches and local search queries. This means that when potential customers search for businesses in your area, your business will show up higher in the results. By utilizing your profile with accurate and complete information, such as your address, phone number, business hours, and photos, you make it easier for people to find and contact you. Google My Business also allows you to manage and respond to customer reviews, which helps build trust and credibility with potential customers. By using this free tool, you can improve your local SEO visibility and attract more customers to your business.
Final Thoughts
Utilizing your Google My Business listing is crucial for improving your local search presence and attracting more customers. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can ensure that your business appears at the top of Google search results and stands out from the competition.
Need Help?
Bywex, a digital marketing agency, offers Google My Business optimization services to businesses looking to improve their online presence. They understand the importance of having a strong Google My Business listing, as it helps businesses show up on Google Maps and increases their chances of being found by potential customers.
Bywex’s team of experts works to optimize the Google My Business profile by ensuring that all the necessary information is included, such as business hours, address, phone number, website, and photos. They also help businesses manage and respond to customer reviews, which is crucial for building trust and credibility with potential customers.
Bywex’s Google My Business optimization services are designed to help businesses stand out in local search results and improve their online presence, ultimately leading to more customers and business growth.
