Optimizing Google My Business for Local SEO

Ranking at the top of the search results is perhaps all businesses seek. Why not? Top rank implies higher visibility with more organic traffic drive. But is it easy to grab the top spot? Nah! With the increasing digital competition, outnumbering your competitors is pretty challenging unless you leverage local SEO. Do you know where your local SEO journey begins? Google My Business optimization– the nub of local SEO!

97% of consumers learn about a local company online than anywhere else. And a staggering 28% of local searches result in a purchase within 24 hrs. 

So, we already know the significance of local SEO for businesses. Nonetheless, your local SEO strategy is futile until you have a well-optimized Google My Business (GMB) profile. A GMB profile is the soul of local SEO, enabling you to rank high in local searches and attract potential leads. 

As one of the principal local SEO tactics, we are here to speak about the various practices for GMB optimization. Living in 2024, you cannot dream of #1 with an unoptimized GMB profile! So, let’s unveil the secrets to leverage the power-packed features of GMB for local SEO!  

How Does Google My Business Boost Local SEO?

Before getting started with the tactics of Google business optimization, let’s understand how it impacts local SEO.

• Improve Rankings- GMB optimization helps in boosting local search rankings. As a result, you receive more visibility because the click-through rate (CTR) increases. The average CTR of #1 is 39.8%, while that of #3 is 10.2%. Thus, you know how crucial it is to rank high!
• Greater Audience Reach-GMB SEO services enhance your audience reach as you appear more frequently in the “near me” and “nearby” searches. You can get your business right in front of potential consumers.
• Increase Conversion Rate- With a higher audience reach, you receive more potential leads. Therefore, the conversion rate is higher.
• Establish Credibility- Businesses with a GMB profile are considered 94% more likely to be reputable. It means that more audiences find your business reliable encouraging credibility and market dominance.

Hence, we have no doubt that GMB listing optimization has a potential impact on local SEO. 

The Best Practices to Optimize GMB Profile

Since now you know that Google My Business profile optimization is the key to acquiring better visibility in the local search, we will focus on the tactics that help you stand out among your competitors. Here we go.

1. Create GMB Profile- Let us tell you that to create a Google My Business profile, you must have a Google account. If you do not have a Google account, create one. Now, go to google.com/business and sign in with your Google account. 
2. Fill Out Information- After signing in, you are required to fill out a series of information, which begins by entering your business’s name. Ensure that the name is accurate and the spelling is correct. Choose your business type like, online retail, local store, or service business. Before entering your address and phone numbers, put your business category. Google offers enormous choices. You can even change it later. 
3. Add Contact Details- For effective local SEO Google My Business, this is one of the most crucial segments that allow you to add contact details. You must be highly meticulous when filling out your contact information so that consumers can easily connect to you. Also, ensure that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) match with other listings across the Internet. Be consistent as Google’s algorithm considers these factors for local search rankings. Do not forget to mention your business hours.
4. Put Business Description- The brief information appearing in your GMB listing describes your business. Your business description must be concise, crisp, and informative. You can use up to 750 characters to describe your business. Put the principal information within the first 250 characters. Use keywords because GMB ranking service functions based on it. Alongside, keywords help consumers find your business. Remember not to repeat any information already present in other sections of the profile.
5.  Include Photos- 24% of consumers’ decisions are influenced by photos . It implies that adding photos to your GMB profile encourages audience engagement and promotes credibility. Undoubtedly, high-quality photos make your profile stand out! Hence, include images and keep updating them frequently. Put a cover photo and thumbnail photos, but never use stock photos. Your photos must have clear illustrations for image-enriched results.
6. Put Your Business on Google Maps- Google Maps optimization is essential to help people locate your business and find directions to reach the place. About 86% of consumers use Google Maps to locate a nearby businessThus, you must put your business on the maps to ensure maximum lead generation and sales. Also, Google Maps improves your search visibility and encourages your brand’s authenticity.
7. Get Reviews- Most consumers rely on Google reviews as personal recommendations from friends and family. In other words, these reviews significantly affect decision-making. So, ask your loyal customers to post their service feedback, which increases the scope of your improvements and helps other potential consumers make their purchase decisions.
8.  Leverage Questions and Answers- You have a section in your GMB listing where you can put frequently asked questions. These Q&As act as a driving force for why a consumer should choose your business. After all, GMB is the future of local SEO. Hence, you must not leave any stone unturned to leverage its ultimate potential!
9. Enable Messaging- Permitting your audiences to text you directly offers an incredible opportunity to connect with them. You can straight away reply to their queries, boosting communication and transparency.
10. GMB Posts- Similar to social media posts, you can use Google My Business to make announcements about offers, discounts, and events, promote products or services, and share news. Updating your GMB posts regularly leads to increased consumer actions, boosts engagement, and improves ranking.  
11. Account Verification- Finally, after comprehensive optimization of your profile, all you need to do is verify your account. Google will send you a confirmation mail or postcard. It may take up to a few days. 

Summing Up!

So, now you have a well-optimized GMB profile, which will considerably boost your local search ranking. Nonetheless, a GMB audit for local SEO is essential to analyze performance and perform refinements based on the results. You can make changes to help your GMB profile stand out and acquire better local search rankings. After all, tweaking is the secret to improving!