The Local Business Guide To Google My Business

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business is a platform where local businesses, products, brands, artists, and organizations manage their online presence with Google. You can compare Google My Business to Facebook Business Pages. In comparison they both are platforms that represent your brand and business. But after reading this post you will see why having a Google presence will be more powerful for your business in regards to how you are found online. 

On Google My Business you are able to do the follow…

• Maintain up-to-date business information on Google
• Build loyal customers using a Google+ page. Followers of the page for your business can show appreciation and give feedback with posts and reviews, and use the +1 button to endorse products and services on Google+, Google Search, Maps or on ads.
• Track engagement with insights for Google+ pages and posts
• See information on your related Google Analytics account and YouTube channels
• Seamlessly create and track performance of AdWords Express campaigns

Businesses with physical location or servicing local geographies get additional benefits. Once you verify your business on Google My Business, you’ll be able to:

• Help get your business found on Google. Google can use the business information you provide in local search results.
• Read and respond to reviews from your customers
• Get insights on how customers searched for your business, and where they’re coming from

Google is the number one search engine and with more people using mobile to search I believe you are going to want to pay attention and list your business on Google My Business. I believe all small business brands and especially local businesses should be adding their business listings here.

Google Places For Business vs Google+Local vs. Google My Business

Before I go into more details for those who have been on Google Places for Business or Google+ Local, its all the same thing. “Google My Business” is their new name for the platform and they have automatically upgraded everyone to this new platform and you can now update all of your business information and access Google+, Insights, Reviews, Google Analytics and Start A Google Hangout in one place.

How Much Does Google My Business Cost?

It’s a completely FREE service! Wohoo!

Google wants you to list your business on Google My Business in hopes that they bring enough value that you will possibly advertise using Google Ad Words. Not a bad idea right?

For those with an advertising budget it Google Adwords might be something you should look into. For those who don’t have an advertising budget I am going to show you how listing your business here combined with Google’s free tools will help you get found and get more calls to your business.

How To Setup My Business On Google My Business?

First you will go to www.google.com/mybusiness and if you are already previous had Google Places/Local you will be automatically upgraded and get a screen like this below and it will walk you through the new features. If you are brand new to Google My Business you will get ‎a screen with three options, Storefront, Service Area or Brand.

The Storefront and Service Area options will take you to the google map to find an existing local business. The Brand option routes you to create a non-local Google+ pages.

How to Choose the Right Business Type?

1. Storefront businesses: Choose this option if you serve customers at your business location and you want your customers to locate you on Google Maps. Examples: restaurants, hotels, retail stores
2. Service area businesses: Choose this option if you serve customers at their location within a specific service area and you want your customers to see your service area on Google Maps. Examples: plumbers, taxi services, pizza delivery companies. If you’d like to add many business locations at once, use Google My Business Locations.
3. Brand Pages: Brands, organizations, artists, and other groups or individuals can create Google+ pages to reach out to followers, fans, and customers on Google. Brand, organization, or artist pages don’t include address or other physical location information that appears on Google Maps.

When you get to the Google map screen and it will ask you to enter your Business Name or Address. Once you enter your address or business name you can see if you have any duplicate listings or it will start walking you through to add the rest of your business information. See arrow 1. below…In the diagram 2. is where you can click to go back to setup non-local businesses or brands that want to get started using the system. That’s right. It’s not just for small/local businesses.

Section number 3. is for those who already have Google Accounts. It allows you to quickly create a page or get to any existing Google+ pages you have for businesses already.

How to Create A New Local Page

For local businesses you have to start with entering your business name or address to find any existing listing of your business to claim it. Sometimes google has businesses already listed even if you never set one up before. There is an option where you can just enter an address, and if there is no business listed for that address, you can make a new one.

Here’s how it looks like when google has an existing location:

You’ll have to agree you are authorized to manage the page for this business, and you will also get notified a verification notice will be sent:

After that you will get to a welcome page, a little intro and a guided tour with explanation of all the features.

Then you get to your business profile page and you can start following the steps. You will also get questions to fill out about how your business that will be important to enter keywords so that your listing shows up in people’s google search properly when they are looking for a service like yours.

 As you can see you will have access to everything on one page, Google+, Insights, Reviews, Google Analytics, and Start a hangout.

• Google+: You can post new status updates, photos, links, videos, and events.
• Insights: Once you verify your business you are able to gain insights into your visibility, engagement, and audience. I recently made an edit to our page so it is pending verification.
• Reviews: Each business is given a Google rating and you are able to manage your reviews on Google and view other reviews around the web.
• Google Analytics: Quick access directly to your Google Analytics dashboard.
• Start a Hangout: With the click of a button you can start or join a Hangout.

I will go into more details on each section in another post. For now get your business listed on Google+ Local and wait for the verification code in the mail. Once you get your postcard in the mail it will include a code where you can go back and verify you list. You must use a physical address it will not accept P.O. Box addresses. If you don’t have a physical address and still service certain cities you can send it to your home and hide the location so that it only shows the city to the public.

Did you like this The Local Business Guide To Google My Business post? If so, Please comment and share it!

Aloha, 

Stacia Kennedy

Social Media & PR Marketing Blog

Email: Stacia (at) VirtuallyFamousMarketing.com

Find Us: VirtuallyFamousMarketing on Facebook

P.S. Want Help with Setting Up or Claiming Your Google My Business Listing? Let Us Do It For You! Claim Your Listing Here!