In the modern digital world, having an online presence is essential for business success, especially when it comes to local searches. One of the most effective tools for attracting customers is Google My Business (GMB). This free service allows companies to manage their online reputation and become visible on Google Search and Google Maps.
Optimizing your GMB profile significantly increases the chances of your business being found by users, especially when it comes to queries related to nearby services or products. According to research, more than 50% of users visit a physical store or make a call within 24 hours after searching for local businesses. This makes local SEO a key factor in attracting the target audience and boosting sales.
In this article, we’ll explore how to properly register and set up a Google My Business profile, which strategies can help your business rank higher in local search results, and what factors affect ranking on Google Maps. Regardless of whether you’re in the USA, Europe, or another country, setting up your GMB profile correctly will contribute to your success online.
Registration and Setup of Google My Business
Proper registration and setup of Google My Business are crucial for successfully promoting your business on Google Search and Google Maps. Every business must go through this process to improve visibility and start engaging with potential customers.
How to Create and Verify a Google My Business Account
To register your business on GMB, follow these simple steps:
- Go to the Google My Business website and click on “Manage.”
- Enter the name of your business. If your business already exists in Google’s database, select it; otherwise, create a new profile.
- Provide the exact address of your business. For online businesses or those that operate on-site, select the “No Address” option.
- Enter contact information: phone number and website link.
- Choose a business category – this is important for correct display in search results.
- Verify your profile. Verification can be done via a postcard with a code, phone call, or email.
After completing the verification process, your profile will become visible on Google Search and Google Maps.
The Importance of Accurate Information
For your business to be visible in local searches, it’s crucial to fill in the essential details accurately:
- Business Name: Use the exact name without adding unnecessary keywords.
- Address: It should be correct and match the information on your website and other directories.
- Phone Number: Provide the current number where customers can easily reach you.
- Business Hours: Make sure to list the accurate operating hours, including holidays and weekends.
Choosing the Right Business Category
The category of your business is how Google will associate your company with search queries. Choose a category that precisely describes your business. For example, if you run a restaurant, select “Italian Restaurant,” or if you have a fitness center, choose “Fitness Club.” Additionally, if your business offers multiple services, add extra categories for more accurate representation.
Profile Optimization for Better Ranking
After registration, it’s crucial to optimize your profile to achieve higher positions in local search results. Optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile will help your business stand out from competitors and attract more customers.
Business Description with Keywords
The description in your GMB profile is not just a text but a vital element for improving your Google Maps ranking. To enhance visibility, include keywords that potential customers might use to search for your business. For example, for a restaurant in New York, you can use the phrase “family Italian restaurant in New York.” It’s essential to keep the description natural, avoiding excessive optimization that could result in penalties from Google.
Example of an effective description:
“Our restaurant, ‘La Trattoria,’ offers the best Italian dishes in downtown New York. We are known for our wood-fired pizzas, pasta, and cozy atmosphere. Open daily from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM.”
Using Attributes and Additional Features
Google My Business allows you to add attributes that provide users with more information about your business. These can include payment methods, services (e.g., delivery or Wi-Fi), and business characteristics (e.g., family-owned or LGBTQ+ friendly).
Example of adding attributes:
- Payment methods: We accept cards, Apple Pay, and cash.
- Services: Food delivery, parking, Wi-Fi, laptop-friendly seating.
These features help you appear in local searches for specific queries, such as “cafe with Wi-Fi near me.”
Photos and Videos
Adding high-quality photos and videos to your Google My Business page is an excellent way to attract customers. Businesses with quality images receive 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks to their website.
What photos to add:
- Exterior and interior of your establishment.
- Products and services (e.g., food at a restaurant, items in a store).
- The work process or your team.
Don’t forget to include video content that showcases your business’s atmosphere.
Collecting and Managing Reviews
Reviews play a crucial role in local SEO. The more reviews your business has, the higher the trust level, which directly impacts its search rankings. Additionally, active engagement with customer feedback increases the chances of attracting new clients.
How to Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews
Requests for reviews should be natural and unobtrusive. You can encourage customers to leave feedback by:
- Politely asking them to share their opinion after a successful transaction or visit.
- Sending follow-up emails to customers who have already visited your business.
- Placing a QR code in your physical store or on product packaging to simplify the review process.
The Importance of Responding to Reviews
Responding to reviews shows customers that you value their opinions and are committed to improving your service. Always express gratitude for positive reviews and, in the case of negative ones, offer solutions while remaining polite and professional.
Setting up and optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) profile is the foundation of a successful local SEO strategy. A well-optimized profile helps your business stand out from competitors and improves visibility in Google Search and Google Maps.Managing reviews, adding high-quality content, and utilizing all available GMB tools will help attract new customers and increase sales.
