How Google My Business Can Improve Your Online Presence

If you are struggling with your online presence and aren’t quite sure about how to improve things, one positive action you can take is undertaking a review of your Google My Business (GMB) profile. But what’s a GMB, I hear you ask? 

They are the short lists that pop up when you search for something generic like “cafes near me” or when you enter a specific business name, the GMB listing can appear. Businesses registered with a GMB can also appear on google maps. This platform can improve your online presence because it allows your business to be seen by the right people searching for you and could ultimately lead to you getting more leads.

Setting up an account is easy. Google will send you a postcard with a verification code which helps them confirm you are located where you claim to be at and not across the sea. Once you have been verified, you can go about optimising your profile. 

Google My Business Improves Your SEO Campaign
So how can GMB help improve your search engine optimization results? The key is to using every available tool on your profile and completing all relevant fields. The more information that is given, such as hours of operation, what your business does and other similar data, the more this will help make a customer click onto your business.

Google My Business is completely free, Unlike Google Ads, and it comes with quite a few helpful tools that can be used to enhance your SEO endeavours. Something that should be understood is that Google My Business is to be used as an enhancement to an SEO campaign, not replacement of it. 

If you are unable to demystify how SEO works and you’re embarking on a marketing campaign, then it is imperative that you consult with digital marketing agency. They can advise you just how the process works, or do the process for you. Here are some factors that determine how Google shows one business over another.

Distance 
As stated beforehand, as you search for a shop, you expect Google to list the shop in your area and closest to your location. Therefore, Google shows the business closest to where you are.

Relevance
 If you are a tea room, it's unlikely that your business will show up in a search for garden supplies, unless you are vague about what your business does. In order to match the search intent of the user, ensure that there is no ambiguity in what the services and products of your business are.

Prominence
Does your business have a lot of reviews? Do you have adequate amounts of relevant content on your website? Are their quality backlinks to your company's website? If the answer is no, then you need to correct the situation since all of these things will increase your company's prominence and hence your rankings on Google maps etc.

Getting the Best From Your Google My Business Listing
Here are a few hints that will help to assure that you show up in Google searches for local businesses.

• Be sure you choose the correct category for your company in Google My Business.
• Be sure that there are no typos and that your phone number, address, and website are all correct.
• Be sure to list the days and times you are open for business.
• Refresh your listing anytime there are changes in your address, phone, website, or hours your business is open.

If you follow these suggestions, you will see your online presence improve from Google My Business. Get in touch if you need help with creating your GMB today.
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