Why Businesses Need a Google Business Profile

Guide to Optimising Your Google Business Profile

If you are a business owner, and you want to gain more business visibility on Google, it is recommended you create a Google Business Profile.

A Google Business Profile account allows business owners to claim ownership of their business on Google and attain management rights. Having this ownership allows you to unlock free features that will help increase your overall business visibility.

What is a Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is a tool provided by Google that allows you (as a business owner) to manage and optimise your business profile on Google. This means you can choose how your business will show up across Google platforms and edit business information such as name, address, and phone number. This will allow customers to leave reviews, ask questions, add photos or even answer queries from other customers about your business. Alternatively, if you do not have a Google Business Profile set up for your business, you cannot access, customise, manage or enhance your business profile on Google.

4 Ways a Google Business Profile Can Benefit Your Local Marketing Strategy

Having a Google Business Profile for your business can help boost business visibility and effectiveness. Here are four core ways to create a Google Business Profile account and using the features can act as a robust marketing tool.

Increase Visibility and Benefit Your Businesses SEO

Similar to how Google search has a ranking system for keywords, they also have a ranking for Google business listings. When business owners incorporate relevant keywords within the business profile and perform other optimization strategies, it will help significantly with ranking against other local results.

Engage with Consumers & Add Your Unique Business Information

With a Google Business Profile customers can interact with your business on Google by leaving reviews, questions, and direct messaging. Business owners can also respond to these interactions and build strong business-to-customer relationships. B2C relationships can also be built through publishing posts and photos on current offers and promotions.

Google Business Profile also allows businesses to provide additional information such as operating hours, links to the website, products, pricing, and other information customers want to see. Business owners hold the ability to edit this information and add additional information when needed.

Drive and Increase In-Store Traffic

A strong Google Business Profile can also naturally increase in-store traffic to your business. Google is the most used search engine tool and is the world’s most-visited website. Providing the correct information to customers about your business operating hours, location and deals can attract new customers to visit your store.

Provide Valuable Insights

Another sneaky feature having a Google Business Profile can offer is customer information. Google Business Profile dashboard is your go-to place for insights and additional information on your business audience, and local search performance. Insights you can find include, how customers found your business, as well as a breakdown of their actions taken on the business listing.

Perfect Match: Google Business Profile and SEO

A Google Business Profile and SEO go hand in hand. Having a good SEO strategy and high ranks for SERP are important for any aspect of a business. Creating a Google Business Profile is an essential step for any business to try to increase its visibility within the local market. Here are some steps to use Google Business Profile for effective SEO.

2 Simple Steps to use Google Business Profile for SEO

Increase Visibility

Incorporate the same relevant keywords you want your business to rank highly for on both Google Business Profile and SEO. By doing this, Google can get a clear idea of what you want your business to rank for. Use keywords on the business description, your response to customers, and questions/posts your business publishes. Make sure keywords are incorporated naturally, so it flows similarly to any other SEO strategy.

Engage & Provide Information to Customers

A critical part of using Google Business Profile for SEO is to build trust with Google’s algorithm. To do this keep all business information up to date and accurate as your business grows or if any changes occur. Business information includes contact information, special hours/public holidays, and business attributes. Make sure a steady stream of reviews comes in (so the algorithm does not raise suspicions!) and remember to respond to them too.

So...Where Do I Sign Up?

Starting up your Google Business Profile is simple and will have tremendous returns. Simply visit google.com/business sign up and ta-da..! Make sure you fill out the important information for your business such as name, address, hours, service and contact details. Don’t forget to upload a photo or your business logo too.

At Blackpepper, our SEO team specialise in Google Business Profile and help businesses build a strong SEO strategy. Feel free to get in contact with us for a free quote.