Google My Business
Get the most out of Google
In an effort to streamline business marketing on Google, they have a platform called Google My Business. This is a central location to manage your local listing on Google Maps and Search, showcase photos of your work, respond to reviews and more. If you do a search on your business name, the Google My Business information is the "box" that appears on the right side of the search results. Your business may have that box whether you set up a Google My Business account or not. If in the box you see something that says "Are you the business owner?", then your listing has not yet been claimed and you should do so by clicking that link and following the instructions.
If you do not see that message, it means you or someone on your behalf claimed your Google My Business listing at some point. If you don't remember, try logging into Google My Business with any Gmail account you have. Otherwise, think about who may have set this up for you. It could have been whoever created your website or managed a digital marketing campaign for you. If you still cannot figure out how to access a claimed account, click here for other options.
If you don't even see a box on the right when searching for your business, simply create a new Google My Business account.
Once you have access to your account, take advantage of what Google has to offer with particular attention to the following:
VERIFY YOUR LISTING
You won't be able to publish any updates to your listing until it's verified. This is done either through an automated phone call from Google, or a post card in the mail. They will give you a code to be entered in your account. Options for verfication vary depending on the business.
CHECK YOUR BUSINESS INFO
Once you're logged in, click the Info tab on the left. Make sure that your business name, address and phone are correct and that they match what you have on your website. It's important to be consistent with this information across the Internet. You don't want different variations of your business name in Google versus Yelp versus Angie's List.
CHECK YOUR MAP LOCATION
If you service customers at your location, be sure that your map marker is in the correct place. If not, you can drag it on this page to correct it.
If you service customers at their location and not at your office, you can define your service area in this section.
ADD A BUSINESS DESCRIPTION
This description shows up right in that box on Google search results, so use it to tell people what you're all about and encourage them to visit your website to learn more.
UPLOAD YOUR LOGO AND PHOTOS
These items make the listing look a lot nicer. Any photos you use should be high quality. Remember, this is your first impression with potential customers!
Logo: This should be 250 pixels square (minimum 120, maximum 5200) with a maximum file size of 5MB and should be in JPG or PNG format. You may need to reconfigure it's layout to fit into a square (we can help if you need it).
Cover Photo: This is an important photo because it's considered your priority photo for your "box" on Google search results (although Google may not show it as your default - they sometimes choose a different one for you). This should be 1080 x 608 pixels (min 480 x 270; max 2120 x 1192 px).
ADD A SHORT NAME
Adding a short name makes it easier to send a direct link to your Google My Business listing. This is most useful when requesting Google reviews from customers.
POSTS
If you click Posts in the left column, it will take you to a section that allows you to post any announcements, sales, updates, etc. about your business. This is a great way to add fresh content to your listing in Google.
After you've completed the above, take the time to explore all of the other things Google My Business has to offer. If you need any help, feel free to contact us!