It’s no secret, Google is king. Everyone uses Google – sometimes multiple times per day. Whether they’re looking for a product, service, or information, Google is the go-to for many, many people. In fact, according to this article from Review 42, “There are over 70,000 Google searches each second. That’s almost 227 million an hour and about 5.4 billion Google searches per day.”
With these stats, it’s glaringly obvious that your business must be on Google in order to be found. But if you’re still not convinced, here are some other reasons to make sure you have a Google My Business (GMB) listing (and claim it):
- People search Google every day for the products or services that you offer, so if you aren’t on Google then they won’t be able to find you.
- You can share your most important business information on your profile making it easier for people to decide to do business with you. Your services, contact information, location, hours, and more.
- Having a listing opens the door for more than just your followers to find you. For example, if you post something to Facebook or Instagram, only your followers will see it. But if you post something on your Google listing, anyone can find it and see your content.
- It also helps your local SEO. When you have a verified Google listing, you’re legitimate in the eyes of Google which means they’re more likely to show your business in search results.
I’m always so surprised when I see businesses that are either not on Google or haven’t claimed their business listing. This is a huge missed opportunity to be found by potential customers. And, if you don’t have a website, you need to have a GMB at the very least. Of course, you should have both, but your GMB is free and it’s a great place to start with your marketing efforts.
How to get your business to show up on Google?
Google created this great guide for claiming and verifying your listing: https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/business/resources/getting-set-up/claim-verify-google-my-business-listing/
You can either check that out or read my quick summary here:
- Search Google for your business name and location
- Did anything come up?
- If yes, click to claim the business (this will require you to sign in to your Google account).
- If not, go to https://www.google.com/business/, sign in to your Google account, and follow the prompts to create your profile.
- Once your profile has been created or claimed, you will be given options to verify your business. I can’t stress this enough, DO NOT skip this step. Google uses this process to make sure you are a legitimate business and whether they should share your information with their users or not.
After your profile has been created you need to optimize it. This means filling in every possible section of your profile, including:
- Business name
- The location or area that you serve
- Phone number
- Website
- Email address
- Hours that you’re open
- Services that you offer
Then, add your photos and create your first post.
Here’s a few extra tips:
- Every time you post to Facebook or Instagram, also post to GMB
- Always include your location in each post (fit it in naturally)
- Share lots of photos
- Start asking customers for reviews
How to handle Google reviews
A good Google review is great for your SEO rankings and will do wonders for the credibility of your business. Here are some helpful ways you can ask for a Google review:
- Your email signature – “Please leave us a review on Google: (Add your Google link here).”
- Have the link at the bottom of your invoices if they’re digital.
- Send out a monthly newsletter to your customers and at the bottom of it ask them to leave you a review if they’re satisfied with your work.
- Offer a discount in exchange for a review.
- If you have a good ongoing relationship with a client, you can just ask them face to face!
If you get a good review, make sure to respond and thank that person for their review and for being a great customer.
If you receive a bad review always try to respond and apologize for their bad experience and try to find a way to make it right with them. For example: If you’re a landscaper and you had a negative review saying you did a bad job on the customers’ fall clean up, apologize to them and offer to come back and correct the issue at no expense.
Never respond to a negative review in an argumentative tone. Even if you’re 100% sure that the customer was in the wrong, responding this way will send off bad vibes to the potential customers who are reading your reviews. Don’t try to explain the situation or justify anything that happened. Just keep it simple, apologize that they had a bad experience, and offer to fix it in some way. Remember the saying, “the customer is always right”.
Okay, now’s the time to get after it! Go create your Google My Business listing. It will only take you about 15 minutes but it will mean the difference between growing your business and allowing your business to stay stagnant. If you already have a GMB, then go and optimize it. Make sure all of your info is up to date (especially with COVID updates), post to your profile and add pictures. Time to get to work!
Next steps for your business: 5 Tips to Successfully Master Your Social Media Communication
Ready for a deeper dive? Check out my FREE Guide to Marketing 101
