Why It’s Important To Get Your Business on Google Maps
Over 6 billion users visit Google each day. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to provide a high-quality first impression on local searches. As a result, Google now allows businesses to create free business listings on Google Maps through a Google Business Profile. This listing helps businesses stand out in local searches. Business listings on Google Maps can be created for businesses that make in-person contact with their customers. Importantly, this free listing allows a business to add essential information to better helps customers understand a business.
In this article we’ll cover:
- The benefits of a Google Business Profile.
- How you can set it up for your business.
In the article, a Google Maps business listing will be stated as a Google Business Profile.
A Google Business Profile Helps People Find and Quickly Contact A Business
When someone searches on the internet for a business or place near their location they’ll find local search results on Google Search and Google Maps. Essentially, Google Maps works both as a search engine and a map to help customers find and employ the services of local businesses.
For example, here is an image of a local search result for “local bounce house rentals”:
First, the local search result returns a map of pinned locations. These locations are local businesses who provide bounce house rentals. Next, the individual is also provided with information of local businesses including:
- Business Name
- Phone Number
- Hours
- Website
- Direction To The Business
- Ratings
- Featured Reviews
- Address
A business’ listing can provide a phone number and address for their business. This information helps customers contact and visit a business. A business can also provide their business name, website, and hours of availability to help customers understand that business.
Google Business Profile Provides Customer Credibility Through Reviews
Reviews on Google Maps provide businesses and their customers valuable information about the business. Furthermore, businesses can respond to reviews. Replying to public customer reviews builds trust with new and returning customers.
For example, here is an overview of Bounce My House Party Rentals review page:
Here, the review page shows the average review rating, featured reviews, and communication between customers and owner. Importantly, remember that people look for customer reviews before deciding to use a business’ service. Therefore, business listings that include a good number of 4 or 5 star customer reviews present greater credibility and receive more clicks.
A Google Business Profile Helps Create A Great First Impression
A Google Business Profile helps businesses stand out in local searches. It provides a detailed overview of a business’s essential information and attributes.
For example, here is Bounce My House Party Rental’s full Google Business Profile:
Here, Bounce My House Party Rentals provides photos and essential information of its business. This essential information includes their business name, address, availability, website, phone number, and digital address. Bounce My House Party Rentals also provides business attributes.
Attributes on a Google Maps Business Profile shows what makes a company unique. These attributes could show that a business is women-led, veteran-led, black-owned and more. Bounce My House Party Rentals indicate that they are a women-led business. As a result, this attribute will appeal to customers who want to support a company that is women-led.
Essentially, a Google Maps Business Profile is a free local business listing on Google Maps. It is crucial to create it because this listing will help people in a local area better understand a business and decide if they should avail its services.
How To Create a Google Business Profile
1. Create A New Gmail Account For Your Business
You may create a Gmail Account here. You may also sign-in with an existing personal or business Gmail address.
After completing the final prompt to provide a phone number, date of birth and gender, you can now start to build a business profile!
2. Visit Google.Com/Business
Using your newly created Gmail account you can create a business profile on the Google Business Profile landing page. Simply click ‘Manage Now’ on top right to begin getting your business listed on Google Maps.
3. Enter Business Name and Category
Start building your Business Profile by setting your business name and category. This information will help you get noticed by customers on Google Search and Maps.
If you have a similar or same name as another business in your region, you’ll see Google suggest those businesses for you. This is to allow you to see if your business listing already exists.
Research your local competitors and look through a full list of Google Business Location categories to find the most appropriate category for your business.
4. Specify The Physical Location For Your Business
If your business has a physical location, like an office or a store, simply input your address. It is important that you do provide a physical address for your business profile to better match with potential local searches.
If you do not want to provide a physical location you may instead provide a service area. This helps potential customers know you serve their area.
5. Select Service Areas
Select the cities in your area your business will provide service to. You can have up to 20 service areas. The boundaries of your overall area should not extend farther than about 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based.
6. Add Contact Details (Phone Number and Website)
Adding contact details to your business profile will help customers get in touch with your business.
Also, you may add a website if you have one. You may also select to not add a website at this time, and subsequently, add a website at a later time.
6. Provide Business Mailing Address
The next step in this process is to add a mailing address. Google will use this address to send you a verification postcard. Importantly, this address will be hidden from the public. Click ‘Next’ to finish creating your listing.
7. Verify Business
Here, the only option for your business to be verified by Google for a business profile is a postcard by mail verification. After you confirm that you will verify your business by mail a postcard will be on its way! You’ll get a postcard with your verification code and next steps in about 5 days.
You have now completed a crucial milestone for your business by getting your business on Google Maps. You’re now well on the way to increasing your chances of being found by local customers in Google Maps. Also, your business will gradually rank higher in Google Maps as you start to build customer credibility by collecting Google Reviews and making Google posts.
Following the final verification step there are crucial steps to further optimize your profile. These steps include adding business hours, adding message capabilities, adding a business description, adding photos of your business and much more.
So you are now familiar with the importance of a Google Business Profile for your business and the steps to set it up.
If you want to show up at the top in Google searches for Inflatable rentals in your area…
And have 5 star reviews on your Google Business Profile, so that potential customers choose you over your competitors, we can help…
