How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing 2023

How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing 2023

Claiming and verifying your local business's Google My Business (GMB) listing is a crucial initial step in any local SEO plan. Adding your business to Google My Business can help you appear in Google's Local Pack, Local Finder, Google Maps, and organic rankings in general. Qualifying local businesses can claim this free Google listing and enter information about their business, such as their address, phone number, business hours, and payment methods accepted.

Additionally, Google has added several wonderful features to Google My Business in recent months that businesses should take advantage of. These features enrich your Google My Business page and assist to attract visitors' attention — and can help you rank higher in local search results.

The first step is to claim and verify your Google My Business listing if you haven't already. to get started.

Many local businesses claim their Google My Business listing and then forget about it. What most businesses don't realize is that Google provides a number of different options that you can use to enhance your Google My Business page, as well as various reasons why you should review your business listing on a regular basis to ensure that it remains accurate. Interested in learning more?

Fill in all of the fields that Google requests.

To complete your Google My Business profile, Google asks you to answer a series of questions. When you're finished, your listing will include useful basic information that will make it easy for potential clients to learn more about your business. And if you don't provide that information, someone else may. Many business owners are unaware that anyone, even your competitors, can recommend a change (or "update") to your business listing.

When a searcher clicks on your GMB listing, they'll get the following option: "Suggest an edit":

When someone selects that option, they have the ability to update your Google My Business listing (and make some very significant changes):

These aren't just "recommended" modifications; these user-generated changes might be made live on your listing without your knowledge. This is just one of the many reasons why it's critical to check your Google My Business dashboard on a frequent basis to ensure that no one has made any unauthorised modifications to your listing.

Here's how to do it:

You can return to the "Classic" interface by logging in to Google My Business:

"Google Updates" notifications may appear in the classic dashboard.

If you see updates, it's because either Google's algorithm discovered new information about your business (maybe via another directory/citation site or a change they saw on your Google Map) or a Google user filed an alteration that was published. (Yes, "recommended adjustments" aren't truly "suggestions" — the changes are frequently made live without you ever being notified or having the option to protest the change!)

You'll notice a box that says "Review Updates" when you click on "Google Updates." It's here that you may repair any errors that a nefarious Google user may have left behind.

When changes to your Google My Business account are made, Google is intended to send out emails to the owner and those who manage your account, but this rarely happens. So keep in mind that if Google makes adjustments to your listing, you may (or may not) be notified. (For instance, your business category could be altered from "criminal attorney" to "legal," lowering your search ranks.) As a result, it's critical that you log in and review your listing on a regular basis (especially when, quite literally, some businesses have had their address and website URLs changed in their GMB listing by nefarious users.)

Create a new post in the Google My Business forum outlining the matter in detail and reaching out to one of the Google Top Contributor volunteers for assistance if you notice an erroneous modification and are having trouble fixing it (for example, a phone review).

It's also vital to remember that Google encourages people who are familiar with your firm to respond to queries so that Google can learn more about it. They simply click on the "Know this place?" button to do so. Click on the "Answer fast questions" link.

They'll then be asked a series of questions about your company:

               

If the person understands the answer, they can respond, and they will usually be asked another question. They have the option to decline if this is not the case.

Some business owners have reacted angrily, claiming that these capabilities allow competitors or others with nefarious intent to wreck havoc on their Google My Business listings. However, Google believes that user-generated material helps to develop a community, completes a company's profile, and allows Google to experiment with different search tactics.

To be safe, continue to check your Google My Business listing after it has been verified.

Now is the moment to enhance your Google My Business listing after it has been verified. (Here's where you'll have a better chance of outdoing your rivals!)

Posts on Google My Business

Google Postings are "mini-ads" or "social media posts" that appear in Google searches when your Google My Business listing is searched (in the Knowledge Panel and on Google Maps).

Log in to your GMB dashboard and click on the Posts option on the left-hand side to get started with Posts:

You may make your Google My Business Posts more interesting by incorporating a picture, a call-to-action (CTA), or even a link to another page or website.

You're not sure what kind of post to make? Here are a few post suggestions:

You can create an event Post with a date and time, as well as a link to the registration page, if you're hosting an event (such as a webinar or a lecture about your chiropractic practice).

Do you have a sale going on at a certain point in time? Make a post for a "sale" event.

Is your most recent blog post fantastic? Include a brief summary and a link to the blog article.

