Google My Business (GMB) is a free service offered by Google which enables businesses to manage their presence online using search. This involves claiming and verifying their profile, managing what information displays in search results, as well as optimizing their GMB site and content. GMB listings appear in Local Pack listings (three local listings), Map results when relevant searches contain local intent queries, as well as Organic results when Google detects local intent searches.
One of the key steps in optimizing a Google My Business listing is writing an accurate company description. Google allows up to 750 characters for this section; take advantage of it by including useful details about your products or services in there without over-stuffing with keywords; this could hurt credibility with Google and result in being delisted from their listings altogether.
One way to enhance your Google My Business profile is by including photos that showcase your product or service and draw customers in. Google recently made available the ability for businesses to post updates directly on their GMB profiles; this provides businesses with a powerful way of advertising special offers or events occurring nearby.
Staying current with Google My Business listings is crucial to attracting new customers and ranking higher in search results. This is particularly relevant if your seasonal business requires seasonal adjustments; for instance, selling snow removal services during winter requires updating your Google My Business listing with seasonal images and information in order to help customers locate you more easily when searching Google Search results.
As well as using accurate information, it’s wise to employ local keywords. These terms refer to your location and can be included in your business name, description and categories for enhanced discoverability by people searching in that area. Including such local terms will allow potential clients to easily find you when looking up businesses in that location.
Prominence is a factor of local SEO that determines how well-known your business is. This could include factors like number and quality of reviews received, attendance at local events and directories or offline presence within your community.
If your business is located in a large city, chances are there will be stiff competition among other local businesses. As such, it becomes even more essential that your GMB profile and invest in local SEO to stand out. While creating an effective local SEO strategy takes time and dedication – its rewards may outweigh them when it comes to new customers!
