Every day, Google’s “spiders” are crawling the web looking for the most relevant businesses to display at the top of their results page. Since the first three listings of a Google search get 60% of the clicks, earning a top spot on the first page of Google’s search results almost guarantees a swarm of new business. As the main starting point for millions of customers around the world, it’s more important than ever that business owners play ball with the all- powerful search engine.

What is Google Business Profile?

But how does a business ensure Google positions its listing in this most profitable real estate? One of the leading factors is a tool called Google Business Profile. When someone in your area searches for a local service, such as “pizza in Modesto, CA,” Google quickly weighs all of the information it knows about those search terms and populates a curated list of businesses meeting those requirements on the customer’s screen.

Because customers can quickly check out photos, see business hours, view each parlor’s star ratings, and read reviews to make a decision, Google Business Profile listings are a powerful way to increase your search engine visibility and reach new customers looking for businesses just like yours.

This guide outlines everything you need to know about Google Business Profile—how you can harness its unparalleled strength to generate more website traffic, bolster your reputation, and kick off a new day of explosive growth for your business.

How to Claim Your Google Business Profile Listing (If It Already Exists)

The first step towards transforming how local customers find your business is claiming your business listing. If a customer, vendor, or passerby has created your Google Business Profile listing already, there are a number of ways you can verify and take ownership of it.

Start by searching your business on Google. Google will display what it knows so far about your business. You might see your address, phone number, and a brief description of your services. Underneath this main information, select “Own this business?”

You’ll then receive a prompt to sign in to your Gmail account. If you do not have one, no problem. You’ll have the opportunity to create one. Once you’re logged in, select “Manage Now.”

There are a handful of helpful ways to confirm that you are indeed a verified representative of this business. Google will send you a verification code in one of three ways: by phone, email, or postcard.

How to Create a New Google Business Profile Listing

If your business does not have a business listing on Google, you can easily create one at google.com/ business.

Start by logging into the Google account associated with your business, or create a new account. Select “Start now.” Here’s where you’ll input the basics behind your business. Google will ask a few easy questions, like your business name and location. There are a few location settings to consider.

If your location is not a physical storefront (like a locksmith or masseuse), or you operate strictly on a delivery-only basis, click “I deliver goods and services to my customers.” If you operate your business out of your home and prefer not to list your address, no problem. Select “Hide my address (it’s not a store)” to prevent Google from displaying your full address on public-facing pages.

The next step prompts you to select a service area. Businesses like restaurants that also home deliver food, or a local cleaning service, will want to use this section to inform potential customers if they’re within their delivery or service area.

Service areas can be as small or as large as you’d like. You are able to add cities, counties, states, provinces, or even entire countries where your services are available.

Make sure your service area is as precise as possible, as this is how Google will determine your search relevancy. For example, if you mainly provide accounting services for local businesses in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, use the city as your specific service area. That way, you’re more likely to appear in searches for “Accountants in Rancho Cucamonga, CA” than if you use the entire state of California as your service area.

Next, you’ll need to choose a business category. You want your business category to be as clearly defined as your service area. The vaguer the business category, the less likely you’ll appear in the searches most relevant to your business. From “diesel engine repair service” to “miniature golf course,” Google provides hundreds of potential business categories, so you can easily find one that best pinpoints your service offering.

Once you create (or verify) your listing, you can get into the business of what makes a GMB listing effective and unique. There are a number of components, but we will cover the most important in the following sections.

The Anatomy of Your GMB Profile

What Users See in Google Search

For all kinds of search types, Google returns a knowledge panel that aggregates available information from around the web into an overview. Depending on whether you’re viewing on mobile or desktop, knowledge panels appear on the top or right-hand side of your search results.

Overview Header

The overview header provides a quick snapshot of your business, highlighting the details most important for potential customers. This information should be clear, concise, and most importantly—accurate.

Necessary components of your overview header:

Photos

One of the easiest ways to stand out amongst other Google searches is by using high-quality images in your Google Business Profile listing. In fact, businesses that use imagery in their listings receive 35 percent more clicks to their website than those that do not.

retail store open

Name

Make sure you write your business name on your Google Business Profile profile identical to the way you write it in other online locations, like your website. Be cautious of unnecessary abbreviations and add ons.

Logo

Just as you should use your accurate, unabbreviated business name in your listing, you also want to use the logo customers expect to see. A recognizable logo is an easy way to connect with customers who may have previously seen your branding on your storefront or fleet vehicles throughout your local service area.

Buttons

Google offers a variety of call-to-action buttons that instruct customers on how to interact with your business. These buttons encourage customers to “Visit your website” or query driving, walking, or public transportation “Directions” to your business.

Mobile viewers may have a couple of additional options. “Call” or “Message” buttons allow them to instantly contact your business with a single tap.

Browsers will also see a “Save” button where they can add your business to personalized lists like “Favorites” or flag it as a place they “Want to go.”

Description

Your Google Business Profile listing also features another powerful tool: a business description. In 750 characters or less, you have the opportunity to illustrate how you stand out from the competition. What types of products or services do you offer? What makes your business special? Keep your description clear and straightforward. Avoid stuffing your description with sales pitches or promotional content that might run off customers.

Reviews

This section gives a quick snapshot of your reviews, providing an overall star rating and review count. Here, customers are looking for highly-rated listings, so five shining stars backed by a trove of positive feedback is an easy way to win their business.

