Does your business need a boost ?

In a nutshell, Google My Business (GMB) optimisation is making sure that your business is listed on Google and is following the best practices and relevant to the customers who are looking for your service or product. It isn’t just about visibility – it’s about positioning, and not just that of your store. If used correctly (and strategically), Google My Business is the most important part in your marketing strategy.

Formerly known as Google Places, Google My Business enables business owners to claim a listing for their business that may appear in Google search results. Virtually any type of business (with the exception of certain more risqué establishments) can claim a Google My Business listing, which will display information that searchers may want to know, such as address, opening hours, and customer ratings.

Like other digital marketing optimization efforts, improving your visibility in Google Maps marketing can – and likely will – take time. This means there are no quick hacks, no overnight fixes, no easy way to rise to the top of the pack. Even if you implement all the optimizations above, it may still take a while for your business’ visibility to improve in Google Maps.

The ultimate objective of Google Maps marketing is to achieve as high a placement as possible in the local business results listings on the Google Maps results on relevant Google search engine results pages. Let’s take a look at what this means.

It’s unclear to what extent user reviews play a part in the Google Maps search algorithm, but a business with no reviews is almost certainly going to struggle to compete with a business with lots of reviews, so it’s vital that you solicit and include reviews in your Google My Business profile.

Getting your Google My Business listing verified should be the next first thing you do. The verification process can take up to a couple of weeks, as usually Google insists on mailing a postcard with a unique PIN to the physical address listed in your Google My Business profile to confirm verification.