Optimize Google My Business: 5 Tips for a Successful Entry

Our guest author Lisa Karasch gives you an insight into how to optimize your Google My Business account and provides you with tools and examples.

Nobody uses directories anymore? That's not true: The virtual directory entry is used unconsciously in Google search every day and helps your potential customers in their decision-making process. Therefore, it is extremely important to optimize your Google My Business profile and provide the search engine with all important information.

The Google My Business entry is a central aspect for local Search Engine Optimization (SEO). All important information about the company can be found listed here clearly. New developments from Google also lead to ever more functions, which are offered for companies of different industries. In the post you will learn how to create a clean basis in a few steps.

What is a Google My Business entry?

The Google My Business profile (new name: Google Business Profiles) is a company entry that can appear in Google search. Various information, such as the address, phone number, opening hours, products, and much more, can thus appear directly on the search result page, on Google Maps, and in other Google products used by users for research. Also with the voice search the voice assistants access the stored information of the virtual directory entries.

The business entry shows various information and reviews.

Search results for local search queries

Depending on the type of search the users perform, a so-called Knowledge Graph (i.e., knowledge database) can appear in the results. When you search for local restaurants, shops, or companies, the so-called Local Pack is played out: Here, the search engine displays important data about the searched company. These can be, for example, opening hours, phone number, reviews, website, room prices for hotels, directions, and much more. If the search term matches several entries in the region - for example, when searching for “hairdresser Bochum” - Google displays matching companies. These usually have several reviews and a fully completed Google My Business profile.

Adding an entry

Creating a company profile is an important topic for your own SEO strategy. At first, a distinction is made between confirmed and unconfirmed entries. The entries are created by the responsible parties. However, it is also possible that unconfirmed profiles have already been created automatically through other data sources (e.g., company registers). You only need a Google account to claim such a profile or add a new one. As a rule, confirmation via an automated call or the sending of a postcard to the company location is then necessary so that Google can ensure that it is really your company location. Then you can start right away.

Who should create a Google My Business account?

In short: Anyone who serves customers locally or offers a service on site. The offer is primarily focused on local services to support them. However, there are countless categories that you can select for the Google Business Profile to improve your own Google My Business ranking. Here you should make sure that the most suitable categories are selected in order to also be displayed for corresponding search queries of the competition. For companies that only operate online, Google does not provide for the creation of a Google My Business account.

How can I optimize my Google My Business account?

In addition to the Onpage optimization of your own website, your own Google My Business profile is an important screw, especially for local search engine optimization. Below we show you how to successfully complete your entry in five steps.

Step 1: Fill in company data in the My Business profile

Here the credo is “More is more”. Fill in as many company data as possible to answer a wide range of questions. This is especially important as the complete Google My Business entries are preferred by the search engine for the results page. This gives you a direct advantage over your competition. Because the most suitable answers to the search query are displayed further up and thus automatically improve the local ranking.

All useful info should be entered in your profile.

Under the tab “Info” you will find all important location information. It is important that you regularly check this data, as users can make change suggestions directly in the search engine. If you do not check this, Google may automatically accept the suggestions and display false information. The Google Help for Business Profiles provides important guidelines that you should follow when completing. In a nutshell, there are the following things to consider:

• Name of the company: The name is your company's real or registered name. If the name is changed after the location confirmation, it must be confirmed again. It is therefore advisable to fill in as much location data as possible before the confirmation process.
• Category: Here you have the opportunity to indicate a main industry and up to eight other categories. Use only as many as necessary and make sure that these are chosen accordingly.
• Address: You enter the complete address of your location here. If it's a high-rise building, it might also make sense to enter the floor or office number.
• Catchment area: If you only operate in a certain area, you can indicate this here to provide customers with further information. This way you can, for example, prevent someone from ordering food, but it cannot be delivered because the person lives too far away.
• Opening hours: You can enter up to two opening hours per day and thus take breaks into account. You can also include special opening times, such as for holidays or company vacations.
• Phone number: Give your primary phone number here. In addition, you have the option to add two more numbers - for example, for a support hotline. You can also hide the number.
• Website: At this point you can enter the URL to your website. Depending on the type of company, you also have the option of adding more links. These could be, for example, links for reservations or appointment bookings.
• Attributes: The use of attributes helps you to provide more information to the interested parties. For example, there are points like “free Wi-Fi” or “popular with travelers”. Choose the most suitable representations here.
• Description: Here you present your most important aspects, services, etc. briefly and concisely. What do you offer and what is your USP? Are there any further insights that are important for your customers? You have a maximum of 750 characters for the description in the Google My Business entry. Important keywords you can analyze beforehand in a keyword research and include. However, do not overload the text with this. Here are more tips on writing SEO texts.
• Opening date: You can enter the opening date at this point - however, this is not mandatory.

