For local and small businesses, carefully curating a Google My Business profile is essential to boost local SEO rankings. The tool is completely free and it is capable of launching your business to greater heights. The profile needs to contain accurate, up-to-date business information and while it may sound easy, numerous businesses often fluff their lines while developing a Google My Business profile.
Location
The profile must have your accurate location details and this step is extremely important to rising up the SEO rankings. You should ideally have photos of your location or nearby famous landmarks in order to make things easier for prospective customers to find. it’s critical to have all the listings for your business use the exact same address.
Pictures
By pictures, we mean real, authentic photos of you and your staff with customers rather than stock photos that look like they were lifted from Getty Images. According to Google, businesses with photos receive 35% more click-throughs to their websites and 42% more requests for driving directions than businesses that don’t have photos. The photos need to be personalized in order to ensure that prospective customers can build a connection with them. Have a photo of yourself, your staff, different aspects of the building, and, most crucially, customers who genuinely look like they are having a good time. Make sure to add these three important photos in the right resolution – a logo, a profile photo, and a cover photo. You might also consider employing a Google Trusted Photographer for an indoor street view tour of your business.
NAP consistency
Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) must be consistent across all social media platforms, websites, and any other online portal that houses details of your business. NAP consistency is crucial for the local SEO rankings as Google Search’s algorithms automatically discredit a business that has entered inconsistent information across multiple platforms. We recommend that you review your Google my business listing every couple of days to ensure that no external parties accidentally enter incorrect information and cost your business.
Store hours
Store Opening Hours – Many customers search online to see when businesses are open. In Google My Business, you can set working hours for each of your store locations. Also, the “special hours” section in Google My Business lets you override the business hours for specific times and dates.
Your Google My Business profile is incredibly important if you seek to make a dent in the local market. It essentially boils down to ensuring accuracy and consistency across platforms, but it can often lead to errors as businesses focus their resources on other aspects of the business. Check GMB Insights often in order to ensure that your profile continues to stand out.