Regularly updating information and engaging with customers will keep your business relevant and growing. Start by optimizing your GMB profile and watch your business become more visible and in demand among users.
Promoting Your Business with Google My Business Posts & Updates
Regularly posting on Google My Business (GMB) is an effective way to maintain business visibility, attract new customers, and retain existing ones. Posts allow businesses to share news, special offers, and event announcements, which appear directly in search results and on Google Maps.
Using Regular Posts to Boost Visibility
Active and frequently updated GMB profiles receive more attention from Google. Posts not only inform users but also keep engagement levels high, positively influencing search rankings.
What Types of Posts Work Best?
- Business Updates – Announce new services, changes in business hours, relocations, or product launches.
- Special Offers – Promote discounts, promo codes, and loyalty bonuses.
- Events – Share details about sales, webinars, open house events, or other significant happenings.
- Job Listings – If your business is hiring, posting job openings can help attract the right candidates.
- Product and Service Reviews – Highlight popular products or services to showcase their benefits.
Tips for Creating Effective Posts
- Use Keywords – Improve post relevance by including commonly searched phrases. Example: “Best Italian restaurant in London offers 20% off pasta.”
- Keep It Short – Posts should be concise (150–300 characters) to ensure users quickly absorb the information.
- Add a Clear Call to Action (CTA) – Encourage users to act with phrases like “Call us,” “Book a table,” or “Get your discount now.”
- Use Images or Videos – High-quality visuals increase engagement, attract attention, and provide a better idea of your business.
How to Create Engaging Offers & Promotions
Promotions and special offers on GMB are powerful tools for driving sales and boosting conversions. Well-designed deals can motivate customers to make a purchase decision faster.
What Makes an Offer Effective?
- Clarity and Simplicity – Offers should be easy to understand at a glance. Example: “Get 10% off all orders until March 31.”
- Limited Timeframe – Creating urgency encourages customers to act quickly. Example: “Only 3 days left!”
- Specific Benefits – Clearly outline what the customer gains, e.g., “First salon visit – free.”
- Strong CTA – Use compelling action phrases like “Book now with a discount” or “Buy today.”
Example of a Successful Post:
“Only until the end of the week! Get 15% off dinner at our restaurant. Book your table now – limited availability!”
Regular posts on Google My Business help keep your business relevant in the eyes of potential customers while boosting engagement with timely updates, offers, and events. By leveraging content marketing strategies through GMB, businesses can significantly enhance local search visibility and attract a larger target audience.
The Impact of NAP Consistency and Local Links
NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) is a crucial aspect of local SEO. Search engines, including Google, use data from various sources to verify business authenticity. Any inconsistencies in your information can lead to lower rankings and reduced customer trust.
Why Consistent NAP Information is Important Across All Platforms
Google’s algorithms analyze multiple sources to confirm the accuracy of business details. If your company’s information differs across platforms (websites, directories, maps), it can result in several issues:
- Lower Search Rankings – Search engines prioritize businesses with uniform and reliable information across the web.
- Customer Confusion – Inconsistent phone numbers or addresses can mislead potential clients, causing them to choose competitors instead.
- Errors in Google Maps – If Google detects mismatched details, it may fail to link your business to the correct location.
How to Maintain NAP Consistency
To avoid these problems, follow these best practices:
- Use a Standardized Business Name – Avoid different variations of your company’s name.
- Ensure Address Accuracy – The address should be identical across all platforms, considering abbreviations and suite numbers.
- Use the Same Phone Number – Keep your contact number consistent on all sources.
- Update Information Promptly – If your business relocates or changes phone numbers, update your details across all directories and platforms.
Business Registration in Local Directories
Local directories are a valuable source of traffic that helps improve your business’s visibility in local search results. Listing your business in these directories increases trust and can generate additional backlinks, which positively impact SEO.
Key Directories for the U.S. and Europe:
- Google My Business – The primary platform for local SEO.
- Yelp – A popular review directory, especially in the U.S.
- Bing Places – An alternative to Google for Bing users.
- Apple Maps – Essential for iPhone and Siri users.
- Facebook Business – Many users search for businesses via social media.
- Foursquare, Yellow Pages, Hotfrog, Local.com – Additional directories that can enhance visibility.
How to Add Your Business to a Directory:
- Sign up on the platform.
- Fill in your profile with accurate NAP (Name, Address, Phone) details.
- Write a business description with relevant keywords.
- Upload high-quality photos and your business logo.
- Verify your listing if required.
Local Links and Their Role in SEO
Local links are mentions of your business on authoritative local websites and directories. They play a crucial role in SEO by increasing trust with search engines and improving rankings.
How to Earn Local Backlinks:
- Register in local directories and industry-specific listings.
