Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps

Anastasia Kudrez, Grow with Google Lead Educator, covers how to "Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps." Showing up when customers are searching online is more important than ever. Ensure customers can find accurate, updated information about your local business on Google Search and Google Maps, no matter which device they use. In this video, you will learn how to create and manage a Google Business Profile from start to finish.

In this session we’ll show you how to:

• Create or claim your Google Business Profile
• Manage your business info across Google Search and Maps
• Use your Business Profile to connect with potential customers

Anastasia aslo covers how to handle reviews. Watch the video or download the Grow with Google, Get Your Business on Google Search and Maps handout (pdf)

Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps Summary

Below is a summary of the Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps transcript.

What is a Google Business Profile? 

Today we're talking about a Google Business Profile. Let's start with the basics. What is it? A Google Business Profile is a free way to help your business information appear correctly across Google Search and Google Maps. It was previously called “Google My Business.” This is the same product with a new name. A verified Google Business Profile allows you to update your address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and more, all from Google Search results page. And it helps you connect with your potential customers online.

Where Does the Google Business Profile Appear? 

On desktops and laptops, a Google Business Profile can appear on the right side of Google Search results. You may already see a Google Business Profile for your business, in which case you can claim it. Once you do that, you can keep the information accurate and up to date yourself. Creating a Google Business Profile allows you to edit the information that Google displays, so that your business information is going to be right when people see it there. 

A Google Business Profile can also appear on Google Maps. This can help connect your business to potential customers, because people visit 1.5 billion destinations every month related to their Google searches. And people are searching locally. We can see from the search queries that of the billions of local searches, 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. They're looking for businesses nearby. Creating a Google Business Profile won't guarantee that your business is going to show up, but it can help. The general rule in order to be eligible for a Google Business Profile is to have a physical location that is open for customers to visit or to have a local service area where you meet customers face to face. 

How to Create a Google Business Profile

Let's talk about how to create a Google Business Profile. If you haven't started already, you can start by going to google.com and searching for the name of your business. Now, if you look on the right side of the page, you might see it appear where that Google Business Profiles showed up. And you'll see a link that says “Claim this listing.” Click on that and follow the prompts, and that will walk you through the steps to actually claim it as your own. Now, if you do a search for the name of your business and it doesn't show up, you can start by going to google.com/business. From the top right corner, you click the “Sign In” link at the top. 

Sign In to your Google Account 

In order to create and manage the business profile, you need to be signed in to a Google account. 

A Google account gives you a single username and password that lets you access all of the connected Google products. For example, if you were signed into Gmail, you wouldn't need to sign in again separately to get to your Google Business Profile if you used the same address to create it. The same works for your Google Calendar or Google Docs. If you already have a Gmail address, that is automatically a Google account, so you can use that to create your Google Business Profile. If you don't have one yet, you can create a new Gmail address or register another existing email address as a Google account by visiting accounts.google.com/signup. 

Start the Process 

Once you've signed into Google, you can start the process of creating or claiming the Business Profile. The first step is to type in the name of your business. Now, as you begin typing, if you don't see it appear, type in the entire name of your business and then click “Next.” 

Choose Location 

You’ll be asked to choose whether or not your business has a physical location that customers visit or not. Now, many local businesses actually operate out of their homes, in which case you want to select “No.” Instead, you'll be selecting a service area, meaning you'll put an area around where your business is located on Google Search and Maps. That way, people won't be able to get directions to your house. If you have a customer location that people can visit, you’ll be asked to enter the address. Put in the complete address as it appears officially, like you would see on an envelope. Don't add extra details like cross streets or landmarks. And PO boxes won't work. It has to be a physical address as it would appear on the map. 

In some situations, your business might have both a physical address and a service area. For example, if you sold pizza, you might have a shop where people can come in and buy a pizza pie, and you might also have a delivery service where you deliver pizza within a certain mile radius. So you can set both depending on what makes sense for your business model. When you add a service area, you can add cities, postal codes, or other area descriptions like neighborhoods and districts, and Google will then show your Google Business Profile when people are searching for things within that area. When you're done, click “Next” to go to the next step. You’ll be prompted to enter information like your phone number and your website URL.

Verification 

After you click “Next,” you'll get to verification. In order to prove that you own the business and to be able to manage the information, you have to complete verification. You may see multiple options. The example on this slide shows the option to verify via phone call or postcard. You may not see the phone call option, but everyone will see the ability to verify by mail. If you click that button, will send a postcard to the physical address that you entered, and it should arrive in about five days. When you get that piece of mail, open it up, and it will give you instructions to complete verification. Part of that is going to be a verification code that is unique to that particular mailing. That proves that you got the mail where you say your address is, and that's how Google verifies the business profile.

So your business is in process for verification. Your postcard is on the way. If you haven't received it after about two weeks, you can go in and request another postcard, but ask people or anyone else who gets mail at the location to be on the lookout. It should arrive within about five days. Then, follow the instructions to complete that verification process. 

We've talked about creating a Google Business Profile and going through the process of claiming it. Let's look at what you can do inside.

How to Manage the Information Within your Business Profile

In order to manage the information as appears on Google Search and Maps, go to Google and search for the name of your business. You should see your business appear with buttons underneath. These buttons allow you to edit different types of information. The buttons are labeled Edit profile, Promote, and Customers, and you can update elements of your Google Business Profile from these sections. You will only see these buttons if you are signed into Google with the same Google account that you used to create and claim the listing. In other words, strangers can't just go to Google and do a search for the name of your business and update your business information. Let’s take a closer look at some of these sections. 

