If your business provides services to customers in a local area then appearing in the local search results for relevant searches can be even more important than your website itself. The local search results are a list of businesses listed in a Google Business Profile listing, with the top listing in each search result often being the business that the user clicks on to visit their website. Therefore, it is really important that your Google Business Profile listing is providing the right information about your business to help your business to appear in the right local search results for relevant searches.
1. What Google Business Profile actually is
Google Business Profile is the free listing that appears in local search results as well as on Google Maps. The Google Business Profile listing contains information about your business, for example business name, address, opening hours, reviews, photos, etc. Your Business Profile listing is separate from your website but in many cases it can be even more important than your website, especially for local searches.
2. Accuracy matters more than most businesses realise
Inconsistent details, wrong phone number, outdated hours, wrong address… It all matters. Not only for your customers, but also for Google and other search engines. They use your Business Profile for local searches and especially for decision stages. For these search queries, Google generates a summary of the search results. This summary is generated on the basis of the Business Profile details, if available. Therefore, if your Business Profile contains wrong or missing details, your business will not be included in the search results, or it will be included with wrong details.
3. Reviews carry real weight
The only thing of value for a local search listing are reviews from customers of the business. Review sites for local search have to be highly protected to prevent people creating fake accounts to give their business a good rating. That said there is nothing to stop a business owner leaving a review for their business and therefore positive reviews for a business can be encouraged by a business owner. However any review left by a business owner must be genuine and left whilst the business owner was a customer. Responding to all reviews (positive and negative) is also highly rated by search engines and will count towards the business’s rating on local search.
4. Photos and completeness aren’t optional extras
A business with a Business Profile listing has a far better listing than one without a Business Profile listing, even with the most basic information (e.g. name, address, phone number, etc.). More complete listings are far more visible in local search results (as well as in other Places on the Web where a business is listed) and, in addition, provide more information to searchers than thin listings.
5. Consistency across the web reinforces the listing
Having consistent business details, including name, address and contact numbers, across your website, Business Profile and other listings online helps reinforce the information’s accuracy and builds customer trust and confidence. However, having inconsistent details listed across various online listings can, often unbeknownst to the business owner, be having a detrimental effect on a business’s local search visibility even when their Business Profile looks great.
6. This needs ongoing attention, not a one-off setup
Just like you update your website from time to time, your Google Business Profile also needs updating from time to time, especially as your business changes. Make sure to update your hours, services, and even add some new photos to your listing in order to keep it up to date. Not only will this keep your listing looking current rather than abandoned, but it will also show that you are actively managing your business. This is especially important when you have a new review. Instead of updating your Business Profile in batches, make sure to update it as you receive each new review in order to show potential customers that you are actively managing your business.
Note: A Business Profile does not replace a website for a local business. It can, however, do a lot of persuading prior to a click to the website of a local business for searchers doing local searches.