The Importance of Optimizing Your Google My Business Listing

It’s a fact that your customers research reviews before making a purchase or selecting a company, restaurant, store, or any other establishment.  This means your business’s online presence and reputation are crucial. An easy and popular way for for businesses to monitor their online presence is through Google My Business, a place for customers to review your businesses and you to interact with them. It is also an essential key to your business’s digital presence. Here are the steps to make sure your Google My Business is optimized:

Step 1. Verify Your Listing

Before you get to the fun stuff, you have to verify your listing. If you haven’t done so, simply log into your Google My Business using a Gmail email and then enter your business’s information. There will be steps to verify it to make sure you are the real owner.

Step 2. Add Pictures

Google My Business listings that have pictures will have a better click-through-rate. Make sure you include your logo, a cover photo, an exterior location picture, and show your services. You can also include a video!

Step 3. Promote Your Content Through Google Posts

With Google posts, you can promote services, blogs, events and more to your audience when they search your business on Google or Google Maps. Just remember, Google Posts expires after a week, unless it is an event, which lasts until the event is over.

Step 4. Respond to Reviews

Responding to reviews, especially the not so positive ones, will give you an opportunity to defend your business, but make sure you take a breath before responding and aren’t hostile as that will only hurt your business. Instead, thank the person for their perspective or bringing the situation to your attention. Do not argue with the person, but instead give them the opportunity to call you or email you so the resolution can be offline.