If you’ve got a business, you need to be appearing on Google Maps. Yes, Google Maps is not just a navigational tool, it’s also a great place to list your business.
When customers do a search in Google for local businesses to meet their needs (and they will!), a map will pop up at the top of the search results. This map has a list of businesses in that area. You may have done this before, such as looking for a restaurant near you.
Appearing on this map is one of the best ways to show your business to customers. If you don’t do it, you can rest assured that your competitors will.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can get your small business listed on Google Maps and start appearing in more customer searches.
Step 1: Set up a Google Business Profile
You need to sign up for a service called Google Business Profile. This used to be called Google MyBusiness. The best part is that it is completely free.
Before we start, do a quick Google search for your business. You’ll see one of two things:
- Your business is already on the map. If it is, and don’t have a Google Business Profile, that’s ok. Click on your listing and click the text that says: Own this business?. Then skip to step two below.
- If your business is not on the map, you’ll need to create a Google Business Profile to add your business.
To sign up for Google Business Profile visit the Google Business Profile Homepage.
On this page, click MANAGE NOW. This will give you the option to create your profile. You must have a Gmail account to do this (otherwise, Google isn’t gonna let you do it).
Once you have signed up for your Business Profile, you need to hand over a few of you details:
- Address
- Phone number
- Category of business
- Website (if you have one)
There are important. Customers (and Google) will use these details when a search is made for businesses in your area. If you haven’t got these in place, Google isn’t going to show anyone your business.
Step 2: Verify your business with Google
Now that you’ve signed up, you need to verify your business with Google.
It’s the law of Google that you have to verify your business. This is to prove that you are the owner, and that Google should grant you the power to manage your business online.
If they didn’t verify, anybody could wander off the search page and claim to own your business. And after all, you wouldn’t hand over the keys to your business to any old bloke who walks through the door.
Google require you to verify your business to prove that you are the owner and that you should have the power didn’t verify, anybody could claim ownership of any business, which would be disastrous.
There are a few ways that you can verify your business with Google. They way they like is by postcard.
Google will mail a postcard to the address you’ve given for your business. It will have a short code on it. You can use this code to verify your business by typing it in to your Google Business Profile. If you request a postcard, be aware that it can take a few weeks to arrive (particularly in Australia, which is a hefty trek from the Google head office).
If you cannot verify by postcard, you may be able to verify by phone or email (if Google are playing nice!). You may need to reach out to Google directly (which can also take some time).
Either way, getting verified is an important step you need to take to manage your business listing.
Step 3: Improve your profile
Now that your business is verified, you can begin fleshing out your profile for your customers.
The more (relevant) detail you add to your profile, the more trust you build with your audience. This includes adding your logo, a description of your business, and a photo banner.
By leaving fields blank, you leave room for customers to have questions – not only about how you can answer their needs, but about your credibility as a business.
Here are three things you should definitely include in your Business Profile:
- Opening Hours: You must keep your business hours up to date. This is super important because customers will often stop on the Google Map page to see if you are open, rather than go through to your website. It is also important to list any days you are closed, such as holidays, or in emergencies (like temporary closure due to COVID-19).
- Photos of your business and its products: By adding product or service photos to your Business Profile, it gives you another avenue to showcase your business to new people. This is critical for visual businesses such as restaurants. By including photos of your food, and a menu, you make it easy for customers to know what they are going to get.
- Add-on services: You can make your business stand out by showcase your unique features and benefits. e.g. if you offer free Wi-Fi services or have easy access for people who use a wheelchair. Make sure you include it.
By adding these details, you get the best betting odds on having customers find your business on Google Maps.
4. Add reviews and answer questions
Having good reviews is so important to customers.
It’s one of the main ways they decide who they should buy from. In fact, it’s known some customers use Google Reviews above almost any other factor when choosing between local businesses.
Think about the last time you picked a restaurant. I can almost guarantee you skipped over a few 1 and 2 star places, just off the back of reviews.
Let’s face it, we all want five outta five stars. What better way to say to customers: look at how good we are! Look at how we can help you!
You can manage your reviews inside your Google Business Profile. Here you can see all the reviews customers have left. It’s definitely worth pushing your current happy customers to be leaving reviews.
If you have bad reviews, that’s ok. Don’t get angry when you respond (if you respond at all). It’s not personal. If you attack a customer online, your response can damage your business far more than the review ever could.
Final thoughts on getting on Google Maps
That’s it. You’ve done it. You now have all the tools you need to create your Google Business Profile account and get listed on Google Maps.
