How to get more customers with your Google Business Profile

Did you know that nearly 33% of all mobile searches are related to location. We live in an age of micro-moments - a split-second in time when a consumer needs to know, go, do, or buy. With over 52% of all internet traffic coming from smartphones, it’s critical that your small business shows up consistently on every device. To capture a larger share of those mobile searches, optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP).

If you read one of our previous articles, Grow with Google Business, then you'll know how to setup your own Google Business Profile. Now that you’re up and running, it’s time to optimize. By optimizing your Google Business profile, you’re communicating to Google that your business is a relevant search result for those consumers. An optimized Google Business Profile can increase your business’ chances of showing up in Google’s local search results.

The first steps to optimization

To start optimizing your profile to ensure the best possible results, you will want to focus on the following five steps:

• Populate your profile in full

• Fill in your business description

• Keep your hours updated

• Choose the right business categories

• Select all applicable attributes

• Verify your location

A fully populated profile not only helps Google to rank you higher in local search results, but also increases the number of actions customers take when they find your profile. There’s a lot of information to provide, so here are some guidelines for prioritizing.

These aspects of your profile should be completed right away:

• Name

• Address

• Phone number

• Website

• Trading hours

• These sections take a bit more time and thought:

• Category and Attributes

• Products and services

• From the business

• Questions and answers (Owner-generated queries)

Choose the right category for your business

Choosing a category is a must for optimizing your Google Business Profile as around 84% of Business Profile views on Google originate from discovery searches (where consumer searched for a product, service, or categorical term and that business’s profile appeared), versus only 16% coming from direct searches (the consumer typed in the business name or address).

Google offers a set number of different categories, so choosing the specific one that suits your business is vital. For example, if you are setting up a page for a restaurant, choose ‘Italian Restaurant’ rather than simply ‘Restaurant’. A drop-down list of categories will appear once you start typing, but you can also see a full list of GBP categories here to ensure you find the most specific one for your business (there are over 3,000 categories so it’s worth the look).

Your business may fall into multiple categories, so be sure to set your primary category to your chief offering (such as ‘Design’) and then choose additional categories that apply, such as “Graphic design” or “Logo design.”

Create a full list of your products and services

This is where you tell your customers what it is that you offer. Adding products and services is especially helpful if your offerings are not made clear in your business name and completing this section adds content to your profile that can help it to rank for even more relevant searches.

When adding products and services, include the name, description, and price (if applicable). The full description will show up once a searcher clicks on the product. Also, Google may link to your products from your category section.

From the business

The ‘from the business’ section in your Google Business Profile dashboard allows you to create a detailed of description of both who and what you are as a small business. Some tips to remember when writing this description:

• Use all 750 characters, with key information in the first 250 characters.

• Use keywords your audience uses to find businesses like yours.

• Don’t repeat any information already visible in the other sections of your profile. Use this space to talk about what sets you apart from competitors and what customers like most about your business.

Lastly, remember to add your photos!

Anyone can add photos to your Business Profile, which means you’ll get a range of quality. By adding your own great photos, you can ensure your profile looks its best. By adding photos regularly, you signal to Google that you are still active with your profile, and it is up-to-date, which positively impacts your ranking. A BrightLocal study showed that businesses with more than 100 photos get 520% more calls, 2,717% more direction requests, and 1,065% more website clicks than the average business.

Remember to focus on the following when it comes to photo uploading:

• Add at least one new photo every week.

• For your thumbnail photo, upload your logo.

• For your cover photo, use something that best represents your brand. For other general photos, refer to Google’s photo guidelines for specifications, but be sure to include happy customers, interior and exterior views, and team photos.

• No stock photos, and no photos with special effects or branding. Google is trying to represent your business as it appears in the real world.

• Focus on quality images that have clear depictions (to align with image-enriched results).