In addition to this location data, there is also a menu or service editor, which is not accessible for all profiles. For this, services or meals must be offered. Hotels also have the option to add information on arrival and departure times, as well as other hotel-specific attributes.

Step 2: Images for the Google My Business optimization

For pictures it is: present, impress, convince. Because pictures give you the opportunity to give the seekers a clear impression of your company and to stand out from the competition. Users like to inform themselves in advance of what awaits them. Of course, you should present yourself here from your best side. This is particularly important for the following reasons:

• Qualitative search results: Anyone can upload images to a business location, for example after a restaurant visit. Use your high quality images to ensure that your entry makes a persuasive and professional impression.
• Image material in the search: Photos are important in the decision making process of the seekers. Business information with photos is increasingly being displayed. Here, the photos can be decisive for whether the interested parties decide for you or not.
• Activity convinces: Regular addition of new images conveys to the search engine that your profile is up-to-date. Up-to-datedness is an important ranking criterion that can improve your local rankings. Also pay attention to which photos are uploaded by users in order to report guideline violations in a timely manner.

The preview image is your flagship. Here you can make a suggestion to Google. But be careful: Depending on the search query, the search engine may decide to display another image. Google gives various guidelines for the images and recommends sizes that you should adhere to. For example, use authentic images from outside, inside, and your teams instead of stock photos or images enhanced with your branding. Pictures must fit the industry and give your target group a clear impression. Then you can score with the seekers in a visual way.

Step 3: Write posts in the Google My Business entry

Whether event, discount campaign or a new blog post: When optimizing your Google My Business profile, posts are an option to present various advantages to potential customers.

This is a function that is not used by many. However, you have the opportunity here to take up even more space on the search engine results page and thus attract more attention. In addition, you can keep your entry up to date and offer an incentive to deal with it more closely.

The recommended image size from Google is 800 x 600 pixels. However, a post in the mobile search is displayed with an image in the 1:1 format – so you should try what works best. The post texts can contain up to 300 words or 1,000 characters. Various formats are available for the posts on your Google My Business account.

Various possibilities for publishing posts

• Offers: The posts about the offers give you the option to present your potential customers with deals. Whether a short-term discount on the entire range or only on a certain item: Google provides you with fields for your My Business profile that you can fill with information. In addition to a photo, you can add a start and end date of the campaign and further details, such as an offer text, coupon code, link for redemption, and the terms of use. In this way, you can round off your offer perfectly.
• News: Here you can inform about all sorts of news - for example about new services or new content on your website. Again, you have space for a picture. There is also the possibility to add a button in call to action form (CTA) and to link a URL for this.
• Event: Are you planning an event or a webinar? Then this is the appropriate option to optimize your My Business profile for it and to draw the attention of interested people to it. You have space available here for a picture, the event name, the start and end date, and a description text. A button for a link can also be displayed optionally.
• Products: Stand out from the competition by pointing out your products directly in the Google search. Just add a photo and a product name, choose a category and add a price. The optional product description gives you even more space for more important information. Again, a button with a stored URL can be displayed.
• COVID-19 Update: With the Corona pandemic, Google has provided this format. Here, companies can specify certain specifications. What hygiene concept do you follow at your location? Do you also conduct remote training or similar? You will find a place for this here.

Step 4: Use statistics & optimize Google My Business profile

Everything filled out? Then let's start optimizing. The Google Business Profile offers a number of statistics that can be used to further improve the Local SEO or draw conclusions from it. In this way, you can understand how successful the entry is, what is going particularly well and where there is still room for improvement.

Statistics give you information about how you can further optimize your My Business entry.

