How to improve your Google My Business Ranking

Google My Business is Google’s free tool for businesses of all sizes, including large corporations and local businesses. With a GMB account, businesses can make the best of their online presence by creating better local search strategies, tapping into Google reviews, and displaying their business location on Google Maps. 

Like many other businesses – overlook your Google My Business presence. This also means missing out on all the local SEO benefits it can bring you

What is Google My Business?

A Google My Business account is the only means by which you can claim ownership of your Business Profile, attain management rights to it, and unlock additional free features to increase your visibility on Google. In this post. The more space you occupy on the web, especially on Google Search, increases the more opportunities your customers can see and engage with your business.

Most users start their customer journeys on Google Search, especially when searching for local businesses for services. Being found on relevant terms for those services is essential. It's the most convenient medium to connect with your local customers.

How to improve Ranking?

Claim your Ownership : 

You can’t win the race unless you participate in the race. If you want to rank your business in search results then first of all you need to get enlisted. First, create your Google My Business account with the help of your Google account.

Provide all the relevant details about your business including basic information like Address, working hours, product services, and images. Make sure to update your business location with Google Maps to optimize your ranking.

Keep profile active:

This means regularly posting new information – updates, special offers, discount codes, new service launches, etc. Think of it as another social media profile for your business – one people easily find in search results Keeping your profile active with engaging, relevant, and regular posts will help you get your customers more engaged before they decide to buy or book from you.

Ensure your GMB enlisted with Google Maps:

Potential customers may be searching for your business through Google Maps, and having it listed (and with the most updated and accurate information) can help them find you easier .64% of consumers have used GMB to find contact details for a local business.

Manage the Review section and ensure engagement:

This is a key feature of Google My Business – and a powerful tool in your brand-building arsenal if you use it right. People check Google reviews – that’s a fact (you probably do that, too.) Whether you run a hotel, a restaurant chain, a tiny specialty café, or an international clothing brand with stores in multiple countries, people will leave positive and negative reviews: about your customer service, your products, your amenities, and in general, about their experience with your brand.

And according to a study by BrightLocal, up to 82% of consumers read online reviews when they’re looking for businesses in the area. What’s more, even 97% of them read your responses to those reviews. And at that point already, they have a pretty clear picture of whether they want to buy from you or not.

Verify your GMB listing:

You should focus on verifying your business listing. Google mostly asks for verification when the account is created and also when any important information is updated. Verifying your business will automatically make it more authentic among its competitors and help boost its appearance on SERPs (search engine result pages).

Add High Definition pictures relevant to business:

Business listings that have photos are considered to be more reliable and reputable than those that don’t. An average of 11 photos are expected from any GMB listing. You are likely to get more clicks if customers see photos when they open your Google listing. It will improve your Google local ranking. Business listings that have photos are considered doubly more reputable and can drive 35% more clicks than those that don’t. 

Set up a Q&A section:

With the GMB tool, you can invite people to submit questions that they are curious about for your listing. The general community and the business owners both can answer these questions. Always check in for new questions, and answer them as soon as you can. This also helps avoid the risk of someone else answering the question with false information. Furthermore, the more actively you answer these questions, the stronger the ranking signal you’re feeding into the Google algorithm. 

Closure thoughts

Creating a Google My Business profile is a one-stop shop for managing your business visibility on the world’s most popular search engine. 

 Through GMB, you can maximize your online presence, attract more customers, and engage with your existing customers through a steady flow of reviews. This one is one of the most organic channels for traffic.