Google Business Profile For Beginners

Is the renamed Google My Business confusing now its known as Google Business Profile ?

It is confusing not just for beginners. Everyone says you need to have Google My Business for your business, but no one explains what it is and how it works. Well, I agree. That’s where this article Google Business Profile For Beginners is going to really help you. Some would ask, is it my business on maps or search engines, or is it an index or a knowledge panel? Let’s explain everything in easy to follow terms.

In true Google style it’s a brilliant tool, but not that clear what to do with it. Wouldn’t it be great if an expert could explain it in basic terms in 5 minutes? Well, this video and article are really going to help as they will answer your questions and hold your hand through the confusion.

Today’s video will answer questions such as:

• So What is Google Business Profile?
• Why the name change On November 4, 2021?
• How do you manage Google Business Profile (GBP)?
• How do you get Google Support as a small business?
• What should i do to improve my GBP ranking?
• I’ve heard the Google app is going to dispapear, is that true?
• Plus loads more of my answers to Google Business Profile related questions

Video : Google Business Profile For Beginners – ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Timestamps to Video above

• 0:00 Introduction to Google Business Profile For Beginers
• 0:28 Some Google Business Profile Benefits
• 1:50 Google Business Profile For Beginners Support
• 2:06 What does Google want from my Business?
• 3:05 How does Google Business Profile Ranking Work?
• 3:40 How long does local SEO take?
• 4:26 Where Should I focus my efforts in GBP?

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What is Google Business Profile and why the change?

Google Business Profile is a simple way of registering your business in Google. It means Google can then can put it in local results a search engine Google Maps. Then your business shows locally to people that are looking for your type of business.

So why does it keep getting called different names?

On November the 4th 2021, it was changed from Google My Business to Google Business Profile

The reason? Google wanted a simplify. They wanted to make it easier for you the business owner to access the information so that you can keep your business updated.

Recently I ran a live challenge called #boostmybusiness don’t miss 30 days of optimising Google My Business

How do you manage Google Business Profile For Beginners today?

So how do you actually manage your business today? Well, you can either go to Google Maps or you can go to the search engine and just search for your business. If it’s existing you can claim it. If you’ve already updated it or you already registered it then you can edit it and keep it updated.

Part of the simplification was that Google wants you to keep things updated. In fact on a video just recently I showed you there are a couple of strategies you can use. Take a look at this useful strategy in the video below.

Google wants business owners to view a message and respond to it. So it’s much more interactive now. Every time you log into your browser you can make updates and changes

How do you get Google Support as a small business?

To get support in Google Business Profile, whenever you see the three dots generally there’s a help and support section there. So use that and you can register any concerns you have with them. If you feel something’s been misrepresented make sure you report it under the correct description and Google normally responded within 48 hours.

How Can You Improve Your Google Business Ranking

So in simple terms what is it that Google is looking for from me? They want you to have a local business but also they want you to think local to link local and to have citations that are local. When you have those three things, Google knows you are a local business to the person searching for your business category type.

In effect your building up local authority This is not the same as standard national SEO (search engine optimization) This is a slightly different way of being found in search engines. It’s more likely that your customers are local to you. So from a small business point of view, this is the perfect scenario.

Will the Google My Business App disappear?

You’ve heard the Google My Business App is going to disappear. So Google as part of the simplification when it renamed on November the 4th also decided it was going to get rid of the app

The app wasn’t perfect. feedback in the community suggested it was quite complicated. Half the functionality didn’t exist in the app and few used it. Whereas with Google Business Profile within a browser you can access it using your mobile or using your desktop. You then have full functionality.

How Google decides who’s Business is in the top 3 results?

So how does Google decide who’s going to be above me in the search results? How can I get in that top three map pack as it’s often referred to? Some suggest a change is coming in the layout. We have seen a few trials on this already. Google’s changing the layout and it’s going to be a five-pack soon.

There are hundreds of parts to the Google algorithm. So I’ve looked at these over the past few years and I explain them in detail on my Zanet YouTube Channel 

At the same time we’re not there to please Google we’re there to please customers.

What happens if it says Google needs verification?

So the profile for my business says it needs verification. Basically what’s happened is Google needs to send you a way of verifying your business normally it comes by means of a postcard. Sometimes video conferencing can be used instead. Often it depends on the type of business you register. In rare cases, you just get accepted automatically with no verification.

Why can it take time for Google Busines Profile to work?

why can it take so much time though for me to get people and clients phoning me even though i’m starting to appear in the search engine results? Just bear in mind it takes at least 12 visits searching looking at various products reading reviews researching again and eventually after about 12 times they’ll then contact and they’ll then make a purchase so there’s a whole process and that’s why authority and consistency are needed for businesses. See this useful chart:

As a beginner, it seems it’s a lot of hype and very little clarity. I know as I was also in the same place a few years ago. I wondered why everyone’s going on about google my business (as it was back then) But we know Google is the biggest search engine by far. We also know that Google gives you marketing tools which we’ve covered in a previous video and it also gives you advertising for free in fact you’ll know that if you advertise you probably won’t get the same returns as a well optimized google business profile and yet all of this is for free that’s why there’s so much hype.

Should I focus on pleasing Google?

Should I just focus on pleasing Google? Well that’s what most people think! That’s not the right way to go about it! As you can see here in my diagram below, understanding how Google works is a little complex, which is why I explain the concept in my videos.

Google actually wants accurate data from you so you need to put your information into your Google Business Profile and make sure it’s accurate. Also, make sure it appeals to customers. Google knows whether customers are finding it interesting and helpful from how long they remain on your content.

Customers want to find useful events and businesses they want to see relevant results and Google also wants to show relevant results you can work with google by pleasing your customers as a priority and this is what most people get wrong. Following this process will certainly see an increase on a long-term basis.

Should I advertise on Google ads?

Some newbies have asked me “Should I advertise as well as have my Google Business Profile?” On the main login area of your Google Profile, it often comes with 80 pounds of credit or the equivalent in your country. You may want to use that and see whether it works for your business. if it gives a good ROI then it may be a great supplement for the business.

The facts go to show that every category, every type of business and every location will vary. So it could be that Google Ads may work for you but if you get your business optimized correctly then you’ll get that constant traffic for free and that’s probably the process I’d say you need to focus more on is optimizing your Google business profile, of course, the trouble is google doesn’t just immediately put you to number one because you have to prove that you’re an authority.

You can prove you’re an authority if you know what to optimize and how to optimize it. So it’ll be great if you have 13 tips that your competitors don’t use to optimize their websites and their businesses well if you want to know more about those 13 tips then head over to this video and I’ll show you what you can do for google business profile and 13 things your competitors aren’t doing I’ll see you there

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If you want regular tips from my Zanet YouTube Channel should combine and have a massive impact on your Google My Business rank for 2022.