Google Business Account: Setup and optimization

Google is the most visited website in the world and currently holds more than 92% of the search engine market share (source: hootsuite.com). In order to attract new customers to your business via Google Search and Google Maps, creating a Google My Business account is enormously important. Officially, Google My Business was renamed "Google Business Profile" last year. However, the former term is still widely used. What the advantages of a Google My Business account are and what to consider when setting it up is explained in this article.

‍

What is a Google Business Account?

The Google My Business profile is a free business listing on Google. It allows businesses to provide details and photos of the services and products they offer and provide lots of other information such as address, opening hours and phone number. Creating this free account is a great way to increase your visibility on all Google services. Information entered in the Google business profile can be displayed in Google Search, Google Maps and Google Shopping. A Google My Business account is particularly recommended for companies that have direct contact with customers. This includes businesses with a physical location (e.g. a restaurant or bicycle store) and businesses that offer services and meet with customers at other locations (e.g. consultants or tradespeople). But a listing in Google My Business Accounts also offers many advantages for purely online businesses.
‍

A company profile on Google My Business gives users all the important information about your company at a glance

‍

The advantages of a Google Business Account

A company profile on Google My Business offers a number of advantages and leads to significantly more impressions on the web and thus to more new customers for your company. Detailed and always up-to-date information about the advantages of a Google My Business entry can be found on the Google homepage.

‍
‍

Be found by customers in Google Search and Google Maps

Whether you're looking for local visitors or internet users, Google is the ultimate search intermediary. With a Google business profile, you can ensure that customers find your business when they search for nearby products and services that match your company's portfolio. For example, if a user from Stuttgart searches for "flower store near me" on Google, corresponding business profiles will be displayed. Your Google My Business listing thus shows searchers where and how they can visit your business. It also improves local search engine optimization.
‍

*The address of the company is one of the most important information for Google*

‍
‍

‍Manage business information

With your Google My Business account, you can enter, manage, and update contact information, business hours, and other important details as needed. Google Business profiles have strong local search engine optimization, so the information you provide ranks ahead of third-party sites (such as Yellow Pages) whose details may be out of date.

‍
‍

Build trust through reviews

Reviews are a key element of social media and a useful way to build trust and credibility. Star ratings as well as detailed reviews on Google allow customers to share information about experiences with your business. All of this helps potential new customers decide which businesses to visit and which products to buy.

By the way: With Mateo you can automatically request reviews from your customers and thus not only increase the informative value of your company profile, but also positively influence the position in the search results. The better the average rating and the higher the number of ratings of a company, the higher the entry of the business appears in the Google search results.

‍
‍

Send and receive direct messages

With a Google My Business account, you can be contacted by customers via direct messages in Google Business Chat.
‍

With an account at Google My Business direct messages can be received and answered

‍

Setting up a Google My Business account

You do not need a costly agency to create a Google Business account and manage the entry. Setting up the account and entering your data is very simple and quick to do. Just follow these instructions:

‍

Step 1: Log in to Google

Open the Google My Business website and sign in with your Google Account. You can proceed with the "Manage now" button.

‍

Step 2: Add your company

Enter the name of your business and then select the appropriate category for your business. When doing so, make sure that the spelling of the business name is correct and consistent and select the category as precisely as possible (e.g. "Greek Restaurant" instead of just "Restaurant"). If your business is already listed on Google and thus in the drop-down menu, you must select this entry.

‍

‍Step3: Enter the company address

Now your business address can be added. You may also be asked to place a marker for the location on a map. A catchment area can also be defined.
‍

When setting up the Google My Business account, the company category should be selected as precisely as possible.
‍

Step 4: Set contact information

Enter your company's phone number and website URL so customers can reach you. You can also have Google create a free website with company information if your company does not have a website.

‍

Step 5: Verify your Google My Business company account

The last step is to verify the company account. This is done by means of a code that is sent by postcard to the specified address. Once you receive the postcard, the code can be entered and the verification process completed.

‍

Improve ranking in search results through various optimizations in Google My Business

Google determines local search rankings based on the following factors:

Relevance: How well does your Google My Business listing match a search query?

Distance: How far is the company location from the searched location or the searcher?

Awareness: How well known is your company (based on factors such as links, number of reviews, review score, and SEO)?

Therefore, to improve your company's ranking in search results, you can implement the following tips:

‍
‍

Tip 1: Complete all elements of your profile

Customers are 2.7 times more likely to think your business is reputable if you have a complete Google Business profile. They are also 70% more likely to actually visit your location (source: support.google.com). Google explicitly states that "businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to be matched with the right search queries". According to Google, the key is to let Google users know "what you do, where you are and when you can be visited". So don't forget to add your opening hours, website, photos and contact information to your Google Business account.

‍
‍

Tip 2: Verify your location(s)

Verified business locations are "more likely to show up in local search results on Google products like Maps and Search." Providing a verified location also helps improve your score for the distance ranking factor. If you skipped verifying your location when you created your account, you can request your verification postcard now at https://business.google.com/.

