Google My Business, now called Google Business Profile, is a free-to-use and massively underutilised tool for businesses of all sizes to manage and grow their Google search rankings. This tool helps customers to find your business on maps, allows you to share your business products or services and can be the perfect tool to increase your online presence and gain new customers for your business in Ireland.
What is a Google Business Profile?
A Google Business Profile is a free-to-use online resource that allows you to add your business listing, create your online presence and increase your audience online. An optimised Google Business Profile can help you show up for your customers and drive traffic to your website. Google is the most frequently used search engine worldwide and that’s not going to change anytime soon. Google’s total market search engine share for 2023 is just over 92% and Bing follows in second place with just 3.04%.
Even if you don’t have a website or social media presence, listing your business with a Google Business Profile is a great way to start, with local listings and multi-location map options, your customers can find your local shop or office through search and view your company information with ease.
Setting up A Google Business Profile for Your Business
So, how do you set up your Google Business Profile listing? Well, it’s actually not as difficult as you’d expect. Firstly, you will need to have a Gmail email account. Once you have your Gmail email account set up just head over to https://www.google.com/intl/en_ie/business/ to begin setting up your profile.
1. Sign in/Register for your Google Business Profile account
Once you are on the website linked about, get started by clicking manage now on the landing page. Then just enter your account details such as name, email etc. as required.
2. Add your business information
For your next step, just enter your business name. If your business name does not appear then select your business category. FYI, some business categories are not on the list. We know it’s frustrating but it’s best to select the category that’s most relevant to your business.
3. Enter your business location
Entering your business location allows your customers to find your business. If you have a physical store, shop, restaurant, or office then adding your location is a must to increase your search potential. If you have multiple locations, don’t worry you can add these later. If you don’t have a location, then select your service area and continue.
4. Add your business contact information
Add your business phone number and website. If you have a website this allows Google to recognise your site and begin to rank your website. If you don’t have a website, then select ‘I don’t have a website and get in touch with us to help you design one for your business.
5. Verifying your business
Verifying your business is a very important step. Once verified you can begin to rank higher and increase your search potential. You will have to enter your address, either your business or home address, where you will receive a verification code. Once you have this code enter it to verify your account and start building your online presence.
6. Optimize your Google Business Profile
Great, you have all your basic business information, and your profile is verified, it is now time to optimize your profile to increase your search potential. This is where you can add your business products or services and add additional service areas or business locations as needed.
A good tip here is to add as many business services/products as you can. Your customers are generally not searching for a business name but a service or product. As an example, someone looking for a website designer will search “website designer near me” or “website designer in Tipperary". Yes, you are more likely to show up for your business name, but you also want to show up for certain relevant search terms or Keywords.
Does A Google Business Profile Help with SEO?
Your Google Business Profile is an extremely valuable tool for SEO. Being able to include certain search terms in your GBP profile for your products or services allows Google to recognise your business for these terms and display your business when potential customers search.
According to a study done by one of the leading SEO companies MOZ, only 17.5% of businesses use GMB and up to 40% of businesses have never created a GMB account. Seeing such a huge opportunity to rank above your competition, using Google My Business is a great way to grow your organic SEO.
When you have a strong Google presence you are bound to not only increase your search rankings but increase your lead generation and business awareness. A GBP offers easy ways to post articles and offers that can direct customers to specific pages on your website, which increases your search engine authority and helps to increase your rankings. Think of it like a social media tool where to can update your customers with your latest product or service offerings, engage through asking and answering questions and grow trust through your reviews.
Your website may be beautifully laid out with some informative content but if you cannot show up on search for your customers you are missing out on a huge number of potential sales.
Why is Using a Google Business Profile so important for Your Online Presence?
As you now know, having your business listed on Google allows you to show up for your customers when they search for your products or services, especially in their local area. If you are a local business looking to expand or a new business looking to dominate in your locality, having a strong Google presence is the first step in bringing in customers to your business in Ireland.
As we all know, word of mouth spreads fast in Ireland. If you can get your business online in front of the right customers in your area, the word will get out fast! How many times have you searched for a business in your area? Generally, you will go with the one you find on Google Maps or at the top few results in search. So don’t think of using GBP as an option. Think of it as a must-have for your marketing strategy in 2024.
Full Circle Design’s Google Business Profile Services
At Full Circle Design, we understand that a lot of small businesses in Ireland don’t have the time to regularly update and grow their online presence. Our web design services help Irish businesses to display their expertise in their market but in some cases, a website isn’t always the answer.
We know how important it is to grow your online presence and let’s be honest with ourselves here, if you are not putting your best foot forward online you are missing out on a huge number of potential customers. It’s ok though, Full Circle Design is here to help. We offer our Google Business Profile services to all business types in Ireland, and we are pretty competitive with our rates too! Our services have helped local businesses to show up for their customers and offer their products and services to a wider audience, increasing business awareness and improving sales.
To put the cherry on top, we are offering a free consultation to see how we can help your business grow online. Get in touch with us now by hitting the button below to book your free consultation.
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