What is a Google Business Profile?
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is essentially a digital storefront that appears on Google Search and Maps, giving your audience a quick snapshot of your business. It’s where you share vital information like your business hours, contact details, location, and services. For potential customers, this profile is often their first interaction with your brand, meaning that a strong, complete profile can make a great impression. We like to think of it like a free second website! If you optimize your profile, chances are people will get what they need before they even get to your website.
Why You Need a GBP
Did you know that customers are 2.7 times more likely to trust a business if they find a complete Business Profile on Google Search and Maps? They’re also 70% more likely to visit and 50% more likely to consider purchasing from you if your profile is complete. Everything you can fill in on a Google Business Profile helps potential customers learn about you and your business, but your GBP also helps improve your SEO (search engine optimization). According to Hootsuite, “Google uses Google Business Profile information - location, phone numbers, descriptions, etc. - to decide which businesses best fit the searcher’s intent. The best matches show up in the top positions on the search results page.” If you want your business to show up on the first page of Google Search results, this is the first step! You can also add strategic keywords in your business’s description to improve your chances. Google recommends you keep your description real, personal and engaging, so make sure you use keywords in a way that feels natural.
You May Already Have a Profile
Google allows users to give feedback on profiles, but did you know that users can create a profile for a business even if they’re not the owner? Because of this, you may have a GBP already and not be aware of it! In our experience with small businesses, this isn’t super common. However, if anyone can create a profile for any business, then anyone can create misinformation for a business, intentionally or otherwise. We hope this goes to show that even if you’re not looking to get the benefits of a Google Business Profile, you still need to create one to ensure potential clients have access to accurate information about your business. Getting your profile verified is also important to ensure nobody can ever falsely claim they own your business. Verified locations are also more likely to show up in Google Maps searches!
The process of setting up your profile is pretty straightforward, so we won’t cover it here. If you’d like a guide, we really like the guide from Bryan Caplan on Constant Contact!
Building Trust with Reviews
Reviews from your customers are important for many reasons. They add social proof and increase credibility in addition to helping potential customers decide whether to work with you. They also play a huge role in the success of your Google profile. Luckily for us small business owners, there’s no need to worry if we receive a review that’s less than 5 stars! Google sees a mixture of positive and negative reviews as being more authentic and trustworthy: “Reviews are helpful to other people when they are honest and fair. People trust businesses that have both good and bad reviews.” So if you get a bad review, make sure you respond appropriately and in a calm manner and then move on. No big deal! Check out our blog for more about how we recommend you approach reviews.
Posting Updates and Connecting with Your Audience
Did you know you can treat your Google Business Profile almost as if it is a social media platform? One of the most forgotten features of GBPs is the “Update” section, where you can post messages similar to social media updates. Posts are part of your profile and are visible to anyone who looks you up in Search or Maps. Hootsuite recommends you use this feature to “share key business information, like unexpected closures or temporary business hour changes - or provide some details on your services.” These updates add fresh content to your profile, which can improve your visibility in searches and make your profile more engaging. Google also says you’re more likely to receive click throughs to your website or driving directions if you post regularly. We recommend taking the easy route: take a post you already planned to publish this week on a different platform and publish it on your GBP.
Your Google Business Profile is often the first - and sometimes only - place potential customers go to learn about your business. Keeping it accurate and up-to-date ensures they see the correct information, setting you apart from competitors and making sure no detail is left out. With a well-optimized profile, you demonstrate professionalism and trustworthiness and provide a clear path for people to connect with your business. You also increase the chances of people learning about your business!
Keeping your profile optimized is crucial, but it’s not always easy to keep up with every detail potential customers rely on. That’s where we come in! With our Google Business Profile Audit, we’ll review every aspect of your profile to make sure it’s working effectively for you. We take a deep dive to help you improve your visibility, connect with more local customers, and give searchers the confidence they need to choose you. Reach out today to make the most of your GBP!
