3 Massive Ways To (Finally) Do Things Correctly With Google My Business

Why is Google My Business Important?

When someone searches for a business or a place near their location, they’ll find local results across Google, in places like Maps and Search. For example, you can probably find local results if you search for “car wash near me” from your mobile device.  A huge amount of searches every day are searches for businesses in your area; in fact, 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information.

If you want to attract customers, it is key for your business to show up on the Google search results. 88% of consumers who do a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day! Your Google My Business listing helps to optimize your rank on Google Search. The more robust your profile, the more often Google is going to show your listing to potential customers.

Isn’t my business automatically on Google if I have a website?

No, it isn’t, and it’s a common mistake to think that Google automatically creates a Google My Business for you just because you have a website. Much like other social media networks, like Facebook or Instagram, you have to actually create an account for your business for your listing to exist.

Not sure if you have one or not? Do a quick search for your business type with the words “near me.” For us that would be “marketing agency near me.” If your business doesn’t appear here in the Google panel, you might as well be invisible. Or worse, it’s your competition showing up.

3 Common Google My Business Mistakes and How to Fix Them:

Mistake #1: Assuming you already appear on Google

Odds are you aren’t Googling yourself too often. You might even think that Google automatically creates these listings and you don’t have much control. WRONG! You have to take active steps to make sure your business appears on Google. We’ll let you in on some Google My Business secrets, but first, you’ll need to see if your Google listing even exists.

So how can you know? Do a Google Search for your business. Do you see a side panel with your business information? If not, you don’t yet have a Google My Business page, and you’ll need to create one. Go to google.com/business to start creating your listing.

Mistake #2: You’re letting old or outdated information drive away customers

We often see businesses who set up their Google My Business page 3-5 years ago and then never made an update. Maybe even a past owner set it up and you don’t even have access. Your customers might see outdated business hours and decide not to visit your store because Google says you’re closed today. 

If you’ve discovered that you do have a Google My Business page in the previous step, you’ll need to claim and start updating your listing. Don’t waste any time starting this process, especially if your business address or phone number is wrong on Google.

Once you’ve located your Google My Business panel, click the “Own this business?” button and follow the prompts on the screen.  If your listing has already been claimed and you don’t recognize the email address listed, you may need to connect with a past owner to get access.

Once you’ve gained access, start updating your information. Check addresses, phone numbers, website links, hours of operation, and your products.

Mistake #3: You follow the set it and forget it mindset

It’s not enough to just update your information and then forget about your Google My Business listing. If you want your business to appear #1 on Google search, you’re going to have to use the platform like you do your other social media profiles.

Google My Business is so much more than just a digital Rolodex of phone numbers and addresses. It’s a great place to improve your Search Engine Optimization Score! Try to post a new photo and update using keywords about your business once a week! Google will index these posts and you’ll show up more often on Google! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to see a list of Google My Business post best practices coming out soon!

We know it can be overwhelming to stay on top of all the places your brand may or may not show up online. Luckily, this is our wheelhouse! If you need help getting started, or just want this taken off your hands through our Google My Business Optimization service, reach out to our team at kerigan.com/contact or email [email protected]!