Once You Start Your Google My Business Setup, It’s Important You Get it Right
This article and video will help you start with a good set up. Follow this tutorial and you will create a listing in Google My Business to get you off to a great start.
However, most people do enter with the wrong frame of mind. To set up Google My Business for the best result, consider this short story.
You need medical advice and have a choice of two Doctors. DR. ASK or DR. GUESS
You need to ask Google not your mate next door or the kid who reckons he can get you to number 1 on every search engine this time next week. Ask Google as they will tell you the correct answer.
How does Google tell you? It’s easy to miss these small but clear signals that guide you through the process for the setup to give the best long-term results
We will cover in this article :
- How to get started on Google My Business Setup
- How To claim your Google Business listing
- How To Setup Google My Business For Best Results: Video
- Set up your GMB with the customer in mind from the start
- What to do if your Google My Business setup goes wrong and you need help
How To Get Started on Google My Business Setup
Setting up Google My Business can be a little overwhelming at first. Especially if you speak to different people, watch different videos and try to second guess what it really is that Google wants. So you need to follow the process of completing the listing the way Google recommends.
However, the fact that Google wants you to manage and have other managers for your Google My Business listing They even encourage on your dashboard to get team users to add more relevant data. This tells me Google really wants your business well managed and will reward you for it. (see the article Google my business manager access.)
“Google My Business tells you the best setup & what to do, just ask, don’t guess!”
Zanet Design
So it would be unfair for Google to want you to totally guess what they wanted without giving you any clarity. Actually Google does tell you what it wants, yet most people are too intent on getting the number one status, they often fail to take note of the most obvious signals. Today we will look at everything you may have missed so you can get great results from Google My Business
How To Claim Your Google Business Listing
Before you can set up your business you need to make sure you actually own it. In effect, you go to Google maps find your business and click “Claim this business” after typing in your company name. This is really easy and to help you here we have produced a simple to follow video on exactly that. For the full breakdown head over to How to claim your Google My Business.
How To Setup Google My Business For Best Results: Video
10 most important parts to getting the best setup
As seen in the video above, you need to work your way through the 10 things that are essential to get your business off to a great start. Throughout this site and my Youtube Channel, you will find useful guides to help you do this yourself. If you need help then we are here to offer useful guidance too.
10 things to do to Complete your listing
I’ve added some links to help you along the way. As more get covered these will get updated
- Add Business name
- Add Hours correct
- Add Correct category
- Add description
- Add Logo
- Add Profile Short name
- Add strong Description
- Add plenty of images
- Add reviews
- Turn on messaging
Set up your GMB with the customer in mind from the start
It’s really important to avoid the “need for greed”. Try and view your setup as an investment. Google makes it a long term investment that will take time before you see the rewards. You aren’t the first person to want to be number 1 in the search results.
The customers perspective can often be understood if you ask for a friend or family member to be an honest critique. Hard to take but its another bitter pill from the Dr Ask not Dr Guess!
To ask Google even more detail you can go to their support page and type in a question. For example, “What do I need to do to get the best results using Google My Business?
Google answers your question with this direction which again totally makes sense for the customer.
- Represent your business as it’s consistently represented and recognised in the real world across signage, stationery and other branding.
- Make sure that your address and/or service area is accurate and precise.
- Choose the fewest number of categories that it takes to describe your overall core business.
What to do if your Google My Business setup goes wrong and you need help
A vital lesson to avoid suspension
Aesop told the story of The Dog and the Shadow. It has a vital lesson in it that makes sens for your Google My Business approach.
A Dog is walking home with a piece of meat in his mouth. On his way home he crosses a river and looks into the water. He mistakes his own reflection for another Dog and wants his meat also. But as he opens his mouth, the meat falls into the river and is never seen again.
The Lesson: It is foolish to be greedy. Everyone wants more! Reflect on the things you do have and not take them for granted. Because one day you might end up losing it all when Google gives you a dreaded suspension as they consider the techniques to get you number 1, too spammy.
What Next?
Google will continue to provide direction even after setup. This is a case of reading your emails and following the advice there. Also, you will see a “view plan come up on the side of your dashboard. read it follow it and you can’t really do any more to keep Google happy.
Finally just be patient, consistent and keep posting and thinking of your customers. When you put all that together, you will surely start to see some incredible traffic. I know it works as I’ve seen it work myself.
Zanet Design Ltd is based in the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch area. So feel free to contact me if you are a local. But I have many loyal clients in many other areas an don’t just limit myself to local web design work. So if doing the above is beyond you and you need help, then book a consultation with me and I will do my best to give you the best advice tailored for your business.