Using Google My Business

Google My Business is a free tool offered by Google and it is aimed at local businesses and has a number of benefits for those who chose to use it and optimise and update it regularly. In today’s blog I’m going to talk a little about why it’s important to use this tool and how to make the most of it.

There are two ways to open your Google My Business page – the first is to set up the account as a completely new business and the second option is to claim an existing business that is already there on Google search. Both of these options require you to verify that you own the business. This is generally done via a post card being sent through the post to your registered business address and you have to input a unique one-time only code.

How to add or claim your business on Google My Business

Once you have verified your account you can then begin to compose, edit and add more information and depth to your account. This is where the ongoing work of optimising your Google My Business account starts. But first and foremost, it is important to ensure that these are all up to date and correct:

Basics: It is always advisable to ensure that you have the basics covered as well within your account. This includes specifics such as opening hours, website address and your business phone number. This may sound obvious but please ensure these are correct – Google strives to always serve the best information to its users.

In additional to this and in our experience, it is also recommended to regularly undertake the following activities as well:

Posts: Posting daily via the posts tab within the admin section is a great way of sharing new content or special offers with potential customers. This can include an image as well as website links so make your posts engaging – after all you are trying to get your customer to come to your site and either buy or enquire with your business.

Photos: We always recommend adding new photos at least once a week and try to get a wide variety of images on there. This can include pictures of your premises, your staff/team and even your products. Adding images regularly is one of the best ways of optimising your account.

Info Tab: This section allows you to add some text and talk a little about your business. Take this opportunity to get in some key points and encourage people who want to learn more about your business.

Google My Business has a number of benefits, principally it helps with local SEO and by having your account fully completed with the correct details this will go some way in helping you rank locally. In addition to this, by adding images to your account you can show potential customers/clients a quick preview of what your products or premises look like. This is handy if people are searching and visiting you and need an idea of what your building looks like.

If you have any questions or input on this blog, please do leave a comment below. We would love to hear your thoughts or ideas on this essential business tool. If you have read our blog and are interested in working with Herd Marketing then please do reach out and contact us. We are a Wirral based agency, however we work with clients from across the UK and have a proven track record within digital marketing.