Understanding how to optimise your Google Business Profile is crucial for small business owners. Through years of experience and countless success stories, certain features have been identified as key to achieving higher rankings on Google Maps. Here’s a comprehensive guide to these essential features that will help your business soar to the top.
1. Business Categories: The Foundation of Your Profile
Selecting the right business categories is the cornerstone of your GBP. Your primary category should be carefully chosen based on the most important keyword you want to rank for. To determine this, search for the keyword on Google Maps and observe the primary categories used by top-ranking businesses. These categories are your benchmark.
Additionally, you can add up to nine secondary categories. If you’re unsure which ones to choose, the GMB Everywhere extension can help. This tool reveals the secondary categories used by high-ranking competitors, providing valuable insights into optimising your profile.
2. Business Name: Keyword Integration
The name of your business plays a significant role in your ranking. If your business name includes the keyword you aim to rank for, you’re more likely to achieve higher rankings. However, this name must be consistent with how your business is presented in real life to comply with Google’s guidelines. You can change your business name by filing for a Doing Business As (DBA) certificate, which allows you to incorporate keywords legally and effectively.
3. Reviews: Building Credibility and Ranking
Reviews are a powerful ranking factor for your GBP. The quantity, quality, and recency of reviews all contribute to your profile’s performance. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and always respond to them, whether they are positive or negative. Engaging with reviews not only boosts your ranking but also enhances your business’s reputation and attracts potential clients.
4. Website Link: Strengthening Your Online Presence
The website link you include in your GBP significantly affects your ranking. Ensure that your listing links to a robust page on your website that highlights your main service and location, aligning with your primary category. For businesses with multiple locations, create dedicated pages for each one and link them accordingly. Avoid linking to social media profiles as they do not provide a ranking boost.
5. Services: Showcasing Your Offerings
Adding the services you offer to your profile helps your business rank for those services and related keywords. You can either use Google’s suggested services based on your business categories or add custom ones. It’s crucial to be honest and only list services you genuinely provide to avoid misleading potential customers.
6. Opening Hours: Maintaining Visibility
Your business’s opening hours can impact your ranking on Google Maps. When your business is closed, it may rank lower. To maintain visibility, consider setting up a 24-hour answering service. However, only claim to be open 24 hours if you can support it to avoid negative reviews from disappointed customers.
7. Identity Attributes: Connecting with Your Audience
Identity attributes, such as tags indicating women-owned or minority-owned businesses, can help you connect with the right audience and enhance your rankings. These attributes increase your visibility in search results when people look for businesses with specific ownership characteristics.
Maximising Your Google Business Profile
These features are the key elements that directly influence your GBP ranking. While other features of your profile are also important, they mainly contribute indirectly. By focusing on these seven areas, you can significantly enhance your profile’s performance and attract more customers.