Do you have a new product you'd like to promote? Show a picture of this fascinating device and provide a link to where people may buy it.

Do you want to spread holiday cheer? Post a festive message to potential customers.

With Posts, the possibilities are unlimited! Posts are clearly displayed in your company's Knowledge Panel, so take advantage of this opportunity to distinguish out.

TIP: You should add a picture in your Post to draw a searcher's attention, however the image may be chopped off on Google Maps. You may need to experiment with a few different Post picture sizes to ensure that it's the right size for Maps and the Knowledge Panel on desktop and mobile devices.

Do you want to have even MORE fun while also potentially improving your local SEO? Try using emojis that are related to your post. Emoji-related search results are being indexed by Google. (You can even "tweet" an emoji to Google!) People are also starting to search using emojis (mostly on their mobile devices)! If someone searches for "[pizza emoji] + nearby" and you operate a local pizza business and include the [pizza emoji] somewhere on your Google My Business profile — such as in a Post with a special offer on a pizza order — you may have an SEO advantage over your city's other pizzeria competitors.

Don't know how to use emojis? If you're using a Windows computer, hit the Windows key + the "." OR ";" key on your keyboard at the same moment to add emojis. The emoji list of characters will appear, and you may choose which emoji to use (but don't go overboard – one emoji is plenty):

You might be shocked by what individuals find when they use Chrome on their phones to search for "emoji + near me":

You figured it out! Google had figured out that I was seeking for a good burger establishment near my house! (Isn't that cool?)

Disclaimer: We don't know how adding emojis to your GMB listings affects these "emoji search results," but if you have a related emoji that is relevant to your business, you should absolutely test it! (However, don't go crazy with the emoticons; it becomes irritating and unprofessional.)

Posts are visible for seven days or "go black" after the event date. (However, the old Posts remain in your GMB listing; they're only pushed to the bottom by the new Posts.)

If you're forgetful, Google will send you notifications when it's time to make a new Post.

Also, keep in mind that Posts appear prominently in mobile searches, so maintain your Posts "topped off" to make your website stand out among the search results.

It's worth noting that hotels and B&Bs are not permitted to create Posts at this time. That could change at any time, so stay tuned!

Feature of a booking button

Google's Booking button function might help your company stand out from the competition. People can now make an appointment with your business directly from your Google My Business listing if you have any type of business that relies on clients booking appointments and you're utilizing integrated scheduling software. This can make attracting new customers much easier, as they won't have to leave Google to schedule an appointment with you!

The booking button is automatically placed to your Google My Business directory if you have an account with one of Google's supported scheduling providers. If you use the booking providers, take advantage of this integrated Google My Business function; it'll make getting new clients or consumers a breeze.

Messaging

Consumers — and future customers — can send you text messages, did you know? This is an excellent approach to connect with people who are interested in what you have to offer and to engage with those who are viewing your GMB listing (and you know that Google is always watching engagement.)

Log in to your GMB dashboard and select "Messaging" to get started with Messaging:

After that, you can customise the message that others will see when they send you a message and your cell phone number.

Download Google's Allo app if you don't want text messages routed to your personal phone number. Use the same phone number as your Google My Business account when setting up your Allo account. When you get a message, it will now be sent to the Allo app rather than appearing alongside your own text messages.

The Allo app is an excellent method to segregate your personal and professional text messages:

However, this function is still in its early stages. Messages are currently only available to users of the mobile web and are not available to users of the mobile app or desktop. The Messaging option will also be absent from the Knowledge Panel and Google Maps.

A mobile online search on Chrome is the ONLY method someone can message your business. (Once the bugs are ironed out, I expect Google to expand the Messaging capability.)

Q&A

For Google local search, Questions & Answers is a fantastic function. That's fantastic! Q&A is exactly what it sounds like: people can ask you questions about your company, and you can respond.

The Google My Business Questions & Answers function allows you to hear directly from "the people" and react. Win-win. According to a Get Five Stars survey, 25% of Google Maps locations have unresolved queries (and many of those questions are probably STILL unanswered).

Here are some things to remember when it comes to Questions and Answers:

On Android devices, you can see, ask, and answer questions on Google Maps, and on iPhone and Android devices, you can search for your business in mobile browsers. Download the Google Maps app and sign in with the email address associated with your GMB listing to utilise Google Maps on your Android device.

The Google My Business app, ironically, does not support Questions and Answers.