Edit Profile 

Let's start with the “Edit Profile” button. This will let you update most of your basic business information. You can also manage products, services, and photos, including your logo and cover photo. The cover photo lets you set a preference for the photo that will appear above the information on Google Search and Google Maps. One thing to note is that setting this preference doesn't guarantee that image will appear, but it is letting Google know what your preference is. So when you click on “Edit Profile,” you can see a box labeled “Business Information.” There will be more links at the top, and each of these links takes you to different sections where you can manage that information. 

About Section  

The first link is labeled “About.” From here, you can edit your business name and category, description, opening date, and more. In order to make edits, take your cursor and hover over the area of the webpage that you want to make changes. You're looking for a pencil icon to appear. When you see that pencil icon, click on it, and you'll be able to make edits inline and save your changes. 

Attributes Section 

Here's a pro tip to help your Google Business Profile stand out: use “Attributes.” If they're applicable to your business, you can add them to show and highlight details within your Google Business Profile. Attributes are available depending on the business categories you have selected. When you sign in, you'll be able to see what's available, like payment types, gift-wrapping options, accessibility, and more. Attributes also include Asian-owned, Black-owned, Latino-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, veteran-owned, and women-owned. Attributes that you select may be visually highlighted in the search results, and they can help you stand out even more. So check back regularly to see if any additional attributes have become available for your Google Business Profile. 

Promote Button 

The “Promote” button includes options to view performance, access your Google Ads account or get started if you're not advertising, ask for reviews, and add posts. Posts have three different types: updates, offers, and events. They are really good ways to help your Google Business Profiles stay fresh and up-to-date. Posts allow you to add timely information that can appear across Search and Maps on all devices. Each of these different posts has slightly different fields, so depending on what kind of post you're making, you'll add that information and save it. The default is that the post will be live for seven days. Here's one tip to really help it stand out: choose a good photo or a video. You can add a video up to 30 seconds long to highlight on your post. 

Customer Reviews  

The last section I'm going to cover is about the “Customers” button. From here, you can read and respond to customer reviews, view call history, manage messages, and answer questions submitted by customers via your Google Business Profile. I'm going to highlight one important feature found in this section: customer reviews. Once your Google Business Profile is verified, you have the option to read and publicly respond to reviews written about your business published on Google. 

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you're responding to reviews: First of all, keep your responses short, polite, and professional. Don't use the responses as advertisements for other products and services. You should think of your responses as publicized customer service. Whether you're responding to good or bad reviews, respond as quickly as possible. When you get a positive review, quickly thank those happy customers. When somebody leaves a negative review, people often ask us for help with this. The first thing they ask us is “how do we take that down?” If somebody writes a negative review, you can't take it down just because they wrote something negative. You can take it down or request it to be removed if it violates a policy. Otherwise, you need to respond to it. Here are some tips for doing that. Think of it, again, as publicized customer service. So the manner of your response goes a long way. You can use it to address a policy or explain a concern. You can tell a customer that you are sorry if they're unhappy, and here's contact information so they can follow up with you privately to resolve the issue. Either way, the nature of your response will go a long way. If you have resolved an issue with a customer, they have the option to go in and modify their review. 

Google Search Results 

Let's look at one more section before we wrap up. Let’s go back to the Google Search Results page.

We're looking at the section where you would see the name of your business and manage all of that information. To the right of your business name, above those three buttons that we looked at, you will see three dots in a vertical line. If you click on that icon, it will reveal a dropdown menu with additional options. 

Once you have your profile set up, I encourage you to go in, click on that three-dot icon, and explore all the options in that area. But I'm going to give you a few highlights. The Google Business Profile Settings option allows you to add managers. Managers are people who can help you edit this profile. So, for example, if you want someone else to be adding updates for events, photos, or posts, you can give them access to your business profile and they can add information. However, it doesn't give them access to your Google account, so they can't read what's in your Gmail account or get to all your documents. They can only get to the Google Business Profile. From this dropdown menu, you can also contact Google support, access the Google Help Center, create additional business profiles, and more. 

I hope that you're excited about all of the things that you can do with a Google Business Profile.

Next Steps 

• Visit google.com/business and claim or complete the steps to create your Google Business Profile. Request a postcard, which should arrive in about five days. When you get that postcard, follow the steps to complete the verification process.
• In the meantime, explore your Google Business Profile and update the information. As soon as verification is complete, your Profile will go live.
• Once you have completed your Profile, make sure you keep it up to date. Schedule time during the week to make updates to your profile and review your information. Make it a habit to go in and add a post or a photo, and do it as often as you can. This is going to make a difference and improve the chances of your Google Business Profile showing up when people search on Google Search and Maps.
• Finally, use performance reports. Performance reports will tell you how people are finding your information on Google Search and Maps and how they're interacting with it. If you're not sure if your Google Business Profile is making a difference, you can use those performance reports to see exactly how much traction it's providing and how many people it's bringing to your business information. 

For more resources, you can visit the Grow with Google YouTube channel, Google Career Certificates and scholarship program for U.S. businesses, and the Grow with Google website..
 

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