- Collaborate with local media – Publish articles, press releases, or give interviews.
- Work with local bloggers – Get featured in reviews and recommendations.
- Partner with associations and business chambers – Being listed on their websites can boost credibility.
The more high-quality local backlinks point to your website or Google My Business page, the better your chances of ranking at the top of local search results.
NAP consistency and a strong presence in local directories are essential elements of local SEO. They help search engines correctly index your business, enhance visibility in Google, and improve rankings on Google Maps.
Using UTM Tags and Analytics
To effectively promote your business through Google My Business (GMB), it’s essential to track incoming traffic and user interactions. Google Analytics and UTM tags help measure how customers engage with your GMB profile.
Tracking Google My Business Traffic in Google Analytics
GMB provides insights into website visits, calls, directions, and photo views. Google Analytics allows you to analyze these actions and measure your profile’s effectiveness.
Where to Find GMB Data in Google Analytics?
- Open Google Analytics (GA4).
- Go to Reports → Traffic Sources → Overview.
- Find the google / organic channel (this includes traffic from GMB).
However, Google Analytics does not separate traffic from Google Search and Google Maps, making UTM tags essential.
Using UTM Tags to Measure Campaign Effectiveness
UTM tags allow you to track traffic sources accurately. Use custom parameters in URLs to analyze results.
Example UTM Links:
- For the website link:
https://example.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb&utm_content=profile_link - For the call button:
tel:+1234567890?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb&utm_content=call_button
Analyzing Performance in Google Analytics
Once UTM tags are set up, track GMB traffic in Google Analytics:
- Open Google Analytics → Traffic Sources → Campaigns.
- Search for “gmb” to filter GMB-related traffic.
- Evaluate key metrics:
- Users – number of visitors.
- Time on site – how engaged users are.
- Conversions – how many users took action (calls, purchases, bookings).
Using UTM tags and Google Analytics helps track the effectiveness of your Google My Business profile more accurately, optimize your local SEO strategy, and understand which profile elements attract more customers.
Google Maps Advertising for Business Growth
Google Maps ads are a powerful way to attract local customers actively searching for products or services nearby. Paid ads help businesses appear at the top of local search results, increasing visibility.
How Google Maps Ads Work
When users search for businesses on Google Maps, they see paid ads marked as “Ad” at the top of the list. These ads increase visibility and drive more local traffic.
Where Google Maps Ads Appear?
- Google Maps search results – top position in business listings.
- Mobile Google Search – visible on Android and iOS devices.
- Expanded business profiles – with “Call” and “Directions” buttons.
Setting Up Google Maps Ads
- Create a Google Ads account and choose Local Campaigns.
- Link your GMB profile to Google Ads.
- Set geo-targeting – define the radius where ads will appear.
- Choose relevant keywords – e.g., “best hair salon near me.”
- Add ad elements – descriptions, photos, call-to-action buttons.
- Set budget and bidding strategy – pay per click (CPC) or per impression.
- Launch the campaign and track performance in Google Ads.
Benefits of Google Maps Advertising
Advertising on Google Maps has several clear advantages that make it highly effective for local businesses:
- Targeting high-intent users – people searching nearby are ready to buy.
- Guaranteed top placement – ads appear above organic results.
- Precise geo-targeting – control ad visibility in specific areas.
- Increased offline sales – users can navigate to your location directly.
- Flexible budget – start with a small budget and scale up.
Optimizing Google Maps Ads for Maximum ROI
To achieve the best results with Google Maps advertising, it is important to follow certain recommendations:
- Use precise keywords – e.g., “best coffee shop near me.”
- Optimize your GMB profile – high-quality photos and positive reviews increase clicks.
- Enable call-to-action buttons – “Call Now” and “Book Online” encourage conversions.
- Adjust geo-radius – refining the target area can improve performance.
- Analyze data regularly – monitor clicks, calls, and directions to refine your strategy.
Google Maps advertising is a powerful tool for promoting local businesses. It helps attract customers in your area, increase foot traffic to your physical store, and improve visibility in search results.
Promotion through Google My Business (GMB) and Google Maps is a key element of a successful local SEO strategy. From profile optimization and review management to leveraging ads, these tools help enhance business visibility and attract new customers.
Key Takeaways:
- Optimize your GMB profile with complete and accurate information.
- Use high-quality images and detailed descriptions to attract customers.
- Engage with customer reviews to boost trust.
- Post updates and offers to maintain interest.
- Ensure NAP consistency across all directories.
- Track performance with UTM tags and Google Analytics.
- Invest in Google Maps Ads to stand out in local searches.
By regularly updating your business information and engaging with customers, you can increase visibility, attract more local traffic, and boost sales.
Start optimizing your Google My Business profile today!
