A Guide to Optimizing Your Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile is a sub-product of Google where businesses from across the globe can register and have their online profile to boost website traffic and lead generation. Google allows businesses to personalize and customize their profile according to how they want it to appear in front of their potential customers. If optimized correctly, Google Business Profile helps increase local SEO rankings and attract potential customers to make purchases. Let us learn how to optimize a Google business profile.
What is a Google Business profile?
Google prioritizes user experience and works on consistently improving its features to guarantee a dynamic search experience. Google Business profile, earlier known as Google My Business, is a feature of Google. GBP or Google Business Profile is a free marketing tool offered by Google that businesses can use to have their listing on the search engine. This tool of Google allows businesses to build their online visibility by updating details about their business to allow users to locate them quickly and know more about them. It is a part of local SEO as it helps increase online visibility for the selected locations. Businesses also use it for various other marketing objectives. Let us learn more about it.
What does Google Business Profile do?
Google Business Profile is a platform designed by Google centring business owners and their local challenges in promoting their brands.
- GBP allows businesses to streamline their marketing efforts and improve local visibility.
- GBP hands over the control to businesses to list themselves on Google-partnered apps and sites such as Google Maps and Google Street View.
- Businesses can create their listing profile in whichever they want their profile to appear on search engines and Google partner sites when users search for related queries.
- It helps reach the target customers and inform them about your business in less time.
- From the GBP, companies can post updates regarding the business, accept orders online, and much more.
Elements of a Google Business Profile
Companies can input a range of information about their business to display to target users. The content of a Google business profile is-
- Business Website URL
- Contact number and address.
- Business days and hours.
- Business description.
- Listing the products and services offered.
- Business photos and videos.
- Customer reviews on Google.
- Adding Google Maps and Google Street View snippets.
By adding the above information to your business profile, you provide all necessary details about your company to the viewer. It makes it easier for customers to approach the business and have an overview of them beforehand.
How to optimize your Google Business Profile?
Businesses can optimize their GBP by following these tips.
- Creating an account- Make a Google My Business account, which allows you to connect and optimize your Google Business Profile. You can create an account by going to Google.com and signing in.
- Complete the profile- It is essential to complete every section of the GBP to ensure a better ranking in local searches. Apart from adding all the standard elements in the profile, spend some time writing FAQs that may clarify user queries.
- Provide detailed information- Businesses must be meticulous when filling the information section. Ensure that all details are entered briefly and accurately. Update the profile whenever necessary.
- Framing business description- GBP allows businesses to write a description up to 750 characters, so ensure that you use all of them. Use keywords, and fill in the key information in the first 250 characters. Avoid putting any links, and do not repeat any content throughout your profile.
- Unlock special features- Once you choose a business category, such as a “restaurant” or “hotels”, Google unlocks category-specific features, such as the option to add a menu for restaurants or ratings for hotels. It allows us to build credibility and improve viewer experience.
- Adding attributes- Apart from adding formal information on the profile, businesses can also mention attributes such as “free- wifi”, “pet-friendly”, “in-house library”, etc. It helps establish better connections by offering the customers something out of the box.
- Add images- Businesses can add a cover photo, a few general photos, a logo, and customer review images. Avoid using stock images since you aim to display your business’s appearance in the real world. Update photos frequently and ensure high-quality uploads. You can also add videos.
- Add reviews and FAQs- Ask your loyal customers to write and respond to all reviews on time. Posting these reviews lets viewers feel connected with the brand by reading what others say. Upload general FAQs that enable viewers to know more about you. Example- Does the office have a parking space?
- List all products and services- Add detailed descriptions of all products and services, including their price. It boosts lead generation from local customers.
These are a few ways to optimize your Google Business Profile to improve online visibility in local searches and offer detailed information to customers.
Banyanbrain is an online marketing agency in Gurgaon that offers result-oriented internet marketing services, including search engine optimization, social media marketing, and pay-per-click.