Attributes

Attributes—or “details” on mobile devices—allow you to add special badges that highlight unique features of your business. These can range from amenities like “Wheelchair accessible elevator” to “Rooftop Seating” and “Trivia Night.” There are also a few unique ones that help tell the story of your business.

Veteran-Led/Owned by Veterans: If your business is led by a member of the armed services, this tag honors their service to our country.
Women-Led/Owned by Women: This tag distinguishes and celebrates businesses owned or led by women.
Recently Opened: New in town? The “Recently Opened” attribute informs customers you’ve cut the ribbon, encouraging them to try out a new local hotspot.

Google pulls in other relevant data to populate this section. Attributes like “Is this place good for kids?” or “Is there a dress code?” are generated from user Q+A and displayed in this part of your listing.

Service Options

In this section, you can highlight any special services offered by your company: delivery, curbside pickup, no-contact delivery, etc.

About Header

The About Header lists important information like address, phone number, hours, and some additional attributes. Make sure you are accurate and consistent (no abbreviations).

Address: 1234 Maple Lane, Franklin MA 02038
Phone Number: (801) 273-7889
Hours: Sun-Sat 6:30AM-1AM
Additional Attributes: guest amenities, class ratings, menus (varies according to industry)

Updates Header

The Updates Header is a section where you can highlight the goings-on of your business. If well-curated, it can have a powerful impact on your appeal and relevance to customers.

Google Business Profile Dashboard (What You See)

Your Google Business Profile dashboard is your main control center. If you familiarize yourself with its ins-and-outs, you can control how Google displays your business information across the web and maintain the kind of listing that drives new business.

Home

This is the central hub of everything related to your Google Business Profile profile. It’s how you can keep your information updated, publish exciting posts to your listing, view analytics, or manage the administrative inner workings of your account.

Posts

Using imagery, video, and text, posts are the best way to directly communicate exciting news and timely promotions to local customers. A well-curated Posts section shows browsers that you’re an active, attractive, bustling business.

To create a post, tap “Post +” on the home screen of your GMB profile and select the type of post you’re interested in creating. While you have up to 1,500 characters to tell your story, Google suggests sticking to a 150-300 character range. Images must have a minimum resolution of 400px wide by 300px tall, while the maximum upload size for a video is 100 MB. Pair your post update with a call-to-action button like “Buy,” “Learn more,” “Book Now,” or “Visit.” Posts will remain readily accessible in your Knowledge Panel for 7 days.

Information: Add/Edit Customer-Facing Information for your Business Profile

In the Info tab, you’re able to edit key information like your address, business hours of operation, phone number, website address, business description, and more. There are also a few helpful tools in the Info and Settings tabs to make sure you’re getting the most out of your Google Business Profile experience.

Labels

Labels are an easy internal way to organize multiple locations into groups. You can give each location a unique identifier that can group locations regionally or by any other tag deemed necessary by your company. That way, you can quickly monitor the activity of certain segments of your business.

Email Addresses

While it’s important to ensure every section of your Info page is up-to-date, bear in mind that Google integrates your contributions with user-submitted content. Photos and reviews from customers will appear in your listing— and you’ll want to know about them right away. In the Settings tab, you can double-check that your email addresses and notification settings are up-to- date so you can receive immediate updates on your page activity.

Insights

The Insights panel in your Google Business Profile dashboard provides you with detailed background information as to how customers are finding your business along with a bounty of analytics on how your customers are interacting with your listing.

Reviews

This section of your dashboard lists the reviews customers have left for your business. It’s important to read thoroughly—and respond to!—both positive and negative reviews (best practice is within 2 hours). For positive reviews, thank the reviewer and invite them to return in a way that is engaging and enthusiastic.

For negative reviews, follow up quickly in a manner that is friendly and approachable, committing to rectify a wrong and inviting the reviewer to move the conversation to a private channel. Apologize for the poor experience and, if necessary, welcome them back for another visit with a discount or special offer.

Google takes the word of user-generated reviews very seriously, so it‘s rare that they will remove a review simply because of a negative spin. However, you have the opportunity to flag a review for removal if you feel it is fake or inaccurate.

Messaging

Google Business Profile offers powerful messaging tools so your business can capitalize on this trend. You can permit customers to text questions, which you receive through the Google Business Profile app. Manage these options, review incoming questions, and reply through the Messages tab of the Google Business Profile app. Promote trust with timely replies (remember that it’s important to reply to messages within 24 hours or Google may deactivate the feature from your account).

If you’re like most business owners, Google Business Profile isn’t the only place you talk to customers. Facebook, Instagram, Webchat, Email, and many other messaging applications can make it tough to respond in a timely manner. Podium connects all of your messaging tools into a single inbox your entire team can access on any device.

Create Your Google Business Profile

While many of the tools and benefits of Google Business Profile are covered in this guide, it’s really just the start. Small businesses can take advantage of GMB’s free website design tools, locations, ads, linked accounts, messaging and booking tools, and review links to maximize search engine visibility, enhance the customer experience, and improve overall sales. Best of all, while local businesses often feel like larger companies have a leg up when it comes to promotional opportunities, the opposite is true for Google Business Profile. Google Business Profile prioritizes local businesses and ranks their services and locations well above big-box merchandisers.

The world of local business is shifting. If you take advantage of the opportunities that Google Business Profile provides, you will be able to revolutionize the way you manage your business and enhance your capabilities to convert customers for life

Google Business Profile 101

Learn how Podium can help you collect reviews for your Google Business Profile.