Yes, it’s free to create your Business Profile on Google. Create your profile at no cost, and you can manage your business from Google Search and Maps to start reaching more customers. Google Business Profile is a free business listing from Google. It allows you to provide details and photos of your business, including your location, services, and products.
So, in this post, I’m going to first iron out for you exactly what’s what in Google, and then give you a clear-cut roadmap to create a Google My Business account and using it to claim and verify your Business Profile on Google. Whether you’re a local mainstay or are just starting a business, your Google Business Profile makes it easy for consumers to discover, learn about, and contact your business online. 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. Without a Google My Business account, you don’t have control over the information displayed in your Business Profile, and according to a BrightLocal study, 68% of consumers would stop using a local business after finding incorrect information online. Which listing would you choose? The unclaimed one on the left or the one optimized by Google My Business account on the right?.
Use Hootsuite to communicate with your customers via Google Business Profile and all your other social channels. If you have a verified Google My Business account, your chances of appearing on top of Google Maps will be higher from searches done by people in the vicinity. You can track your Profile View Insights on your business profile under the “You Manage this Business Profile section. If you are running a location-sensitive business such as a dentist or car workshop, visibility in Google Maps is very important because consumers tend to gravitate towards nearer locations.
Part of discovering how game-changing Google My Business works for SEO and marketing products is to find out how this app matters to users and business owners alike. You can also have a profile if you’re a hybrid business that serves customers at your business address and visits or delivers directly to customers. If you aren’t the one who created the Business Profile, Google will send you a verification code that you’ll enter into your Google Business dashboard. Most business owners already have two standard Google accounts, one they use for their personal life and one they use for their business.
Get started with creating, claiming, and verifying through Google My Business today so you can get the most out of this incredible and free tool available to you. Special features are available for Google business accounts, depending on the category you’ve chosen. You may also have a profile if you’re a service-area business that visits or delivers to customers directly, but doesn’t serve customers at its business address, like a plumber or cleaning service. With Google My Business, you will have a chance to appear on Google’s local 3-pack, helping you with local SEO.
Now, with the groundwork laid out, you are armed and ready to successfully claim and verify your business on Google. Google Business Profiles have strong local SEO, so the information you share will rank above third-party sites that might have out-of-date details. 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.