I am looking at a customer’s WordPress dashboard and thinking that there must be an easier way to rank on the first page of Google.
After building my fair share of websites that rank for local keywords, I’ve realized it’s a long and hard struggle to that first page of Google. An optimized Google My Business listing makes this much easier for local businesses. Let’s investigate why a Google My Business listing is so important, and how you can use it to get your business on the first page of Google.
Why is Google My Business so important?
A Google My Business (GMB) listing is an excellent way to let the internet know that you are open for business! The listing provides potential customers with all the information they want to know about you in a quick glance. Listings display information such as when a business is open, what types of services they provide, pricing, and location or service area.
Google is the biggest search engine in the world, and Google always ranks and promotes its own content. This is what makes a Google My Business listing so powerful! I like to say that GMB allows you to establish “property” in the search engine. Google uses content from this property to determine the authenticity and quality of a business.
Google is in the business of keeping its users happy, and to do this, they need to provide the best and most relevant search results. Google uses its algorithm to determine which results the user sees. Besides relevance, the algorithm also considers how trustworthy a site is before deciding its ranking. Who does Google trust the most? Google’s own properties, AKA things like Google My Business listings.
For a local business to have the best chance at ranking on Google, a Google My Business listing is a must have!
How does Google My Business work?
Think of Google My Business as Google’s native search integration of Yelp. Google uses GMB listings to categorize businesses for local based search as well as share their social proof. These listings are displayed above all the rest of the organic results and are prime real estate for showcasing your business. Best of all, Google My Business is a FREE service! The kicker is that Google only displays the top 3 results automatically. This is referred to as the “Google Map Pack.”
Inside the Google My Business listing, you can declare the following:
- Business name
- Physical location (For brick and mortar stores)
- Service area
- Phone number
- What your business is about
- Website
- Hours of operation
You can also add photos and describe the products and/or services you provide and what they cost.
Besides the information you provide, Google also looks to your customers. Google relies on their input to help determine the ranking and relevance of your business in search results. Customers can leave a review on your Google My Business listing as well as answer questions Google has about your business and location. Think about the last time you searched for a product or service; would you have even thought twice about clicking on a result that had bad reviews? Social proof is very important for running a successful business in 2020.
How to optimize your Google my business listing? (SEO)
To ensure that your business shows up in the Google Map Pack,
follow the steps I’ve outlined below.
Step 1: Fully complete all the available fields on your profile.
Insider tip- Focus on telling Google which 3-4 categories best describe your business. For our business, we chose internet marketing service, marketing agency, and website designer to represent Building the Dream Duluth.
Step 2: Share pictures of your location, services or products, and your team.
Step 3: Make product and service listings that include pricing.
We understand that if you are a service-based business, there are a lot of factors that go into how you price out a project. In this case, we suggest providing an average range of what a service could cost and then explaining your pricing in the description.
Step 4: Establish a consistent posting schedule
Just like your other social profiles, you should be keeping customers up to date on Google. Sharing updates, sales, and events on your Google My Business profile keeps your business relevant in search results. Google has directly indicated that businesses who post regular updates are generally ranked higher in the local search results.
Step 5: Ask your customers for honest reviews
One of the best pieces of advice that I have received is that you haven’t completed your service until you’ve asked for a review. Google makes getting reviews easier than ever! You can send customized links to your customers that helps them start the review process.
If you follow these steps, your business listing will be showing up in the Map Pack on the first page of Google search results for local users in no time. Enjoy all the organic traffic that comes with the coveted first page of Google ranking!