‍
‍

Tip 3: Add real pictures and videos of your company

Your Google business profile includes a logo and cover image. Use images that match those on your social profiles to make your brand easier to recognize. But that's not all: add pictures and videos to showcase your location, work environment and team.
For example, if you run a restaurant, post pictures of your dishes, menus and dining room. Make sure they look appetizing and professional and are not too low-resolution. According to Google, businesses with photos get more requests for directions and more clicks to their websites.

Tip 4: Add keywords to your company description

Using the right keywords in the company description increases its relevance. Keywords are terms that are entered by Google users in the search bar. Which keywords are particularly important for your industry can be found out using various online tools such as the Google Search Console.

‍
‍

Tip 5: Manage and respond to reviews

People trust other people more than companies. A good review can therefore be the decisive factor that makes potential customers decide in your favor. Reviews improve your Google ranking. Encourage people to write reviews and ask and answer questions. The best time to ask for a review is when a customer has had a good experience with your products or services. With Mateo, you have the option of automatically requesting reviews from your customers. You should also respond to both positive and negative reviews. According to a survey by Google and Ipsos Connect, companies that respond to reviews are rated 1.7 times more trustworthy than companies that do not. If you respond to a negative review, be honest and offer compensation if warranted. To view and respond to reviews, click on the "Reviews" tab in the left menu of your Business Profile Manager. Taking your customers' feedback to heart and responding to reviews is a very easy way to increase customer satisfaction.
‍

In the company profile on Google My Business, users can ask questions that, for Google ranking algorithm reasons, should be answered by the company as quickly and precisely as possible

‍

Tip 6: Constantly update business information

Be sure to edit your business profile when your hours of operation, contact information, etc. change. Nothing is more annoying for customers than coming within the stated business hours and finding that the business is closed. If you have special business hours on holidays or other occasions, make sure they are listed in your Google My Business account. You can also create Google My Business posts to share updates, product news, deals and events.

‍
‍

Tip 7: Adding special functions and attributes

Depending on the category you choose, special features are available for Google business accounts.
For example, hotels can display class ratings, sustainability practices, highlights, check-in and check-out times, and amenities. Restaurants and bars can upload menus, food photos and popular dishes, and service-oriented businesses can post a list of services. Depending on the category, businesses also have access to different types of buttons, such as booking appointments, making reservations, and placing orders.
You can also add factual attributes to your profile to share more information that might interest your customers. If you run a store or restaurant, you can indicate that it is wheelchair accessible, offers free wifi or outdoor seating.
Attributes can be added in the dashboard under "Info" using the "Add Attributes" button.

‍

Reading tip: In our article "Optimize Google My Business Profile - Instructions & Tips" you will get more hints!

‍

Collect more positive Google reviews and optimize your Google Business company profile with Mateo

As both the number of reviews and the average rating are extremely relevant for Google's algorithm and therefore for the ranking in the results, Mateo's software offers the option of automatically requesting reviews from your customers. This function gives you more impressions on the web and therefore significantly increased interest among potential customers. With Mateo, you can collect authentic reviews, improve your online reputation and create an outstanding customer experience. And this is just a side feature of Mateo's messaging tool, which bundles all common communication channels into one central inbox. Not only is Mateo scalable for all company sizes and, unlike WhatsApp Business, 100% GDPR-compliant, it is also a cost-effective provider of WhatsApp API integrations. Take a look at a demo video and arrange a free consultation.
‍

Request Google reviews automatically — With Mateo you can automatically request Google reviews.
‍

Mateo's software offers many other advantages and improves your customer communication in dozens of ways. Our customers particularly appreciate the following advantages:

‍Centralizeduser interface: Mateo combines WhatsApp Business API, email, Instagram, SMS and Facebook Messenger in one central inbox. The intuitive user interface includes various tools for efficient customer communication and saves you valuable working time.
‍
Integrations: With Mateo you can integrate WhatsApp with over 6,000 software programs and send fully automated messages such as invitations, order confirmations, shipping information, invoices or reminders.
‍
Newsletter marketing: Send GDPR-compliant newsletters via WhatsApp or SMS and benefit from open rates of over 95%.

‍‍

Review management: Mateo can automatically request online reviews from your customers, boosting your Google ranking and trust in your business.
‍
‍Data protection: Mateo complies with all German and European data protection requirements and offers end-to-end encryption for secure customer communication.
‍
Scalability: Our software is suitable for companies of any size and can be expanded indefinitely depending on the package.‍
‍
Cost-effective provider: With an entry-level price of just 79 euros per month, Mateo offers excellent value for money.
‍

Arrange a free and non-binding consultation and we will show you how MATEO can meet your communication needs! Simply book an appointment here or write to us via our web widget.

Google Business Account - All information about setting up and optimizing Google My Business