How to Optimize Your Google My Business Page for Maximum Results

SEO is competitive. Search engines are a jungle filled with businesses trying to elbow each other out of top ranking spots. Often, small businesses throw their hands up in the air, completely overwhelmed by the competition on search engines. It can feel impossible to get noticed when you’re in a sea of giants with massive marketing budgets.
But, as a small business, you’re not competing with those giants. Your audience is smaller, more targeted and you don’t need to show up in everyone’s search results. You only need to be found by the customers that really count, which for small businesses is local traffic.
This is an advantage, and Google makes it easier with Google My Business listings. Your listing is waiting for you, all you need to do is learn how to optimize it for great results.

Answer All of Google’s Questions

Step one is to fill out all the information on your Google My Business (GMB) page thoroughly. It’s important that you not leave a single field unanswered. Every bit of information that you enter is used by Google to help customers find the businesses that they’re looking for. Small details are big deals.
You also don’t want someone to click on your GMB listing and still have questions. They shouldn’t need to contact you for store hours, location or other important information at this point. Often, GMB is the first place someone will interact with your business. Make every effort to ensure a great first impression.

Monitor Your Listing Regularly

Your GMB listing is interactive, so this means you’ll need to monitor it regularly for comments, questions and changes.
Changes? Google has included a nifty little feature on your GMB listing. Underneath your vital information is a clickable link to suggest an edit. The intention is that if someone notices your contact information is incorrect, they can easily fix the issue. Mistakes happen, so Google’s got your back.
Except that anyone, including competitors, can edit information. Don’t worry too much. Most people aren’t malicious in their intent, just remember to check regularly and make sure all your information is still accurate.

Get Some Love

Unlike other review platforms, Google encourages you to ask for reviews, providing you do so in an ethical manner. Reviews make your listing stand out, and they’re invaluable for attracting new customers. When looking at local businesses, 97% of customers read reviews and consider them in their decision process.
Just as important as getting reviews is responding to them. Check your GMB listing daily for new reviews and take the time to respond.

Add a Post

You can add a Google post, which is like a small ad, to your GMB listing. This is a great opportunity to make your GMB listing unique and noticeable.
Small businesses can use this space for anything from promoting their newest sale to generating engagement with a blog post. It’s all up to you, but Google makes it super easy to keep it fresh by sending you reminders when it’s been a while since your last post.
Could you be getting more out of your GMB listing, and your SEO strategy in general? We’re the premier provider of SEO services in Franklin, TN. Contact JLB Works to learn about optimizing SEO and Google My Business for your brand.