In your GMB dashboard, there are no new inquiry notifications. Install Google Maps on your phone, log in, and check for new questions/notifications to find out if you have any new questions that need to be answered. You can also use a mobile device to look up your company and see if you have any new queries.

Google has lately begun sending out email notifications when a new question is posed, although not everyone associated with your account may receive these emails:

This email notification is a huge step forward from the lack of notification we've had with Q&As in the past.

To avoid GMB Q&As, you should be proactive and compile a list of frequently asked questions. Consult your sales agents and customer service employees to determine the most often asked queries, and then include them in your GMB listing as Q&A inquiries.

TIP: Upvoting questions can increase their visibility, according to Google. Upvote a question if you believe it is very important.

WARNING: Just as on GMB's "Suggest an Edit," anyone can respond to questions posed to your company. As a result, you should keep an eye out for inquiries and make sure that if someone else answers a question, the response is correct. Contact the Google My Business help forums if you discover someone is abusing the Q&A section of your GMB listing.

Do you have any more Google Questions & Answers queries? Google's Q&A rules can be found here.

Reviews on Google My Business

Unlike Yelp, which strongly prohibits businesses from asking customers for reviews, Google encourages businesses to seek customers or clients for online reviews in an ethical manner. (In my perspective, Yelp goes too far.) In search results, online reviews appear alongside your Google Maps listing and your company's Knowledge Panel. In a sea of search results, online reviews might help your company stand out.

Online reviews have also been shown to have an impact on search engine results, consumer trust, and click-through rates. BrightLocal's 2017 Consumer Review Survey revealed the following:

In 2017, 97% of consumers read online evaluations for local businesses, with 12% searching for a local business every day.

Consumers trust internet evaluations just as much as personal recommendations, according to 85 percent of respondents.

Consumers trust a local business more when they read positive evaluations, according to 73 percent of them.

Before choosing to do business with a company, 49% of consumers demand at least a four-star rating.

Responding to online reviews is more crucial than ever, with 30% of respondents citing it as a deciding factor when evaluating local firms.

When requested, 68 percent of customers wrote a local company review, with 74 percent saying they were asked.

In the previous year, 79 percent of customers read a phoney review.

You can ask your customers for feedback if you follow Google's Google My Business review criteria. (However, your reviews may be deleted if you violate any of these policies.)

Google's review procedures have recently undergone some adjustments. Current and/or former employees are no longer able to leave reviews. This is wonderful news for business owners since it means that unhappy and ex-employees can no longer leave negative evaluations. Here's a link to the new Conflict of Interest section:

Google also tweaked its reputation management tools. People who were preparing to submit unfavourable reviews can be filtered out using reputation marketing software, ensuring that they don't get the chance to do so. (It's also known as "review gating.") Google wants to stop this from happening, thus on April12,2018, they modified their review policy to include this information. You don't want to "discourage or restrict unfavourable reviews" or "selectively solicit positive ratings from customers" in general.

Also, under no circumstances should you bribe someone in return for a positive review. It violates not only Google's conditions, but also the laws of reviews in general: do you really want to pay someone to leave you a nice review, or do you want to earn it?

Make sure you respond to consumer reviews, whether they are positive or negative. It not only demonstrates that you value the customer's opinion, but it also shows that you care about potential customers.

So, what if you receive a bad review? To begin, do not panic. Everyone has a terrible day now and then, and the majority of people are aware of this. Also, most individuals with common sense detect a one-star review and a nasty comment from a troll. It's not worth worrying about in most cases.

TIP: It's time-consuming to ask someone to leave a Google review. Read and follow the instructions in this post on How to Create a Direct Review Link to Your Google My Business Listing to give your customers a direct link to your Google My Business listing so they can leave a review online for you.

Check out this Moz post for more information on how to strategically gain more online reviews.

Videos and photos

The Internet used to be all about text and information, but images and videos are increasingly grabbing people's attention. You don't even need sound when watching videos. According to research, up to 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound.

Many business owners, however, believe that hiring a professional video production company or studio is required to get into films (or even photography). False. On the fly — and with a smartphone! — some of the best images and movies are captured.

Adding images of your firm to your website is a fantastic approach to humanise your brand and give your clients a "behind-the-scenes" peek at what you do... Additionally, your customers have the ability to upload images to your Google My Business listing. (Surprise!)

