How to get a Google Business Profile (and why you need one!)

A Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is an essential step for marketing your business. Let’s look at why this service is so important and how to get a Google Business Profile for your business.

If you’re a small business owner, you probably do most of the things in your business by yourself – including your marketing. Promoting your business online is an essential task, but it can easily become overwhelming. Between social posts, website updates, group networking, emailing your database, and all the other endless items, it’s a huge amount of work.

Setting up a Google Business Profile is therefore probably not at the top of your list of things to do, but read on to find out why you should be prioritising this marketing task, and how to get a Google Business Profile.

What is a Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile (which used to be called Google My Business) is a free listing service that Google provides for businesses. It allows you to set up an online profile for your business so you can control how it appears in certain areas of Google, such as the search listings and Google Maps.

When people search on Google for businesses like yours, having a Google Business Profile provides an info panel with details about your business.

It’s estimated that up to 50% of businesses don’t have a Google Business Profile, so make sure you claim and optimise your listing to stand out from the competition.

It’s estimated that up to 50% of businesses don’t have a Google Business Profile

What are the benefits of having a Google my Business Profile?

Claiming and setting up your Google Business Profile gives you essential exposure on Google, allowing potential customers to find your business easily and see what you do, who you serve, and where you operate. People can also get directions to your business or book an appointment with you, all from within Google!

Appearing on Google is one of the most valuable things you can do for your business in the online space. Why? Because when people are searching on Google, they’re searching with an intent. This intent could be to learn, to compare, or to buy – but they want to take action. Compare this with discovering a business on social media, where people are often just passively scrolling by and not actively looking for anything at that time.

A Google Business Profile is also an easy marketing win which lies somewhere between paid Google Ads (instant but expensive for small businesses) and SEO (time-consuming and a long-term goal).

As well as listing what your business does, you can use your Google Business Profile to provide information such as your opening hours and contact info, add photos of your business, and provide ongoing updates.

And with Google stating that over half of Google Business Profile interactions end up with a website visit, it’s clear that a strong profile is a must for your business.

More than half of Google Business Profile interactions end up with a website visit

Google

How to get a Google Business Profile

Anyone with a Google account can set up a Google Business Profile. (And if you don’t have a Google account yet, then it’s very simple to get one.)

To set up your business listing, you’ll need to go through a verification process to prove you’re the business owner.

Below we’ll go into more details about creating your Google Business Profile, but it you’d prefer to have a professional set it up for you and optimise it properly for the best results, then I can help! Just contact me for more information.

Is a Google my Business Profile Free?

Yes! Google Business Profile is a completely free listing service that you can use to control how your business appears in the search results.

Google Ads or other paid online marketing tactics can be far too expensive for many small businesses, so this is one step you can take which won’t blow the budget.

You can either create your Google Business Profile for free or pay an expert to set it up and optimise it for you. Once it’s done there are no ongoing costs to your business.

Creating a Google Business Profile

Here’s a quick guide to claiming your Google Business Profile listing.

1. Go to Google and ensure you’re logged in with your preferred Google account
2. Now go to google.com/business and click “Manage Now”.
3. Enter your business name and address, and enter the basic information about your business.
4. Enter your service areas and business category.
5. Add your website URL and phone number.
6. Click “Finish” and choose how to verify that you own the business.

After you’ve completed your basic information, you’ll need to verify your address. Most people opt to have a postcard sent to their location. Once you receive the postcard you’ll have a code that you can enter to verify your listing. (Some businesses qualify for phone verification or instant verification instead.)

How do I optimise my Google Business Profile?

Once you’ve claimed your listing and verified your address, it’s time to optimise your profile. There’s loads you can do here, and many businesses opt to have a professional complete this part, to maximise your listing and get the full benefit.

You can enter details such as your hours of operation and add photography of your premises, staff at work or services. You can also respond to Google reviews and questions here too.

Keeping your profile up-to-date is key in attracting new potential customers. Responding to reviews or questions boosts your profile, is great for SEO, and improves your website’s visibility.

What should I put on my Google Business Profile?

Your Google Business Profile should provide viewers with as much helpful information about your business and services as possible. You’ll have the option to add all of the following elements to your profile, and you should aim to complete as much of it as you can.

Do I Need a Website with a Google My Business Profile?

A great website combined with a strong Google Business Profile is the ideal pairing – you’ll need both for an effective online presence.

Having a well-designed, conversion-focused website is key to converting your visitors into leads and customers – but to attract those visitors in the first place you need to ensure that your website can be easily found, and that’s where a service like Google Business Profile can really help.

The combination can do wonders for increasing your traffic and driving sales.

Note that there is a “website” function available within Google Business Profile, but this isn’t recommended for most businesses and the functionality of it is so limited. It’s designed as a stop-gap until you build your own website.

Should I enable reviews on my Google Business Profile?

When you set up your Google Business Profile, you can set up a link for people to use to review your business. Good reviews are an essential part of an optimised profile, as they offer “social proof” and help potential customers to view you as a trustworthy business.

People are more likely to click through onto the website of a business with good Google reviews, so use this feature to your advantage. Reviews can also help to improve your ranking in Google’s search results, making you easier to be found online.

If you have happy customers, encourage them to leave you a positive Google review and reap the benefits on your profile!

Take the stress out of creating and optimising your Google Business Profile by getting an expert to do it for you!

Can a Google Business Profile help with SEO?

Everyone with a website knows that SEO is essential to help you get found online – but most people find it intimidating, confusing, or just something that they have very little time to work on. The good news is that having a strong Google My Business profile can help with your SEO efforts.

Giving Google information like your business hours, contact info and location directly through your profile helps them to provide the most accurate results whenever people search for your business, or businesses like yours.

You can also use the “Insights” data from your profile to get real information on how people arrive at your profile, allowing you to target the correct keywords in your marketing efforts.

Your Google Business Profile also provides you with the option to add photos and videos to your account. This additional content can also appear in the search results, giving you more exposure over time.

Conclusion – a Google Business Profile is essential for your business

As we’ve discovered, there are many, wide-ranging benefits to getting your Google Business Profile set up and optimised. Time to put it on your marketing to-do list!