Google My Business

There’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google. We do our best to keep the details of the search algorithm confidential to make the ranking system as fair as possible for everyone. – excerpt from Improve your local ranking on Google from Google Support Centre

Get your Google My Business account here. It’s free!

So you’ve got your GMB account sorted, but is it lifting-of-restrictions ready?

1.    Relevant business information: Check and double-check that all of your business information is accurate and gives the best overview of what you do. The physical address, phone number and category are the bare bones, so the meat needs to be more about your services and when you are open for business.
2.    Keep your hours of opening up to date: If you’re open on bank holidays or have late opening times on designated days of the week, let the people know! If you’ve had to alter opening times due to Covid, remember to amend them as the lockdown starts to lift. There’s nothing worse for a potential customer than finding your online trading hours info contradicts the ominous CLOSED sign in your window or the out-of-hours phone message. This could then lead to bad reviews online.

3.    A good Google My Business listing can boost your rankings: Well-established companies will be seen in a good light by Google, especially if they’re utilising the benefits of pay-per-click. But your business could be placed in the searches just beneath these paid ads by appearing in the GMB 3-pack! This is where Google highlights three local companies on page one search results. Businesses of all sizes, including Startups or SMEs, can also gain low-cost prominence by having websites with best-practice SEO coursing through their digital veins. A keyword-rich description on GMB linked to such a website will help bolster it even further in search engine rankings!

Haven’t got a website? Then grab a Google My Business website! It’s free to set up, and although it doesn’t have the power and versatility of a dedicated site, it’s a great place to start if you’re on a tight budget.

4.    Offers section – everyone loves a bargain: Got a seasonal or new customer offer? Here’s the perfect place for it! This has worked incredibly well for local car dealers and restaurants offering a takeaway service during the lockdown.
5.    Online reviews require a response… Quickly: Interaction with customers shows that you care. Positive reviews and fast responses from your company will give Google a good impression of your business’s values and help your ranking. Always keep an eye on your Google My Business reviews.
6.    Photos complete the story: Pictures of your services, shop front and staff at work help with your business’s appeal. Product photos also give the prospective customer peace of mind that you stock precisely what they’re looking to purchase. Ensure your images enhance your GMB listing content, and don’t forget to name the image files with a short description to gain even more online visibility for your business.
7.    Google My Business posts: Product posts work hand-in-hand with Google My Business’s services’ section. Another perfect area to embed keywords, have showcase photos and mention the latest offers.

The next step to getting increased traffic with Google My Business as lockdown in UK is lifted:

Submit your details to local directories.

Links to online directories such as Yell, Yelp and Clutch will also help with your website’s performance. Ensuring that all of your business’s details on these directories align with your Google My Business page will help increase your relevance in Google rankings.

The above tips should get your Google My Business listing and other online content strategies, including local citation, ready for the lifting of the UK lockdown. 

For more help and advice, please get in touch with JSF SEO Services of Birmingham.