Your Google My Business Listing is essential for getting your business’s information out there for all your potential customers to see.
A critical step in your search engine optimization strategy is to set up Google My Business page, where you can list the basic information about your business. Some of the things that to list on your page are:
- Phone number
- Address
- Link to website
- Business hours
- Directions
- Reviews
- Service area
- Services or products offered
- Questions and answers
- Health and safety information
When someone searches for your business or something related to your business in an area near you, your business goal is to have your business at the top of the business listings. But you might ask, “how can I get my business to the top?” Similar to search engine listings, you’ll have to optimize your Google My Business Page. Here are three things you can do to help your Google My Business listing rank higher in the search results.
#1. Make Sure Every Section Is Complete and Accurate
Sure, Google might allow you to complete and verify your listing, even if you don’t fill everything out, but we don’t believe in skipping steps. Instead, make sure to fill out everything that Google asks. Depending on your business, you might have to fill out more questions than others; for example, you’ll likely fill out whether you offer dine-in, carry-out, and delivery options if you’re a restaurant. If you’re a retail store, you might have to answer if you have in-store pickup options, and so on. Either way, make sure to fill everything out with complete detail.
#2. Write Your “From the Business” Description
Here are a few pointers to help you create your description:
- You’re only able to use 750 characters – use all of them (or as close you can get)!
- The first 250 characters should be the most important information.
- Repurpose content from your “About Us” page on your website, or use your mission statement.
- Similar to using keywords for SEO purposes, use keywords in this description.
- Avoid repeating information in your report that is already clearly listed on other parts of the page.
- Don’t include links or HTML.
#3. Add Google My Business Posts
Many businesses aren’t taking advantage of the ability to “post” on your Google My Business page, but you should! Think of these as mini-ads or short-form blog posts. Here, you can advertise what’s currently new with your business, boast about a new product, or promote an upcoming event. Here are some tips for writing a great Google My Business post, directly from the Google My Business help page:
- Set your intention – think about what your post is trying to accomplish and tailor it to encourage the ideal outcome.
- Use visual aids – videos, pictures, and other graphics are welcome and encouraged on these posts.
- Create a great title – Describe your post in 4-5 words (you have 58 characters maximum).
- Use a call to action – Similar to any ad, make sure to have an effective line that will prompt the ready to take the desired action.
- More detail in fewer words – While you might have 1,000-1,500 characters for your description, Google says that using between 150 and 200 characters is most effective.
- Use shortened dates – I.e., “Jan. 23” instead of “January 23” to get more use out of the character limit.
- Don’t add your business name – The name of your business will automatically show in the post headline, so don’t waste characters on adding it.
The Easiest Way to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing? Call REVITY Marketing Agency!
REVITY is a full-service digital marketing company that caters to businesses all over the world. We do SEO, social media (paid and organic), content, SEM, email marketing, and so much more. That means we’ll even optimize and manage your Google My Business listing for you! We’re passionate about helping businesses grow through our proven digital marketing efforts. So, if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, contact us today for a free proposal!
