Google Business Profile: Useful platform to win local search

Google Business Profile (used to be called Google My Business) is a free platform from Google. It can help your business be more visible in Google local search and reach new customers in your area.

In this blog post, we’ll talk about how this free platform can help your business grow and what can be done with this platform to deliver the best possible results.

What is a Google Business profile?

Some of you have already seen a Google Business Profile (or as someone calls it GBP). But for the rest of you, is it a free Google platform that lets you manage your business online presence on Google search. You can add a name, business category, information, images (even 360° photos), and much more to the profile. So that searchers will understand your business even before visiting your website. This platform is integrated into Google Maps, Google Street View, and more Google platforms. Big reviews are a big thing, which has a big relevance to your profile.

So, let’s check out how it looks.

The first image is in Google Search.

Mostly if a person searches for your business name, your Google Business Profile on the right (orange highlight) will be visible. This helps a person to gain information about your business, so it helps the search intent.

Not only the profile can be visible in Google search, but it can be visible also for example on Google platforms like Google Maps (shown in the image below).

This helps to gain more information about places and businesses on Google Maps. So, every time you open Google Maps and search for „restaurant near me “, you will see Google Business Profiles of different local businesses.

What can be shown in my Google Business Profile?

So, it is a free platform from Google. There will be limited options about what you can showcase, right?

Well, compared to your website … Yes, for sure.

But Google Business Profile is a business directory listing. And have enough options for most of the business.

So, what are the features of the Google Business Profile?

•             Business Information

Every Google Business profile needs to have a name, business category, and address. You can also include more information like a description of what they do, open hours, or contact information such as a link to your website or social media.

•             Reviews

Every listing has a review section, where your customers can leave a review. Rating is from 1 to 5 stars depending on how your customers liked your product or services. Need to mention that a person needs to have an account to create a review.

•             Messages

Customers can write you a message and start a conversation. Do not worry about every message you receive; you get a notification so that you will not miss it.

•             Photography

Photos are an important part of the whole profile because photos are something that visitors can see and quickly understand if this is something for them or not. You can upload your business logo, featured image, and other photos. What is great about this platform is that you can add 360° photos to your listing and even the whole virtual tour to your Google Business Profile. So that your visitors can fully explore your space and fall in love with your business space even before visiting in person.

•             Products and services

If your business provides a product or service, it can be listed on the profile. For products, it can be added a photo, description, and price with a link to buy the product.

•             Reservation

If you have a reservation platform, you can add that to your profile to make the process easier for the visitor.

•             Questions and Answers

This section usually works as an FAQ page. Someone asks a question about your business, and you answer to everyone to see the answer. So that if someone has the same answer, you do not need to answer twice.

•             Analytical Insights

Gain valuable insights about your customers, such as how many people saw your profile, and how many people called, wrote, or made reservations thanks to this profile.

•             News section

The last option you can modify is the news section. You can post here about new products, services, sales, blog posts, or just something new happening to your business.

Importance of Google My Business for Local Search

Now we know what can be added to the Google Business Profile. But is it worth it?

It depends on whether your business sells products or services locally or not.

Google Business Profile was created to help businesses to attract new local customers. Emphasis on the world LOCAL. So, for example, if your business is a restaurant … Yes, it is 100°worth it!

Because you increase your chances of being found by customers from your area. Having a strong digital presence on Google Business Profile not only boosts your visibility but also improves the credibility of your business.

Recommended strategies for Improving your Google listing.

Now you have a better understanding of what is a Google Business Profile and what you can do with it.

Let’s explore some strategies that will help you improve your local search ranking.

•             Inform and share news with the customers – If something is new in the business, share the information with the world. For example, if your business has new opening hours share it will the customers so that they are not upset when they will be waiting in front of the entrance when you are closed. The same goes for new contact information or new products or services. All the information on the platform should be up to date.

•             Encourage customers to share photos and reviews – You can as a manager of the Business Profile share photos and posts. But if your customers write about how great were working with you or how great your business is with the picture, it will be much more credible.

•             Answer to ALL reviews – To make it even more credible, respond to ALL reviews. Not just the positive ones, but all reviews available. Firstly, you get a better SEO boost and secondly, you gain a better understanding of what your customers like and what they don’t like that much. Take it as an opportunity to learn about your customers and their feelings.

Getting reviews: What to do and what don’t do.

Sometimes can be hard to get reviews from your clients. So here I share 2 examples of what your business needs can do to gain them.

If your business has a physical location, you can nudge the people to write a review just by having a poster in the space that asks for a review. For example, doors in the restaurant work well, because when the client is leaving it just reminds him/her to rate the business without pushing.

The great way is to use QR codes, which they can just scan and open a review form.

Or you can just ask the client for his/her time to review your business via email or different digital communication. To make the process easier. You can just put the “ask for review” link from your Google Business Profile.