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Most will agree that it's important to have a Google Business Profile set up for your business. However, just having one isn’t enough. Given that your business GBP is frequently the first place people will look to learn more about your business, it's crucial that it be set up properly and managed consistently. If not, it can give viewers a negative first impression. What specifically should you do? Great question!
First of all, Google Business Profiles are free...so it's kind of a no-brainer. You should have one. But the only thing worse than not having one is having a poorly designed one. If consumers go to your GBP (and they will), and the information is inaccurate, outdated, or nonexistent... you've created a bad impression from the get-go. A poor image, especially online, is something you can't afford. Set your Google Business Profile up to represent your business in the best possible way!
Here are 8 tips for creating a successful Google Business Profile:
1. Provide Accurate Information
Make sure to fill out all the necessary fields and provide accurate and up-to-date information about your business, including the name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and services offered. If anything changes, be sure to update this information promptly.
2. Use High-Quality Images
Add high-quality images to your profile to make it visually appealing and attract potential customers. You can include images of your products, services, team members, and physical location. People like to have a sneak peek into what your business looks like both on the inside and the outside.
3. Encourage Reviews
Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Positive reviews will increase your online visibility and credibility and give potential customers a glimpse of what to expect from your business. An occasional negative review can add an element of authenticity to your profile, provided there aren’t too many. Nobody is perfect, after all.
4. Respond to Reviews
Respond to both positive and negative reviews promptly and professionally. This shows that you value your customers' feedback and are willing to address any concerns they may have. Be customer-service-focused and sincere with your follow-up. If a customer has left a negative review and is happy after you remedy the problem, ask if they would go back, and comment on how well you responded to their issues.
5. Utilize Google Posts
Use Google Posts to share updates, promotions, and events with your customers. This feature lets you engage with your audience and keep them informed about your business.
6. Monitor Insights
Keep an eye on your profile's performance and monitor the insights section to see how your business is performing on Google. This data can help you make informed decisions and improve your profile's visibility.
7. Be Active
Regularly update your profile, respond to customer inquiries, and engage with your audience to keep your business top of mind and relevant online. If you’ve changed anything about your business and don’t have that updated on your profile, it will communicate to a viewer that you lack attention to detail. They will be more inclined to move on if they encounter conflicting information.
8. Be Thorough
Work to ensure all the different sections of your profile are as complete as possible. There are a lot of options with everything from address, phone number, website, social media connections, photos, hours of operation, different departments, products and services, driving directions, questions and answers, reviews, etc. Many options are different for various industries. Restaurants can add their menus, for example. Be sure your GBP tells a complete story about your business and all it offers.
Your Google Business Profile Powers Local Search
Your GBP is frequently what people are looking for when they run location-specific searches. Additionally, these "near me" searches are more frequently done on mobile devices. When this happens, your Google Business Profile will be the first thing to show up. Additionally, these searches are frequently "bottom of the buying funnel" searches. In other words, when someone searches “restaurants near me” - typically the reason is that they are planning to take action - choose a restaurant - and will make their selection provided the profile they see is appealing.
First impressions are everything.
Often, your website isn’t the first encounter people have with your business. The first encounter is your Google Business Profile. Following these tips can create a successful Google Business Profile and improve your online presence.
