Google My Business
Google My Business is a free tool offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including in search results and on Google Maps. By setting up a Google My Business listing, businesses can control how their business appears to potential customers and improve their visibility on Google. In this article, we will explore what Google My Business is, how to set up a listing, and how it can benefit your business.
What is Google My Business?
Google My Business is a free tool offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including in search results and on Google Maps. By setting up a Google My Business listing, businesses can control how their business appears to potential customers and improve their visibility on Google. This includes providing information such as the business name, address, phone number, hours of operation, and services offered.
Setting up a Google My Business listing
To set up a Google My Business listing, follow these steps:
- Go to https://www.google.com/business/ and click on the "Start now" button.
- Sign in to your Google account. If you don't have one, you will need to create one.
- Enter your business name and address. If your business has multiple locations, you can add them all at once.
- Choose a category for your business. This will help customers find your business when searching for a particular type of product or service.
- Verify your business. Google will send a postcard with a verification code to the address you provided. Once you receive the postcard, enter the code to verify your business.
Managing your Google My Business listing
Once your business is verified, you can manage your listing by logging into your Google My Business account and making updates as needed. This includes adding or updating business information, responding to customer reviews, and uploading photos of your business.
Benefits of a Google My Business listing
There are several benefits to setting up a Google My Business listing for your business:
- Improved visibility on Google: By providing accurate and up-to-date information about your business, you can improve your visibility in search results and on Google Maps.
- Customer reviews: Customers can leave reviews on your Google My Business listing, which can help improve your reputation and attract new customers.
- Insights: Google My Business provides insights on how customers are finding and interacting with your business online. This includes data on search queries, views of your listing, and customer actions (e.g., clicks to call, directions).
Other review sites
Google My Business is not the only platform where customers can leave reviews for your business. Other popular review sites include Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Facebook. To ensure that you are aware of all the reviews for your business, consider using a tool like Awario to monitor multiple review sites at once. Awario can alert you to new reviews in real-time and help you respond to them quickly and efficiently.
Conclusion
Google My Business is a free tool offered by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including in search results and on Google Maps. By setting up a Google My Business listing and regularly updating it, businesses can improve their visibility on Google and attract new customers. To ensure that you are aware of all the reviews for your business, consider using a tool like Awario to monitor multiple review sites at once.