Why Your Google My Business Profile Matters

Searches on Google in June 2021 were at 87.7 percent so whether you love or loathe them Google certainly has dominance in search in the UK and is a trend you simply can’t buck.

Mobile searches are now more common than ones performed on a desktop so adapting to a smaller screen means business must now ensure they are using all the features on their Google Business Profile, so they ensure the best first impression is made, engaging their potential customer, and empowering them to click, call or visit.

What All Businesses Need to Do with Their Listing

The Google Business Profile should be complete and compliant if a business wants to be competitive in Google search results. It should also be kept up to date and updated regularly. You also need to be aware and watch out for listing hijacking and erroneous duplicate listings which could displace your existing ownership.

Its all About Local Search

Local search and the ‘near me’ searches are highly important factors nowadays in when and where a Google Business Profile is displayed too. Your Google Business Profile is now more likely to display to someone searching on their mobile in the same geographic area as your business so gives the search even more relevance and the need to ensure that your Google Business Profile is complete and compliant is paramount for your business’s success online.

Your Google Business Profile is the Modern-Day Equivalent to the Yellow Pages

Think of Google as the modern-day Yellow Pages, make a listing stand out by utilising it and making sure it is kept up to date and that frequent changes are made so Google can see your business is still running and is of interest to their AI. The way people interact with a business online is constantly changing and we can help your business keep on top of this via our Google Business Profile management service.

How We Help

Starting with the basics we will:

• Create your page if you don’t have one
• Help verify your page into your account or help you create an owner account and add any managers
• Add a link to your website
• Check your business category is correct and adjust if needed
• Make sure all the contact information on the listing is correct
• Add your opening times
• Geo-locate your business on maps so the pin is in the right place

The eight-point Google Business Profile Management service is made up of:

1. Ongoing Business Citation Checking

One of the key ranking factors is how the information about a business is verified, this can affect everything as Google has to trust a business is what it says it is, they don’t just take this from one source. Google trawls the web constantly and checks the information they hold matches up with other instances of a business, typically they will search NAP (name, address, and phone number) as a basic level of checking. As part of the service, we will check the NAP data matches across the internet ecosystem through our manual and auto citation checking filters. Businesses that have a higher level of accuracy across key directories will place better on Google. NAP data comparisons gain trust and trust creates a higher level of visibility meaning the business will rank well in search. As new directories and pages start up on the internet so might your citations change and cause problems, we run regular health and citation checks to ensure your business is not affected.

2. Logo imagery and cover image

One of the first things a customer will look at is your company branding. It’s no longer just a case of a text-based listing works it needs to show your logo and have a good cover image. If you already have these Local Exposure will check the image dimensions and that the images are tagged up sufficiently for search. If you don’t have them Local Exposure will design, create and add the cover image and logo to the correct dimensions for your Google Business Profile so there is no compression or loss of granularity through just uploading your standard imagery. We will also categorise your images into the correct Google Photo albums.

3. AI Generated Google Business Profile write up

Using the latest AI technology to incorporate keywords/ key phrases we will autogenerate a script for the Google Business Profile. The script will then be overworked by one of our content team, so it reads okay. You can of course still write your own script which we can run through the AI to review and optimise where required. Your Google Business Profile script will be periodically revisited to keep content changing so Google recognises this and your listing benefits as Google does favour changing content.

4. Street View Virtual Tour (inc. annual reshoot)

An important facet of the Google Business Profile is your business’s inside view. We have been managing this as a service since 2012 when it first started in the UK so you can really be sure we know what we are doing with your business. We don’t have to photograph everywhere but the tour does work better if areas are interconnected. People want to see where they are visiting and as the old adage says a picture speaks a thousand words. An annual reshoot can be booked as part of the service every year.

5. Google Business Profile Post Ads (updated bi-annually)

Google Posts is relatively new to your Google Business Profile and can give you a great way to keep clients up to date as with a Facebook post. As a standard service offering, we create branded Google Business posts linking to your website, stock/ product/ service page, Facebook or any permutation, these would be updated every 6 months again to host favour with Google over content changes.

6. Google Business Profile Product Ads (updated once monthly).

A number of your products or services are also added to your Google Business Profile, these can be refreshed/ replaced or added to once a month, don’t forget Google favours content being updated.

7. Overlay feature

On your website and as a link from a Google Business post the virtual tour photographed at your business can also have pop up tags with videos, information and page links for areas products and services as well as a side menu for quick navigation.

8. Ongoing Support and inclusive updates to GBP

Support via an online ticketing system is provided as standard and inclusive of the monthly price for the service. You can simply email or fill out a ticket form.

Why Work with Us

Working as a Google Trusted Agency (since 2012) for Google Business Photos and more latterly Google Street View not only does that give us the longest level of service in the UK and beyond, but it also means we have gained the most knowledge about what works and how to contact Google if there are issues.