How to Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

When a company moves up in local search rankings, it is pushing other companies down the list. To give your business an edge and help more potential customers find and choose your business over your competitors, optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile is essential. While there's no way to turn off the Q%26A feature on your business profile, there are a few things you can do to keep track of what's posted there. It's important to set your business hours, but it's equally important to update them every time they change.It's not uncommon for consumers to check the review sections on business pages for assurance that you provide quality products and services.

GMB asks for your name, address and phone number (also known as NAP) to start the ad. When you add detailed information to your profile, you give Google more information so that your business matches the searches it might apply to. This makes it even easier for users to assign their personalization to your business without needing to visit your website.Now that you've seen the advantage of GMB SEO (sometimes referred to as Google Map listing optimization), let's review some simple steps you can take to get your business to show up and stand out in local search listings. This lets sellers and traders know when customers are most likely to call after seeing your GBP.

Use Hootsuite to communicate with your customers through your Google My Business profile and all your other social channels. Google uses the example of someone searching for “McDonald's” and is presented with a similar fast food business.Monitoring this information and making any necessary updates as your company or local or state government makes changes is also important. Optimizing your business profile can help your company rank better on Google Maps and on the first page of Google search results. When properly leveraged, Google My Business can increase sales and improve customer loyalty.