Is your business listed on Google Maps?

Google Maps is a great tool for spatial orientation. However, it can also be used as a marketing tool.

Google Maps can help you to not only orient yourself but also to locate a specific place, a café, or a car service. Google Maps also allows you to view all of the businesses in the vicinity where you are.

You, as a business owner, know how important it can be to be found online by customers. Google is the largest search engine in the globe, so if your business doesn’t show up in Google results it’s as if you don’t exist.

Google reports that 30% of mobile search queries are location-related.

Let’s suppose you own a restaurant. Google Maps allows potential customers to search for restaurants in their area. Google will return a list of results based on your location such as the one below.

You can appear on Google Maps by simply registering your business in Google My Business, and then following a few easy steps.

Google Maps is part the Google My Business platform. This platform is used to track and manage the online presence of businesses using various tools such as Google Analytics, Google Local (Google Maps), and GoogleAds.

This article will teach you what to do:

  • What is Google My Business?
  • A Google My Business account offers many benefits
  • How do I set up a Google My Business account for my business?

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a tool that Google provides to all businesses and organizations to help them manage their online presence, including Search and Maps. You can make it easier for potential customers to find you by using Google My Business.

Google My Business accounts offer more than just a listing of your business. You can interact with customers via Google Search and Google Maps by creating a free business profile.

A Google My Business account offers many benefits

When someone searches for your company, what comes up on Google? It would be amazing if Google could show you your business name, address, phone number, and photos, as well as customer reviews. You should be aware that Google already does this for businesses registered in Google My Business. This is a free app that allows any business to sign up and fill out their profile with relevant information for customers. Google displays the profile for the search company on the right sidebar of the results page.

Here’s how the search results look for restaurants already listed on Google My Business.

Let’s now see what benefits you can enjoy as a Google My Business account holder:

1. It is completely free

Google My Business, although it’s a free service, is an effective and useful tool to promote your business. Filling out your profile with pertinent information and photos will increase your chances of being found in search results on Google Maps and Google Search. If your business is representative for online searchers, then you can be reached directly.

2. Helps with SEO optimization

Google My Business, regardless of whether you have a website, is one of the best SEO tools for Google, the largest search engine in the world.

A Moz study on local search ranking factors found that Google My Business is still the most popular provider of local SEO. Quality links are coming in fairly quickly.

Although it doesn’t guarantee you will be listed in search results, creating a Google My Business account helps you to get the best visibility possible over time.

Google My Business considers many factors when ranking in search results. Yoast.com states that the three most important factors for a business are:

Relevance – i.e. How closely the profile and activities of the company match the search terms on Google. This is possible by using keywords that are as specific as possible and as representative of your business.

Distance – How close are you to Google’s searcher? Your chances of being found in search results are higher the closer you are to the searcher and the more relevant.

Prominence is the amount of online visibility and notoriety your business has. This can be affected by reviews, events and visual content, as well as the quality of the content on your website.

When we speak about SEO optimization, it is important to remember the creation of a Google My Business Account.

3. The relevant information about your company can be provided

After creating a company account, you can add company information such as company name, exact address and contact details (phone, email or website), opening hours, attractive photographs, and 360 panoramic photos. You can also post videos or virtual tours. You can also publish posts which will be directly displayed on Google. You can also get reviews from your customers.

4. Access to pertinent statistics is available

You can access data in the control panel that will help you improve your communication strategy. These include statistics on customer views, how they found you business (directly, through discovery), and where they view it (from Google Maps or Google Search). It is possible to see how customers interact with your My Company profile on Google. This includes clicks, phone calls and requests for directions. This information will help you to better understand your target audience and determine how you can attract new customers.

5. The possibility of creating a presentation site is available

You don’t need a website if you haven’t created a Google My Business account. Based on the information that you provided, a Google My Business account can be automatically generated for you. The platform offers several design options. This is a great option to begin with. It can help you decide if it’s worthwhile investing in your website.

Let’s now see how to create your Google My Business Account. It is very easy and you don’t need any specialized assistance.

How do I set up a Google My Business account for my business?

Go to Google My Business and click on the Get started button.
Enter your company name. You may notice that your company name is already filled in. This could be because you have created a Google account. Select your company name in this instance. You will be asked for the required information. Verify that all information is correct.
If your business does not exist and Google doesn’t suggest any names, add it and complete the form with required data.

Confirm your data.

5. Google will verify that you are the owner or the entity for which you wish to create an account. Choose from the following options to verify your identity:

Postcard – by post

After entering the address correctly, click Send. Most postcards arrive within 14 days. They also contain a verification code. You should not alter any data entered before you receive the postcard.

Once you have received your postcard, log into your Google My Company account. Click on “confirm localization” to confirm. Your business will be visible on Google once you enter the verification code that was sent to you.

You can request a replacement confirmation code if the postcard has not been delivered to you or you lose it. Connect to the panel by clicking on “Request another Code” at the top of your screen.

By phone

If your business qualifies, the “verify via phone” option will be available when you begin the verification process. After entering the correct number, click on “Verify via phone”. Google will send you a message with the code to enter to your phone.

By email

Email verification is available if your business qualifies. These steps are identical.

Instant check

You can instantly confirm your business if your website is already connected with Google Search Console. You will need the same Gmail account to sign into Google My Business. You will also see an option to confirm your eligibility if you are a business.

Your Google My Business account will now be visible to all users once it has been verified using any of the methods above. Your only task is to make your account as appealing and relevant to potential customers as possible. Follow the instructions on the platform to fill out all required information, including company description, working hours, location photos, exterior and interior photos, and video clips.

Also, it is important that you ensure that your flag is correctly positioned on Google Maps. You can manually move the flag to any location you wish if it isn’t positioned correctly.

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