Owners of Business Profiles can invite users to become owners and managers, Go to your Business Profile. Enter a name or email address. Turn people who find you on Google Search and Maps into new customers with a free Business Profile for your storefront or service area. Personalize your profile with photos, offers, posts, and more.
If you’re running a small business and you don’t have a Google Business Profile, you’re missing out on free advertising. Simply put, Google allows businesses to create a business page detailing the services they provide, hours, location, contact information, and more. When your customers search for your type of business, they will be able to find your business listing. Google Business Profile (GBP) has gone through several names over the years, most recently going by the moniker of Google My Business (GMB), and is sometimes erroneously referred to as Google My Business Profile, Google My Business Account, or Google Business Account.
While the name has changed over time, the function has remained the same. Google Business Profile allows business owners to manage the online presence of their business. When your customers search for your business or service on Google search or within Google maps, Google pulls local results in what is known as a “map pack”.. The businesses which show up in this map pack all have profiles within GBP.
It’s possible that a listing already exists for your business, even if you haven’t made it yourself. Google allows for crowdsourcing — essentially allowing customers to create temporary listings for the businesses that they frequent. Your business should have its own Google Account associated with it. While you could technically use your personal Google Account, it is better to create a dedicated account to associate with your business.
To check for an existing listing, simply search Google for your business name. If you have a relatively common name, you may need to add a local modifier to your search. For example, while ‘Cut Throat Marketing’ only turns up our business, if there were several CTMs across the nation, we might need to search for ‘Cut Throat Marketing Columbia SC. The options for verification will vary depending on how much information Google already has about your business.
One feature that you may want to consider is Google’s built-in business messenger. This is a great way to get more leads, however it requires that you check your Google Business Profile inbox on a regular basis. The problem with this is that the business owner has no control over the information in that Business Profile until they claim it, and this is done through Google My Business. Show a list of your business services and provide online quotes, so customers get the info they need to choose you.
To do this, start by locating your Business Profile on Google Maps or Google Search and requesting to claim it. Add attributes to show your business as black-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and is LGBTQ+ friendly so people can learn more about your business. Even before you’ve verified your profile, you are able to add your company’s details such as business hours, business description, and photos of your business. It involves two different Google platforms and three different Google accounts, all of which have similar names, and some of which you likely already have.
These are the core benefits of a Google My Business account, and if that’s not enough to convince you, consider the disadvantages of not having one. Once you connect this account with your Business Profile (the final step of this post), additional fields will open up in your dashboard so you can provide even more information about your business. You should include as much information as possible here — specifically highlighting your business location, business category, the products or services you offer, and any accolades you may have won. Google is changing the way consumers find and engage with local businesses, so if you want to continue reaching your audience and attracting customers with your free Business Profile, be sure to follow the above steps.
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