How to set up a Google My Business Account

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Introduction

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Google My Business (GMB) is a major force when it comes to visibility and localised SEO. Many SEO strategies and digital marketing efforts start with GMB because it drastically improves a business’ chance of getting noticed.

From a business perspective, Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool that helps local people find your business on Google Search and Google Maps. You can provide potential customers with key information, such as your address, phone number and even your latest offer, allowing for an instant interaction. With the majority of searches now performed on mobile devices, you want to ensure that your information is readily available! In today’s online marketing and advertising economy, Google is the number search engine platform through which your future customers and new customers will gather information about your services.

Google research also shows that business with detailed and complete online business listings are twice as likely to be considered reputable and reliable by visitors. Keep reading to learn how to beat out the competition online!

This is your one-stop shop for all information related to Google My Business.
We’ve compiled this guide for one reason: To help all business owners, big or small, leverage this service to help grow their business.

What is Google My Business?

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool created by Google to help business owners manage how they appear in Google search results and on Google Maps.

Is Google My Business Important?

Yes it is. Why?
Because whether you like it or not, your business can and likely will get listed on Google. Anyone can enter your business name and register it with Google. They can even supply information such as business hours, where you’re located, and so on. You would rather be the person managing your listing rather than some random person.


How to Setup Google My Business


Step 1: Visit Google My Business’s website

Visit Google My Business or go to Google and type in “google my business.” It will be the first result you see.

Step 2: Click the Blue “Manage Now” button.

If you’re not already signed into Gmail, it will ask you to sign in. Be sure you are signed into the Gmail account you want to be associated with your business listing.

Step 3: Enter the Name of Your Business

Once you are logged in, if you haven’t set up a listing in the past, it is going to ask you to enter the name of your business. Go ahead and type it in. If someone has already listed you on Google (which isn’t uncommon) then you should see your listing appear. If your business doesn’t appear, click the result that has the text under your business name that says: Create a business with this name. Otherwise, if your business does pop up, go ahead and click on it. Then click next.

Step 4: Enter the Address of Your Business

Brick & Mortar
If your business offers all its services in-house, you will want to leave the “I deliver goods and services to my customers” checkbox blank.

What is a Service Area Business (SAB)?
A business that goes to the customer or delivers things to the customer but doesn’t primarily serve its customers at its business address (e.g., landscapers, plumbers, roofers). If that does not match your business, you should leave this unticked.

Step 5: Drag the Map Marker to Your Location

If customers visit your business address you’ll need to set your business location on a map. You may have to drag the marker to the exact location on the map that your business exists. Simply place your marker where it should go on the map and then press the “Next” button again.

Step 6: Categorise Your Business

This step is very important too, so don’t rush through this. Take your time and do it right. When you set your “categories” in Google My Business you’ll be able to set both primary and secondary categories.
Getting this step right is crucial if you want to show up in Google’s results page when potential customers are searching for a product or service you offer.

How to Choose the Best GMB Category
If you’re unsure of what category is the right category, you can search for the type of business you run in Google and see what categories your competition selected.
If you see a trend amongst all of them then you can probably assume that’s the category you should choose.

In the example above we can see that most dental practices in Brisbane have themselves categorised as a dental clinic. Feel free to be specific if you primarily provide one type of service.

Step 7: Set What Contact Details to Show Your Customers

• Adding this information to your Google My Business listing is optional but It is highly recommended.
• Adding your website has the obvious benefit of potentially driving a customer to your site where you can more easily convert them to a lead.
• Listing your phone number gives customers a direct way to reach you.
Tip: You’ll get a little bump in your local ranking from Google each time a visitor visits your website, gets directions, calls you, texts you, etc. from a local search.

Note:

If you don’t have a website you can select the “I don’t need a website” option or the “Get a free website based on your info” option. If you want to learn more about getting a free website if you don’t already have one, find out How to set up Google My Business free website.

Important:

• Be sure that everywhere you list your website on the web (in a Google My Business listing, Yelp, Yellow Pages, local Chambers of Commerce pages, and so on) that you use the exact same URL structure for your website.
• In other words, if your website is http://yourwebsitename.com don’t list it anywhere as http://www.yourwebsitename.com. If you don’t have www in front of your name, don’t list it that way anywhere (and vice-versa).
• Also be sure that if you use the same “http” or “https” structure in front of your name on all listings depending on which one you have.
• Have an https website, which will require you to have what’s known as a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate installed.
• Once you’ve filled out that information, press the “Next” button once again!

Step 8: Finish and Verify Your Business

Next, you’ll have to verify your business and that may take a couple of days.
Google may give you a different option to verify your business but for most business owners, you’ll have to wait for a postcard to be mailed to you from Google.


How to Verify Your GMB Listing

Depending on what kind of business listing you’re attempting to create (or manage) you may have a few options available to verify your business:
• Verify by mail (postcard)
• Verify by phone
• Verify by email
• Instant verification
• Bulk verification

Once your postcard arrives you’ll need to sign back into google.com/my business, click “Verify Location” from the menu or the “Verify Now” button if it’s available, then enter the 5 digit code from your postcard.

Note: Google recommends that you do not edit your business name, address, or category, or request a new code while you’re waiting for your verification postcard. Doing so can potentially become a nightmare for you to untangle (involving some phone calls with Google customer support).

Success!

Your business is now set up on Google My Business.

Conclusion

Google My Business can improve your business’ visibility through local SEO, offering you the ability to connect with new audiences and help you better understand online customer behaviour. While there is a degree of time and effort involved in maintaining your listing, the benefits of GMB far outweigh the investment required.