Searching locally is becoming increasingly popular, with 34 billion searches per month in the U. S. and more than half of them showing local intent. This means that optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile is essential for businesses to acquire foot traffic and rank higher in local searches.
When it comes to GMB ranking, there are several individual factors to consider. The primary category, the use of keywords in the company name, and the use of additional relevant categories are all important. It's also important to keep up with the latest industry standards, as Google is constantly improving its algorithm. Location accuracy and distance measurement are key ranking factors when it comes to mobile searches.
This is a complex factor, as it is derived from a multitude of sources, most of which are kept secret by Google. Additionally, an optimized GMB listing is essential for capturing qualified leads who are already interested in what you have to offer. When completing your GMB profile, make sure each business listing has a relevant main category and add as many additional related categories as possible. Categories change two to 10 times each month, so it's important to stay up-to-date. Additionally, add an exciting photo of an award that your company could have won or the specialized team you use, anything to validate your business and continue to build trust and relationships with your community. Google verifies all information and updates, and states that verification takes up to 3 business days.
It's also important to note that Google allows users to make restaurant, hotel and flight reservations directly from the Knowledge Panel due to its partnership with websites such as Expedia, OpenTable and many more. When it comes to optimizing your GMB profile for higher rankings, there are several steps you can take. Make sure your top category accurately reflects what your business is all about so that you're attracting the right consumers. Additionally, use product feeds through a Google merchant or list the products you sell using the feature in the GMB dashboard. Finally, consider using third-party resources to improve your overall ranking potential in business page searches. These resources give additional credibility to the data listed in various places on the Internet where different platforms have collected them from all over the web in one place.