AGENCY TIP: If you're improving Google My Business listings for clients, you know how difficult it is to collect pictures from them to add to their GMB listings. (Your clientele are busy and difficult to locate.) That difficulty is solved with a new tool called localPics. This application makes sending text message reminders to your clients when it's time to upload photos a breeze. The owner (or anyone is selected as the "photographer") just snaps pictures or accesses their phone's photo album, selects the photos they wish to post, and the photos are instantly uploaded to their Google My Business listing! What could be simpler than that?

While the ability to upload images to your Google My Business listing has been there for a while, Google recently added the ability to add videos. Rather than being scared, be ecstatic! You may now include a 30-second video about your firm on Google, which will attract people's attention.

Log into your Google My Business account to get started. On the Overview tab, you'll either see the image "Add Videos":

You can also add a video by clicking on the blue Plus sign:

You can either drag or select a video from your computer when you click the "Add Video" button.

It's quite straightforward!

The video may take up to 24 hours to appear on Google, but the majority of videos appear within minutes. The videos should be no more than 30 seconds, however we've successfully uploaded longer videos. (Remember that people's attention spans are short, so don't go overboard with long videos – 30 seconds is about right!)

Now, if you're a marketer salivating at the prospect of creating killer marketing and promotional videos, hold your horses for a second. Make sure your films were shot at your business and feature people who work there or are directly related to it. (Stock pictures and marketing or promotional videos should not be used on Google My Business.) If the content's principal subject is unrelated to the business's location, Google may remove the videos.

The "By Owner" tab will show owners who have uploaded videos. The "Customer" page will display any films uploaded by customers or clients. In the "Video" tab, all of the videos will be shown.

Google has provided us with some generic video guidelines to follow for Google My Business:

Up to 30 seconds in duration

100 MB maximum file size

720p or better resolution

You'll also get a Videos subtab on mobile devices after you have two or more videos on your GMB listing.

Descriptions of business

It's all good! On your Google My Business listing, you can now include a business description. (At long last!) This was announced by Google on Twitter lately, and business owners were ecstatic.

Google has provided us with certain parameters to follow, as is customary: Guidelines for Google Business Descriptions. Because Google looks at your business description, it's critical that you follow these standards.

Your business description has a character limit of 750 characters, however only 250 of them appear on the Knowledge Panel before they are cut off. As a result, you'll want to make sure that your business description is well-written, with the most crucial information and keywords — such as your city — near the top.

Google does evaluate your business description to ensure that individuals aren't being dishonest or spamming, so make sure you meet these rules:

Because you only have 750 characters (and only 250 of them appear in the company's Knowledge Panel), you need to make every one count.

The business description appears at the bottom of the Knowledge Panel, below your reviews, on a desktop computer. (It would be fantastic if Google pushed the business description to the top of the Knowledge Panel, where it belongs... Let's hope they relocate it soon!)

Only the About page on a mobile device allows you to see a business's description:

Services/Menus

The new Services list in Google My Business is a terrific new addition if you sell services and have a "menu" of services, such as a spa, nail salon, hair salon, copying company, or even a holistic centre. This function is only available for businesses that don't have a third-party "menu" link, such as food and beverage, health and beauty, and other services.

The Services list enables you to categorise and show all of your services (or food products) together with their prices so that potential customers can quickly understand what you have to offer.

Each service (or food item) you offer is included separately on this list. Log into your Google My Business account and go to Info:

After that, go down to the "Services" area to add or update your items:

This is where you may make categories, add things, and (if you choose) give each one a description:

If you run a service business with defined prices, I strongly advise you to include a list of services and make sure to keep this list up to current as things change.

Take advantage of your Google My Business listing to its full potential.

Google is constantly monitoring how users interact with your Google My Business listing, as well as how engaged you are as the owner. The more interaction you have, the better your chances of ranking higher in the local three-pack and overall organic rankings. That means you should continue to improve your Google My Business listing.

Plan to use new features as they become available to ensure that your GMB listing remains properly optimised.

TECHIE TIP: If you're in charge of several listings or franchises, you can make it easier to add Google My Business descriptions and Offer Posts by using Google's API v4.1. You can also add "customer media endpoints," which allow users to download photographs and videos uploaded by customers at their business (usually, GMB users aren't aware of photo and video uploads).

Users who have opted up to get alerts about newly posted media on their Google My Business Locations will receive a new notification from Google. Wow! (You'll be ahead of the game if someone on your team knows how to code!)

Hopefully, these new features have inspired you to log into your Google My Business account and get to work! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional queries regarding optimising your GMB listing.

Thanks too much...

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