SEO is challenging, arduous, and expensive. However, Google tries to make things easy for you with free tools be it the Google Analytics, Search Console, Google My Business, and other tools.Google My Business is designed to benefit local businesses and owners by boosting their local SEO. This free tool by Google allows you to manage a wide range of thing such as the business location on Google Map, online reviews, and knowledge graphs.
As a local business, the Google My Business is essential for your company to appear in local searches on Google Maps. When people search for something with a local intent such as ‘SEO Company in Melbourne’, the Google Map will appear with a list of three companies. Setting up the Google My Business will allow you to rank among the three results. Here are some tips to optimize your Google My Business listing.
- Setup Google My Business Listing
If haven’t already, the first thing you need to do is to set up the Google My Business account for your business. Go to the My Business Page and click on ‘Start Now’. Once at the page, fill all the information accurately and complete the profile as much as possible. Ideally, you should fill all the fields.
- Choose a Category
Choosing the right category is important; it helps Google decide the searches in which to list your business. You can choose the category from the drop-down list. You do not have the option to put custom category. If your business does not match the category in the list, choose something general that is closer to your business.
- High-quality Images
Including photos in the listing can stand out and attract the customers. You can use the photo to provide a glimpse of your product and services. However, ensure that the images are of high-quality that creates a good image of the brand in the minds of the customers. According to Google, businesses that have photos and virtual tours receive twice the interest when compared to websites that don’t.
- Consistency of Information
Do not provide any wrong information; Google values legitimacy and check various websites to validate your information. While most of the information you enter might be accurate, you might miss something or confuse the order of your address like the street name, etc. When Google compares this information with other websites, it may view it as wrong information, so have a specific format of the address and follow it across all the platforms on the internet.
- Use a Local Phone Number
When you provide the phone number across different listing make sure it’s the same. In addition to providing the same number, ensure that you are providing a local phone number and area code. It communicates to Google that your business is actually local. It can also help, if the number you provided in the Google My Business listing is the same number on your website.
- Follow Google’s Guidelines
All the effort is futile if Google suspends your business listing. Hence, read the guidelines of Google and follow it like the bible. Here are some things to avoid.
- Do not have multiple listing for the same business
- URL that redirects to website instead of the real URL (short URLs)
- Unnatural stuffing of keywords
- Providing a wrong store address
- Reviews
Ask for reviews; it does not only make Google happy but a large number of customers buy a product after reading positive reviews about the product or the business. Ask your satisfied customers to provide you review.
- Ensure the Website and Content is Optimized for Google
Ask your SEO team to optimize the website for local SEO. This includes incorporating local keywords in the website content and the blog.
These are the 8 tips you can follow to boost your local SEO and increase the traffic to your website.
