Google My Business experts say set up or refine your Google Business Account to see what your customers are seeing
You have invested time and money in building your business, your staff and your physical location. Now is the time to put your business on the map (the Google map, that is, the Google My Business experts) and for potential customers to find them to bring them to your physical address.
Formerly known as “Google Places”, Google Maps houses many advanced features unique to its predecessor, including geolocation features, a street map view, shareable directions, a navigation search feature, and city maps in 3D And the good news is that they’re all free.
So, if you haven’t set up your Google Maps listing yet, here’s how and why you should drop your map pin right now and claim your business listing today.
“Find a chiropractor near me”
As you’re probably aware, geolocation and mobile devices have made finding a product or service so sophisticated that you can now find what you need close to where you are. This means that when potential customers search for a service you offer, they are more likely to buy from the closest result.
The experts at Google My Business point out that if your nearby competitor has a map marker and you don’t, guess who’s more likely to get the business? Also, if your competitor’s business is on the map, chances are they also have a Google Business Profile, meaning they appear higher on the search results page and outrank your business regardless if it’s better
Claim your business on Google
You may already have one list of companies on Google Maps by default, just for having a running business. But unless you claim the listing as your own, you won’t be able to control what information your prospects see.
This includes ratings and reviews, hours of operation, special services you offer, a link to your website, photos, and how your business generally appears on the search results page when it appears. Claiming and filling out your business profile tells the world that you’re open for business, what you offer, and where and when to find you.
Google Business page settings
First, go to your computer and sign in to your Google Account with the Google email address you want to associate with your business (if you don’t already have a Google Account, you can create one at google.com).Open Google Maps and enter your business address in the search bar at the top. If your business appears and you haven’t claimed it, open the menu on the left, select “Claim this business” and follow the instructions. If your business isn’t listed, you’ll want to officially add it to Google. maps Open the menu on the left, click on “Add your business” and follow the instructions.
Once you’ve added or claimed your business to your Google Business Profile, you can begin managing the information that will appear publicly by customizing the details in the fields provided. The more solid your profile, the fewer questions your customers will have.
Also, incorporating a link to your website, along with using strategic words in your profile, words that customers are likely to use when searching for your services (think “chiropractor,” “medical center,” “pain back’, etc.), you will greatly improve your search engine rankings, making your business appear before your competitors. For example, you might appear on page 1 of search results instead of page 100.
Verify your company to make it official
Your customers want to know your company’s level of integrity, your online response time, and whether Google considers it an “official” business.
Once you’ve claimed or added your business to Google Maps, for example, Google My Business experts, you’ll need to verify it using one of several ways to make it official: by postcard, phone, text, video recording, live video call or email. While all companies can verify by post (which usually takes about five days), not all can verify using the other formats; it depends on things like company category, public information, region, service hours and volumes. If your business is eligible for all verification options, you’ll see them on your profile page when you start this process.
Begin verification by going to your new Google Business Profile page. This is the page you’ll be prompted to set up after adding or claiming your business. Here, you can start managing your profile at any time by clicking “Manage Now” or by opening the menu on the left. Start by filling out your information, including any location details, products, services, hours, website, and photos you want to include. Note: Updated business information may take a while to show up on Google.
Unlock a range of Google features to boost your business
In addition to being able to share detailed information on demand with your customers, you’ll have access to many more indispensable tools to help you grow your business. If you want to connect with customers, turn on the chat feature and connect in real time via messaging.
Tip: It’s a great way to start asking for feedback. Also, try Google Assistant’s “Call” feature. You can set it up to start receiving and managing appointments. Remember, the more you interact with people online, the more it shows that your business cares about your customers, and that says a lot.
Try Google Announcements or create an offer online
Once your Google Business profile is up and running, your business can benefit in more ways than driving customers to your physical location.
Explore your profile menu on the left, where you can select from options to create an offer or ad, and start monitoring performance by tracking traffic and engagement on your website. Simply enter the offer or discount you wish to extend, the validity dates and any terms and conditions that may apply. Try a few variations and monitor which offers get the best responses.
Improve your website to optimize search performance
The best way to improve your website for Google Search is to first understand how Google “sees” your site. A free service called Google Search Console helps you monitor, maintain and troubleshoot your site’s presence in Google Search results.
While you don’t need to sign up for Search Console to appear in Google Search results, it does help understand and improve your website performance by implementing key findings through free tools and reports.
Here are some ways Google Search Console can help:
Confirm that Google can find and crawl your website. Find and fix content-based indexing issues. It tracks traffic to your website, how often it appears on Google Search, where the traffic comes from, and click-through rates. Notifies you of spam or other website problems. Show which websites are linking to your website.
Increase your website SEO and drive traffic to your business
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool to help your company’s website appear as the optimal result for those searching for a particular word. Google Console can help you determine the best search terms most relevant to your business so it’s easier to find.
You want to choose words that are not only relevant to your business, but a little more unique, as generic category words will also generate hundreds of thousands of other similar businesses.
Google My Business experts point to another benefit to building your Google Business profile: backlinks. You can add links to other directories where you want your business to appear, such as Bing, Yahoo, and Yelp. Also, keep in mind that when other sites refer to your business by linking to your website, Google considers it a “quality link” and improves your SEO. If you want to give your business a boost in online exposure, give it a try and watch your website count in the “Statistics” section. Every little bit counts.
If you do nothing else, set it up
There is a wealth of information here, and it is only the tip of the iceberg. Digital marketing delves into the pits of complexity, giving you the option to make your online business plan as extensive or as minimal as you like.
Later you can add keywords, posts, offers, ads, photos, encourage reviews and take advantage of them Free Google Marketing Kit and personalized advice based on your location. Be sure to keep your Google Business Profile up-to-date with current information. Considering the price of setting up your business profile and the plethora of tools included (all free), why not set aside an hour or two today to get it up and running?
It’s exciting to learn something new, and if you like numbers, you’ll be amazed at how traffic starts flowing to your business, both online and in person.
RUSSELL GREENSEID, DC, is a chiropractor, principal shareholder and chief of staff at Metro Healthcare Partners in Brooklyn, New York. He is a trusted advocate and respected voice in the chiropractic field with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, NY. resides in Short Hills, NJ with his wife and two children. visit metrohealthnyc.com to learn more about Greenseid and its multidisciplinary team of professionals.
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