Did you know that 97% of consumers look online to learn more about a local company’s information?
For local business owners, this means working on your local marketing strategy to ensure that consumers find your business when they search it on Google.
One effective way to do this is to optimize your business listing on Google Business Profile.
Google Business Profile is a business listing tool to help business owners build their online presence across Google Search and its networks.
Today’s article will cover the basics of Google Business Profile, its importance to local SEO, and how local businesses should use Google Business Profile listing to improve their local SEO.
What is Google Business Profile?
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is a free business tool that lets business owners manage their business information and how it is presented in Google’s search results.
Adding your business listing on Google Business Profile will improve your business’s visibility. It also increases your business chances of showing on Google Search Results, Google Local Pack, Google Maps, and other services.
Creating a Google Business Profile is beneficial for local businesses. It gives your brand an edge over other local competitors that do not have a Google Business Profile. A more impactful advantage is that businesses can collect reviews that support other customers’ considerations.
Why is Google Business Profile Important?
Here are five reasons why Google Business Profile is important:
1 – Increases Local Visibility
Optimizing your listing on Google Business Profile can improve your business’s visibility in the local search results.
Google Business Profile allows your brand to show not only on Google’s local organic search results and Google Maps but also in its Local Pack.
The Google Local Pack is the section on top of the search engine results page. It shows the top three business listing results, the map of the establishment, the address, opening hours, and average star rating.
Your business listing on Google Local Pack will increase your brand exposure and increase leads.
2 – Boosts Local Search Ranking
Google Business Profile is considered a determining ranking factor for local search and pack results. Using Google Business Profile and optimizing your online information is the best way to improve your website’s search ranking.
3 – Improves User Traffic
According to a study by Milestone, local searches have contributed to 22.6% of website traffic. Not only that, but they also found out that website traffic for location-based businesses has also increased from 19.2% to 28.8% between January 2020 and July 2021.
A Google Business Profile can help you gain more traffic from search results by allowing you to post your website’s link.
4 – Increases Sales
In most cases, online users who have visited your website store are likely to convert. Nectafy reported that 88% of searches for local businesses on a mobile device either call or visit the business within 24 hours.
SEO Tribunal further backed this claim by publishing a report which stated that 78% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase.
5 – Builds Trust and Shows Credibility
Google Business Profile lets customers leave reviews and star ratings on business listings. These feedbacks help other users to determine whether they should continue a business transaction with a brand.
A study published by Podium stated that 93% of consumers say online reviews impact their purchase decision. Consumers are more likely to trust business listings on Google Business Profile with high-star ratings and good reviews.
How to Optimize Google Business Profile to Improve Local SEO?
By this time, you probably already understand how important a Google Business Profile is for your brand.
Aside from creating a business listing, you will also need to learn how to optimize your Google Business Profile so it will show on top of local search results.
Here are seven tips from our team of SEO experts on how to optimize your Google Business Profile to improve your local SEO:
1 – Verify your business profile.
Before anything else, you will need to verify your business with Google first. This way, Google can be sure that your business is legitimate and active. An unverified business listing is unlikely to show anywhere on Google search results.
You can verify your Google Business listing through one of the following methods:
- Phone or text
- Video recording
- Live video call
- Postcard
Once verified, Google will officially publish your new business profile.
2 – Complete all the profile details.
Google favors showing business listings in search results with complete details. Keep in mind that the local search algorithm is designed to display the most relevant results in their SERPs. Business listings that show the most detailed and accurate information will likely appear in Google’s local search results.
Make sure to complete all the details in your profile listing. Here are the most important profile details you should fill out in your listing:
- Business Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Website Link
- Business Categories
- Operating Hours
- Service Area Details
3 – Enter accurate and consistent data in your profile.
A complete business profile is not enough; each piece of information must be accurate and consistent. Remember that Google does not only get your business information from your business listing alone. It also checks your website, social media profiles, and other business/directory listings to check the accuracy of the details you posted on Google Business Profile.
Any discrepancies on your Google Business Profile listing and other online or social media pages can lower your listing’s ranking. So double-check that all the information is consistent across all your online listings.
4 – Choose the most relevant categories.
Google’s algorithm relies heavily on checking your business listing’s categories to determine whether they will display a listing in an organic search.
As of now, Google offers 4,000 categories to describe a business. When choosing a category, you can pick one primary and nine secondary ones.
Kyle Sanders of Complete SEO stated that they have seen clients jump up five to ten positions by simply updating to their most relevant category.
5 – Upload relevant, appealing photos and videos.
Google Business Profile allows business owners to upload photos and videos on their business listings. Pictures and videos are essential to your listing as they prove that your business is legitimate. These types of content also give consumers a sneak peek at your business and what to expect from it.
Photos and videos of your office and team also help encourage prospective customers to visit your business. It presents a human aspect of your company, helping build trust.
Aside from uploading high-quality visual content, don’t forget to add alt text, titles, and captions. Consider geo-tagging as well, as it helps determine the location of your business.
6 – Add attributes to your business profile.
Attributes allow you to include specific services and additional features about your business, making it unique from the other business listings.
Available attributes depend on the categories you can assign to your business profile. For example, a restaurant can choose different dining options like catering, delivery, breakfast, brunch, dessert, or dinner.
You add certain attributes to your business listing to help it rank on local search results. For example, adding the “takeout” as your business attribute can increase the chance of your listing showing up for more specific searches.
7 – Share your Google Business Profile.
Customers will likely leave a review on your listing if they know you have a Google Business Profile. And reviews are highly important if you want to boost your ranking. Moz.com confirmed that reviews are considered a local search ranking factor. They will not only help boost your search ranking and build trust but can also influence the click-through rate of your listing.
So let your customers know about your Google Business Profile. You can announce it on your social media channels or include its link on your website or email marketing campaigns.
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Google Business Profile is free, so there is no reason why your business shouldn’t use it to help boost your brand’s visibility in your local area.
If you want to optimize your Google Business Profile and boost your local search ranking, Cybertegic is a digital marketing company in Los Angeles that can help you. We have a team of local SEO experts that can improve your local visibility to generate more leads and grow your online revenue.
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