How to use Google My Business for SEO

For an entrepreneur like Larby Amirouche, being visible across Google is a great opportunity to drive sales and meet new potential customers. Aside from ranking on the SERPs, being listed as an actual business is an advantage. 

Larby Amirouche realized that there are other ways to maximize his business’ presence across the popular search engine. 

He learned that claiming and optimizing his Google My Business listing can help him to gain more local and new leads which help him improve his existing marketing strategies. 

Here, you will learn more about maximizing your free Google My Business listing and how it can help you boost your online presence and increase your sales conversion. 

What Is Google My Business?

Google My Business is another free tool that this tech giant created for users. It is a one-stop-shop where you can perform almost everything from managing how your business will look up to performing SEO. 

This essential tool can help you adjust how your business will look like on Maps, the Knowledge Graph, Google+, also on organic search results.

Moreover, it is treated as an online business directory. You can find all the necessary business information from different companies, local and international. 

Keep in mind that your Google My Business profile is a representation of who you are so it is recommended that you keep every detail you put accurately. 

Also, we are all aware that Google indexes and crawls sites every time and Google My Business should be treated as an extension of your webpages. This also contributes to a ranking factor on Google’s SERPs.

Importance of Signing Up To Google My Business

A recent study shows that 45,000 anonymous local business listings appear when doing a Google search. This just proves that your presence on Google My Business is a great opportunity to get more views, clicks, and actions as a result of your localized content.

Here are other benefits you can get when you finally claim your Google My Business listing. 

• With updated and detailed information, GMB helps you enhance your website ranking on SERPs. It will also show your business offerings as per the customers’ requirements.
• It improves the listing of business in local search results. Google will trace the location of users and GMB will display your business listing based on the products and services you offer.
• Businesses with verified information on Google My Business are considered reputable by the customers. More credibility, more possible customers, more sales.
• You can engage with your customers through review. Responding to the customers’ reviews helps in strengthening the credibility of your business. Also, customers are satisfied when their concerns are heard and answered.

Larby Amirouche On How To Use Google My Business For SEO

Setting up a GMB profile is easy. You have to make an account and claim your business by filling out the necessary details. 

After Google has verified you receive a real-life postcard from Google sent to the address you listed. This card is the only proof you’re the owner of the business listed at the address.

Google also verifies via a phone call or an email. However, it is only possible for particular businesses. Google has a special page that helps you check your verification status.

Once verified, you can fill in all the necessary details and metrics, and data about your listing. This set of information includes the number of impressions, clicks, or subscribes over a particular period.

It will serve as an overview for you on how Google and customers alike see your business.

GMB has to work with your on- and off-site SEO efforts. 

Google My Business Ranking Factors

There are many factors GMB considers but here are just the three most important factors you need to consider

Relevance

This factor determines how well your business fits the search intent of the customer. You must be specific about your products and services, moreover, about your overall business. Vagueness doesn’t rank on Google. 

Proximity

Proximity is a well-known factor for ranking local businesses. You should know that you can’t rank on a location outside the city you are not listed to. 

Google works on which businesses to show in a local search. 

Google uses what’s known about the location of the searcher to present the most relevant local businesses. Therefore, it is suggested to create content that highlights your proximity for better ranking. 

Prominence

Prominence can be compared to engagements on social media. It is all about the activity around your listing. These activities could be the number of reviews, events, local content et cetera.

It also helps if you can get loads of quality links to your site. Also, you have to keep your listing updated with new photos and manage your reviews. 

7 Ways To Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

Here are ways on how you can optimize your GMB listing and increase your rankings on the SERPs. 

1. It is more engaging and credible if you provide complete and accurate information about the business
2. Similar to your website content, it is recommended that you use your chosen keywords in your Google My Business listing
3. Keeping your hours of operation up to date will drive more leads to visit your business.
4. Uploading photos to your listing will drive more traffic to your local business. Seeing actual photos and videos of you and your business make it more relatable. It is another way to humanize your brand.
5. Managing your reviews. Turn your negative reviews into advantages by addressing it. This practice can improve your Google My Business SEO strategy.
6. Adding posts to your GMB listing can catch your audience’s attention and get them to engage with your content. This will drive more traffic to your website.

Conclusion

Larby Amirouche describes Google My Business as a free, and easy to use marketing and advertising tool. GMB will help you boost your reach through SEO and will help you stand out among your competitors. 

If you are still looking for ways to gain more online traffic and presence, this is the perfect time to claim your GMB listing.

For Larby Amirouche, this is an essential tool just waiting to be grabbed by entrepreneurs.