Once you’ve registered your business, you can take steps to improve your listing’s visibility. These steps include verifying your business, enhancing your listing, adding photos, and identifying your primary category. Ensure that your listings are up to date and consistent with the rest of the web.
Verify your business
It’s important to verify your business before it appears in the search engine results. Doing so ensures that your listing is authentic, so Google will give you higher rankings when people search for your business. Verified listings can also include photos, videos, and special offers, which can lead to more traffic and increased sales.
When registering your business with Google, you’ll have to provide a business phone number, website address, and a real physical address. Make sure the address isn’t a post office box!
Once you have verified your business, you’ll be able to make changes and respond to customer reviews. In the process of verifying your business, you will also have to provide a physical address and a category for your business. A business category is a crucial part of Google search results, because it determines the type of search results a potential customer will see.
Optimise your listing
There are many ways to optimise your Google listing to generate more enquiries for your local business. One way to do this is by using your Google My Business dashboard to ensure that the location of your business is accurate. You can also include additional information about the products and services you offer, such as delivery methods and cost.
First, you should choose a primary category and list any secondary categories that are relevant to your business. You can also incorporate relevant keywords into your listing to boost its visibility. It is best to use your company’s name consistently across all channels, including Google. Lastly, you should include images related to your business. These images should be named after the services you offer, and they should encourage customers to leave reviews and feedback for your business.
You should also add photos and videos to your Google My Business listing. Photos and videos help to communicate important information quickly and clearly. Customers will also read reviews about a company, and these will also influence its ranking. This is because many potential customers make their purchasing decisions based on the reviews. Finally, your listing must contain the location of your company so that people can easily find it.
Add photos
Adding photos to a Google listing is important. The more photos you have on your listing, the higher the chances are that Google will rank your listing higher. Google shows your photos in a separate tab at the top of your listing, and the most recent ones will be displayed in front. Photos are also displayed in chronological order.
You can add photos to your listing at any time through the Google My Business dashboard. Photos will be prioritized on the listing, and the cover photo is the first image your potential customers see when they search for your business. Make sure you choose photos that are appropriate for your business. For example, if you run a restaurant, it might be best to choose a picture that highlights the cuisine that you serve.
Photos can also help increase the chances of getting more traffic and sales. Businesses with photos on their listings are more likely to receive click-throughs and driving directions. This means more profit for your business. Remember to optimize your photos and update your listings regularly. You don’t want to be buried under a mountain of outdated photos.
It’s important to use three types of photos on your Google listing profile. Photos help you define your business and its culture. They also provide customers with a real look at your establishment. You can use these images as examples of your staff, your products, and your facility.
Identify your primary category
When you have a business listing on Google, it’s vital that you determine which category you belong in. The categories are used to connect your business with customers, and they can also affect your local rankings. For example, if your business is a pizza place, it will show up in local results as a pizza restaurant, not as a Chinese restaurant. The categories also help you assign a location label to your business.
To get the right categories for your business, you can perform keyword research. Google recommends that you choose primary categories that are related to your core business. However, the categories that Google recommends might not be relevant to your specific business. It’s also important to keep in mind that secondary categories should not compete with primary categories.
Once you’ve identified the primary category that your business belongs to, you can then add more categories that describe your business. This will help your listing show up in search results for additional patients. Be sure to add your primary category as the most descriptive one possible. If you don’t, Google will view your listing as untrustworthy, which could hurt your rankings.
If you have more than one location, you can also select a second location. However, be aware that Google only displays the primary category of your business when showing up in search results, so be sure to select one with the right location for your business. Google has thousands of categories, and finding one that fits your business is simple.
Set up Google Posts
Google Posts allows you to post content that is relevant to the audience. Your posts will appear on Google’s knowledge panel in real-time and allow you to engage your audience. You can also bid on branded terms within the search network and have your post appear on the first page of results. Google Posts can help you dominate the first page of search results and deliver more relevant content to your audience.
You can set up Google Posts to publish relevant posts on a daily or weekly basis. You can add a description, a call to action, or images. You can also tag your Posts with UTM, so you can track your results. You can see which posts are getting clicks and which are not.
Google Posts are displayed in reverse chronological order, so newer Posts appear before old ones. If a Post is outdated, it won’t show up on the carousel, but it will be visible in the ‘View all’ pop-out. Earlier, Google Posts enjoyed a high visibility in a business’s profile.
Verify your business on Google Maps
Verifying your business on Google Maps is simple and straightforward. The first step is to claim your Google Business Profile listing. This will help your business appear in search results. Next, you should optimize your listing on Google Maps. If your business is not listed on the map, click the ‘Add a Place’ link to add it. Once you do this, you will receive an email from Google confirming your new listing. Within 24 hours, your business should be visible on Google Maps.
You can also verify your business using a postcard. This method is the most popular method of verification and lets Google know your business is in fact located at your address. Postcards can take as long as two weeks to arrive depending on the region you’re in. However, you shouldn’t make any changes to your listing until it’s verified by Google. If your business address is a PO box, don’t worry – you can still use this method. You will need to enter the 5-digit verification code that is printed on the postcard into Google.
You’ll also need to provide proof of your business’s location. Your GMB listing should display the name and location of your business. You should also provide evidence of your equipment, tools, and supplies. Make sure you include branded trucks, service vehicles, and other items that represent your business.