Under the point “Statistics” you will find, for example, the number of interactions with your entry for a certain period of time as well as information about how often route planning or a call to the website has taken place. It is also possible to check how often the entry was called directly from the Google search. There are also statistics for the posts you have published. There you can see how often they were viewed and clicked and thus gain valuable insights into the performance of individual post formats.

Step 5: Improve your ranking with Google My Business

How is that supposed to work? Very simple: By being present for search results for local search queries. Until seekers see the “normal” organic results on Google, they must first scroll past the Local Pack. There may also be ads above or below this. So until your page is organically displayed for a local search term, it may take a while and the searchers may have already landed at your competition. Your optimized Google My Business profile therefore helps you to improve your ranking for local search queries.

The company info takes up a lot of space on the results page.

This becomes even more prominent on mobile, as the screen on the smartphone is significantly smaller. The view shows different information depending on the type of company. When searching for a restaurant, for example, opening hours and reviews are displayed, which support the choice of a suitable restaurant. With other types of companies, it is the route planning, a call function or the link to the website.

For your ranking it is also important to use the rating function correctly. Collect reviews and comment on them. In the response texts, you have the opportunity to include keywords - the keywords are displayed in bold in the search results. Google automatically includes various other review portals in the review overview. Even if a company has been poorly rated on one platform, it may be that it is much better rated on another platform. The seekers orient themselves in the decision-making process on the ratings.

So it is important here that you generate many and above all good reviews. You should also respond to both good and bad reviews and thank for the feedback. Important notice: Stay calm with negative comments, thank for the feedback and show effort to do better in the future.

Why is Google My Business important?

The information you enter in the Google My Business profile is of great importance in order to appear prominently in different views of the Google search. If someone searches for your company name, the location information you have entered and maintained appears. If someone carries out a locally related search with a keyword such as “physiotherapy Bochum”, your physio practice with your optimized Google My Business profile will ideally appear above your competitors. This is the first possible contact you have with your potential customers and thus the first impression - and that counts.

Which tools support the optimization of a Google My Business account?

There are various Local SEO Tools, which are suitable for different purposes. At OMR Reviews you will find a large selection – it's definitely worth taking a closer look at the individual solutions, as they offer different added values ​​depending on what your focus is.

For optimizing your Google My Business entry I find Google Analytics very helpful. That's not a pure SEO software, but a web analytics tool, but it allows a trick that not everyone knows. With the SEO tool of your choice or using the Google Developer Tools you can create a tracking link.

You can create tracking links in a few steps using the Campaign Builder.

A tracking link is a URL that contains various tracking parameters. For posts and products, you can therefore precisely understand which clicks have come about through the optimization of the My-Business profile. For this, take your target URL, add the source, the medium and specify a campaign name – for example “gmb” for Google My Business. You insert these parameterized URLs, for example, in created posts and linked products in the profile and you can understand everything exactly in Google Analytics in the “Acquisition” area if you let yourself display the campaign in this rubric. Then you can see how many clicks this stored campaign has come about.

Another tool that can support you in optimizing your Google My Business account is the Google Search Console. This makes it easy to check which local search queries are already being carried out for your website.

Analysis of local search queries in the Google Search Console

You can use this analysis function to improve the local SEO even further with the findings. Which search queries do the interested parties have in connection with the city? Which pages do these search queries lead to? You can answer these and many other questions with the help of the Google Search Console. Then you can better meet the needs of the customers and, for example, create subpages on your website that go into more detail on these topics. From the analysis, you can possibly draw information to further optimize and upgrade your Google My Business.

Additional tip: Transfer information to Bing Places

Has the Google Business Profile been completed, maintained, and optimized? Then you can use this information and transfer it to the competition tool from Bing. Although significantly fewer people use the Bing search, this search engine still has its right to exist. It offers a product with Bing Places that is similar in structure to Google My Business.

You can insert the data from Google My Business using the import function in Bing Places.

Fortunately, there is an import function. The confirmation process for the Bing profile is similar to that of Google. But you can save a lot of time by having the location information from Google My Business imported. Here you can even specify that regular automatic reconciliations should be carried out. However, just like with the optimization of your Google My Business account, it is important that you check, supplement or update the information at regular intervals.

All understood? Then now it's time to: On your marks, get set, go and optimize the Google My Business profile. You can also find more tips and workshops for your successful web presence in the OMR Academy.