Google Business Profile (formerly known as “Google My Business” and still referred to by many marketers as “Google Local”) provides local businesses with a unique opportunity to be found on Google and Google Maps.
How does it work and how to optimize your Google Business Profile?
To discuss Google Business Profile, Jim Boykin, founder and CEO of Internet Marketing Ninjas, and Ann Smarty, IMN’s analyst, were joined by Ben Fisher, Google’s trusted Business Profile Product Expert.
Ben Fisher is Co-Founder of Steady Demand and Diamond Google Product Expert with over 25 years of experience in Internet Marketing.
Any time you do a search that has a local intent, you will end up finding Google Business Profiles. Whenever Google detects local search intent, Google will rank the results based on proximity standpoint and relevancy standpoint. In other words, Google will find relevant Google Business Profiles that are closest to you.
About 46% of Google Business Profiles are not claimed.
Many years ago, Google has a deal with Yellowpages to import their database and create a database of local businesses. These days Google uses many more sources of data (both online and offline) that help them create detailed and trustworthy business profiles.
Businesses can claim their local listings to add more details, upload photos and interact with their customers from their Google profile.
Creating a well-optimized and details Google Business Profile is key to being found by Google searchers who are looking for a related business nearby.
Being on Google is crucial for accelerating local sales.
Google Business Profile is free to create and it can boost your sales by 90%
Don’t forget that 65% of Google searches have local intent.
If you look at these two numbers, claiming your existing profile or creating a new one is no-brainer.
Once you have access to it, make sure to fill every aspect of it.
When optimizing your Google Business Profile:
- Don’t stick your keywords everywhere you can. It is not going to help
- Think about creating a detailed and helpful for your customers
The two big signals for Google local rankings are:
- Name (keywords in your business name do help)
- The primary category: Just choose the category and subcategories that apply to your business.
- Google Business Profile engagements: views of your photos and videos, comments on your posts, questions in your Q&A section, reviews, etc.
As for external signals:
There are local ranking factors that go beyond the actual Google Business profile but can still be controlled by you:
- The links you build to your site do play a huge role in your local rankings (organic and local search algorithms are connected)
- Your website content is going to help your local rankings as well.
