Top 3 Tips for Building Your Google Business Profile
What you need to know to build and succeed with your Google Business Profile.
The fact that you are reading this shows how seriously you take your business and it’s future success. Below I go into detail of the top 3 things you need to understand to build a successful Google Business Profile. Learn how this can be beneficial to have for your business, even if you’re an online business owner. Let’s dive in!
Don’t Delay:
Have your Google Business Profile ready as soon as you launch your business.
Consider this step, non-optional! People regularly check Google for any business, big or small, to see if it’s legitimate. It’s like if you’re not on Google, you don’t exist. Let your audience know you’ve arrived by adding a Business Profile with Google.
It only takes a few moments to get started and you can add and subtract information as you grow, but the best thing is to be searchable.
When setting up your profile, Google will have to verify you with a physical mailing address by sending you a code in the mail to enter online into your Business Profile. This process can take up to a week. The good thing is you can still edit your profile as much as you like and once you are verified your edits will be visible. I would allow at least three weeks ahead of your launch date to allow for any issues with verification.
2. Gather Reviews
Make asking for google reviews a part of your client off-boarding process.
Everyone who uses the internet relies on reviews before making a decision about EVERYTHING! Consider this your push to be serious about collecting feedback from past and current clients or customers.
Don’t be afraid to ask! Yes it can seem intimidating, but trust me, if you really changed the game for someone or your service helped them in even the smallest way, someone will be willing to share their experience.
Remember though, both positive and negative reviews are beneficial for YOU. They will show you what you need to improve on to make working with you or buying your services even better. Keep in mind you are in control of your Google reviews. You can respond to all messages and even delete ones that you don’t think will be beneficial to promoting your business.
So, after you have your Business Profile up, and verified by Google as legitimate, it’s go time! Reach out to your previous clients or customers, by email and phone are both fine, and ask if they would mind taking 5 minutes out of their day to leave a review for you on your profile. I would recommend sending them the direct link to leaving a review to make it even easier for them.
For existing clients or customers, make asking for a review a part of your off-boarding process, or when you finish providing your service. I also suggest having a direct link for customers to leave you a Google review on your website.
Don’t worry, you got this!
3. Create an Experience
The more clarity about your business that you can add to your profile, the better.
You want your Google Business Profile to answer Who, What, Where, When, & Why. The standard go-to questions. Clarity helps to deter clients that do not fit into your ideal audience.
Some of the same questions that need to be answered when building a website should also be considered when creating your Business Profile. Questions such as:
What do I want my audience to remember me by?
What product/service do I want to showcase?
How do I want them to feel after learning about me and what I have to offer?
Having clarity about these things will help make sure you are as specific as possible when typing out your business description on Google, and promoting your business outside of Google. Doing this helps to ensure you are attracting the right audience.
Another way to further the experience when someone finds you on Google is by putting as many products as possible, if you sell physical products, or listing your best services. This allows them to continue to explore about you as much as possible and get them even more interested in your business.
One final suggestion for furthering the experience on your Business Profile is to have relevant pictures! You want people to look at your photos, which they will, and for them to make sense with what you are offering them. Don’t be afraid to include some pictures of you behind the scenes as well!
Bonus Pro Tip: Don’t let Google be the dead end.
Once your ideal audience has found you on Google, they have to have somewhere to go next in order for them to become your client. You want to get them off of Google, and into your domain, literally!
Having a website they can visit, or even a landing page, will bring them one step closer to you and discovering the help you are ready to provide for them.
I’m Amanda, your future Graphic & Website Designer!
No doubt you have a “Why” for your business. Something we can never hear enough about having in order to keep us motivated and in business for the long haul. Whatever yours may be, whether it’s to have more flexibility, to spend more time with your family, or just create another stream of income, I know you can do whatever you set your mind to, and your calendar to, lol!
As a Small Business Consultant and Designer I understand the importance of being able to share your “Why” with your ideal audience, whether that’s 100 or 100,000, every client counts. I also realize that getting all the behind the scenes business items organized can be very stressful, I mean it’s important! Making a website, creating a business flow, and all “the things” takes lots of time and stress.
If having someone to help you get your business thriving online would be helpful to you, I’m ready to help you do just that! Whether you need business cards, work-flow guidance, a landing page to get your feet wet, or a full in-depth website, I’m here to help you every step of the way.
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Feel free to get in contact with me any time, I’m here to help.