If there is one online tool to help you improve your local business’s positioning, reach, and visibility, it is Google My Business. Going by its name Google My Business is a product of Google, and it is a tool that helps small, medium, and large businesses to get listed online and help find valuable customers. Let’s talk about the elements of Google My Business and how one can set up their own Google My Business Account in 2022.
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What is Google My Business ( GMB ) ?
As the name suggests, Google My Business is a free online tool that is highly advantageous for businesses of all sizes. Google My Business helps small, medium, and large-sized enterprises to create and manage their listing on Google Business. Here the word ‘listing’ refers to the act through which you make Google aware of the existence of your business. One can also understand listing as a means of registering your business online.
After you have completed the process of listing your enterprise on Google My Business, your business will appear on the search results of Google when customers look for businesses related to your product or service. In addition to appearing on the searches, it will also show your official website on Google Maps along with directions to the destination of your business. The most significant advantage of having your business listed on Google My Business is that once potential customers find your business on Google, they believe they are genuine.
However, listing your business on Google My Business ( GMB )is not an easy task. Once you have signed up and registered the correct details of your enterprise on Google My Business, your business doesn’t get listed instantly. Google will verify all the details of your business enterprise; it will cross-check all attributes such as your business address, pin code, landmarks, and other vital elements of the identity of your business. Once verified, you will receive a confirmation from Google, and only after your business is verified, it will become visible on Google. Hence, listing your business on Google helps increase the credibility of your business and contributes to building an online presence for your brand or business.
What are the uses/benifits of Google My Business For Local Businesses?
There are several advantages of listing your brand on Google My Business. As mentioned earlier, if a local customer searches for a particular product or service that you are offering, your business will automatically be visible to the customer. The first benefit of listing your brand on Google My Business is the visibility and increased awareness of your business. Secondly, Google My Business uses all the information and adds it on Google Maps.
This allows everyone on the web to check the location of your enterprise, timings of operation, and even compare other businesses. Thirdly, once a potential customer visits your business profile on Google My Business, they are shown all information, posts, photographs and images that can give them a whole idea of your company. Lastly, the most critical benefit of Google My Business is that it contributes heavily to SEO, helps in drawing a tremendous amount of organic traffic to your website, and helps in optimizing your business.
Is Google My Business Free?
Yes, you can create your Business Profile on Google absolutely free. It requires no cost, and it is very easy to manage your business from Google Search and Maps to reach a wider audience.
How do I register my local business on Google My Business ( GMB )?
Every business needs to set up its very own Google My Business account. Here’s how you can set up your Google My Business account.
- The first step you must do is log into your Google Account that you use for your business. It is always better to create an independent Google Account for all your business operations and keep it separate from your account.
- Visit www.google.com/business. Once you visit the page, you have to click the ‘Start Now’ button, which you will see on the right side of the webpage.
- Once you have clicked on ‘Start Now’, your account creating process will begin immediately. At this point, you need to enter all the details relevant to your business, such as your enterprise’s business name and address.
- If you are an enterprise offering products or services directly to customers’ homes, you can click on the ‘I deliver goods and services to my customers’ option. In some instances where you feel like you don’t want to share the address of your business, you can select the ‘Hide Address’ option to hide your address. On the other hand, you can make your address visible to only a particular region or an area.
- The next most important part of registering your enterprise on Google My Business lies in selecting the category of your business. You must never forget to pick the correct business category that aligns with your business. This is an important step in listing your business because it helps Google show your business to the right customers.
- The last step is to add your official website and business-related contact details. Once you have entered in all your information, you must select the verification option to notify the concerned individuals to verify your business.
- Lastly, once the backend team at Google verifies your business, your business will become visible on the internet to everyone. However, if there are still a few business details that you have not got ready yet, you can click on ‘Try a Different Method’ or the ‘Later’ option and continue the process to list your business.
In conclusion, it is almost mandatory for you to have your business listed on Google My Business. It is easy for you to find genuine customers and build a reliable customer base. With an updated Google My Business account, you will be able to balance out your online and offline operations in a successful manner!
