Google My Business: Explained

If you’re on Google – you’re on the right track. Having a quality Google My Business page is one of the best things you can do for your business.

If you already have a website or a social media page, that’s great. Amplify your existing web presence with Google My Business. It’ll give your customers extra ways to find you and interact with you – which is always the smart choice…

At Pickle, we don’t just want you to be found – we want you to thrive!

To help your business grow and get googled, we’ll break down the essentials of Google my Business.

What is a Google My Business listing?

Your digital business-booster, Google My Business is a free business promotion tool.

On your personalised page, you can include your contact details (including your virtual business phone numbers from pickle, your opening hours, your location, your services, photos, reviews and more. You can even make posts and interact with customers—and see how customers are interacting with you on Google.

Why do I need a Google My Business listing?

Get the support of a tech-giant – for FREE.

Every business should have a Google My Business listing—there are so many benefits!

In one click, your potential customers can see a brief snippet of what you do (and where), and it gives them a quick way to contact your team. They can also see reviews from other happy customers, increasing the likelihood of conversions. GMB is a way to get more traffic and greater engagement - without extra effort from you. With Google accounting for 80% of desktop search traffic, this system allows you to:

• Build a relationship with Google • Increase your online traffic • Make it easier for customers to find and contact you quickly • Put your business on Google Maps (which is great for local SEO) • Establish trust with your audience • Encourage customers to give you a review (and allow potential customers to see what past customers have said) • Create a trustworthy and professional reputation for your business

Not to mention, it’s also optimised for a better phone experience: and a better experience means a happier customer.

Will a Google My Business account get me more business calls?

Looking for more calls? In business, there are never any guarantees—but chances are Google My Business will help you increase your enquiries.

This is because of heightened online traction, and the ease of being able to contact you with a click of a button: which is great news if you’ve set up virtual phone numbers or answering services with Pickle.

How do I set up a Google My Business account?

Don’t worry – Google makes it easy for you. Step 1: Visit https://www.google.com/business/

Step 2: Enter your business name when prompted.

Step 3: On the location prompt, select “yes” and enter your office address (tip: if your office address is your home address, you can also make this private in the GMB settings).

Step 4: Select areas outside your location that you also serve (if applicable).

Step 5: Select a business category that is most appropriate for your business.

Step 6: Enter your contact details, including your (virtual) phone number and website URL.

Step 7: Click “finish” and verify.

There are several ways you can verify your Google My Business listing, with the most common being verification by mail. Google will send a postcard with a special code to your nominated address, which allows you to verify that address online. You may also be able to verify through phone or email.

How do I make a good Google My Business listing?

There are a few tips and tricks you can use to make your Google My Business listing even better.

Once you’ve supplied the required information, you should:

• Ensure the information you provide is accurate and up to date • Add a Professional Number like a Pickle 1300 Virtual Number • Add images (it can increase your website clicks by 35% and Google Map direction requests by 42%!) • Ask your customers to leave a review if they’re happy with their experience (and to be detailed about what you did, and why they loved it) • Respond to customer reviews (good and bad) • Update your opening hours for public holidays

Always keep your customer at the front of your mind. Ask yourself: What kind of information are they looking for? What do they need to know? How can you soothe their fears and appease their desires?

Focusing on your customer -and improving their experience – will help your GMB listing thrive.

Do you have a top tip for Google My Business? Let us know in the comments.

And if you’ve had a great experience with Pickles phone number services (call centre outsourcing, 1300 numbers, virtual mobile numbers etc.) …why not leave us a review?