How to Create a Google My Business Profile for Your Small Business

Your business needs visibility online. One of the best ways to do this is by setting up a Google My Business profile — it’s free, easy to make, and can help put your business on the map! Google My Business allows you to easily manage how your business appears on different sites across the web, including in local search results. A successful profile will help customers find valuable information about your business and make it easier for them to contact you. Here’s how to get started setting up your profile.

Step 1: Claim Your Listing

The first step is claiming your listing. Make sure that you have a valid address and phone number before doing so. Go to https://www.google.com/business/ and click “Get Started” at the top right-hand corner of the page. Then, enter your business name or address into the search box, and follow the prompts from there. The website will ask for additional information such as hours of operation, payment methods accepted, etc., which can all be updated later if needed.

Step 2: Set Up Verification

Once your listing is claimed, it’s time to set up verification so that Google can confirm that you are indeed associated with that specific location or business name. You can choose between two verification options – by mail or by phone call – and then follow the steps provided by Google in order to complete this process successfully. Once verification is complete, you will be able to access all of the features offered by Google My Business!

Step 3: Optimize Your Profile

Now that your profile has been verified, it’s time to optimize it with relevant information about your business such as images, videos, reviews from customers, etcetera – anything that might make potential customers more likely to trust you and choose your services over those of someone else! Use keywords relevant to what you do when filling out each section of your profile; this will help increase visibility on search engines like Google as well as give potential customers an accurate idea of who you are and what kind of service they can expect from you! Additionally, responding promptly (within 24 hours) to customer reviews is always appreciated and shows potential clients that their opinions matter!

Additional Tip: Manage Reviews & Promote Your Services

Another important step in setting up your Google My Business profile is managing customer reviews and responding quickly to inquiries or complaints left by customers. This will help boost customer trust in your services and build credibility for your brand over time. Additionally, use GMB’s marketing tools such as posts and offers to promote special offers or discounts available at certain times of the year – these features are great ways to draw in new customers!

Setting up a Google My Business profile may seem overwhelming at first but it really doesn’t have to be; once you get started following these three steps outlined above — claiming your listing, verifying it through either mail or phone call options provided by Google itself, and optimizing with relevant information—you’ll be well on your way towards making sure that potential customers have easy access to all of the important details about your small business! Plus since its free there’s no harm in trying out this helpful tool today – happy optimizing!