Google My Business (GMB) is a free online listing, which is displayed when users are searching for your business or similar businesses. It enables local businesses to be found both online and offline, by listing companies in their physical location. The listing shows up in both Google Search, Google Maps and Google+.
In addition to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) or Pay Per Click (PPC) with Google Ads, Google My Business is a great way to manage how your business appears online. With Google adding new features to their My Business platform, there are lots of ways to enhance your listing and ensure your business appears in local searches.
According to Google (May 2018) 'more than one-third of all mobile searches are related to location', and with over 1.2 billion unique users on Google every month, don’t miss this free opportunity for your brand or local business to connect with customers and get found!
Find out how to set up and optimise your Google My Business Listing with our handy guide:
- Step 1: Create a Google My Business listing
- Step 2: Verify your page
- Step 3: Optimise your Google My Business Listing
Step 1: Create a Google My Business listing
- Visit https://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/business/ to set up your Google My Business account.
- Select ‘Start Now’.
- Sign in or select ‘Create Account’ if you don’t already have one.
- Add your business name, location, type and contact details.
- When selecting the type of business you run, choose carefully from the list of available options. Try to keep your categories as specific as possible. You can add 10 categories per Google My Business listing and these will help Google to identify the nature of your business and improve Google rankings.
Step 2: Verify your page
- Select your verification method – Mail, Instant, Email, Phone or Bulk – not all accounts are eligible for all methods.
- Request your verification code.
Step 3: Optimise your Google My Business Listing
- Visit the ‘Info’ tab to get lots of great information about your business onto your Google My Business listing – the more the better
- Add Google My Business Images and Videos – start with your cover photo as this will be displayed when your listing appears in a Google Search. Get pictures of your business and team online for customers to engage with.
- Post Google My Business Content to keep your customers up to date with your business. You could create a post to advertise a product, including product information such as price and an image. Try it out!
- Get Google My Business Reviews and Citations by encouraging customers to post comments and responding to them.
- Add all your Google My Business locations, ensuring that customers can reach every part of your business.
Next steps: Get your company listed on Bing 'Places For Business'
- Bing continues to gather pace and with approximately 25% in the race for market share. As the default search engine on Microsoft Edge, it's delivering greater impact.
- Your business may already be listed on Bing so ensure you:
- Claim your listing
- Complete your listing profile
- Verify your listing
Interested in doing more to enhance your business’ online profile?
Request a free audit of your online presence from our digital experts.