The Ultimate Guide to Google My Business Optimization

Any business today needs relevant visibility on Google. Most businesses know that this requires optimizing their website and probably Google Ads, but what most businesses don’t know is that there is a third entity that also needs optimizing: their Google My Business profile. A Google My Business Profile is a powerful listing that highlights your company´s best features and enables potential customers to quickly find, learn about, and engage with you—all from the search results. And Google My Business is completely free.

An optimized Business Profile on Google helps consumers to choose your business over competitors, but there are other benefits to optimizing your Business Profile for effective local marketing.

Improve engagement

More and more, consumers are entering and exiting Google without going to any other website. Why? Because the information in search results pages themselves is fully answering their questions, resulting in “zero-click searches.” With potentially more consumers interacting with your businesses through your Google Business Profile than your website, you’ll want that profile to be optimized for quality engagement and conversions.

Boost your local ranking

Google’s algorithm for ranking Business Profiles does not just consider proximity and relevance but also activity and quality of information. Optimizing your Google Business Profile sends these signals to Google to rank you higher in local results. And higher rank, as you know, means more visibility and engagement with your business.

Convert more customers

A regular Google Business Profile alone doesn’t offer much in the way of acquiring customers. They can find out where you are located and read your reviews—if they know to search your business name in the first place. But with an optimized Business Profile through your Google My Business account, consumers can discover you in keyword searches, call you, visit your website, research your products and services, view/contribute FAQs, request a quote, book an appointment, make a reservation, and more. Plus, you can track clicks to your website, appointment, or menu link using UTMs and Google Analytics.

In order to make the optimizations laid out in this guide, you need to have a Google My Business account and then tell Google to connect it with your Google Business Profile. To create an account, head to Google.com/business and sign in with the regular Google/Gmail account you use for your business (as opposed to your personal Gmail, if you have one).

Important: When you register a new business, there might be a Business Profile for an old business at the same location. Do not try to claim it. Instead, suggest an edit to have it marked as closed. Then, you can create a new profile on Google My Business for your business.

Be sure to confirm that your business information is correct. When you verify your business information, it means all your information is ready for customers to find across Google.

Now that you either claimed or created your Business Profile, it’s time to verify your business. After you verify, your business information will be eligible to display across Google.

Now that you either claimed or created your Business Profile, it’s time to verify your business. After you verify, your business information will be eligible to display across Google.

Ensure the accuracy of your business information across Google with verification.

Verification protects you from anyone who might try to pose as a representative of your business. You must verify your business before you can edit your business information on Google products.

Most businesses are verified by mail with a verification postcard from Google.

Tip: Some businesses can be verified by phone, text, or email or through the Google Search Console. If you find any of these options, follow the directions.

The completeness of your Google Business Profile not only helps Google to rank you higher in local search results, but it also increases the number of actions customers take when they find your profile. There’s a lot of information to provide, so here are some guidelines for prioritizing.

These items of your profile should be completed right away: