What’s a Google Business Listing and Why Do I Need One?

Are you using your Google Business Listing to its full potential?

What’s a Google Business Listing you ask.

A Google Business Listing is a free tool to create a listing in the format relevant to Google to display within search results, or map listings. It has photos, open hours, contact details, reviews, address, and brief posts. 

As a sidebar on search, our Google Business Listing looks like this:

In Google Maps it looks like this:

Are you wondering why bother with it? 

There are a few reasons. 

The first main reason is that Google is now the phone directory and address lookup. Who uses phone books anymore? And people don’t bother going to your website when the listing is already front and centre in Google. 

Google likely prioritises your Google Business Listing above your website in search along with using it in the local map pack of 3 listings. 

It links directly to your website, it has a call button, users can link to your map location to find you, you can offer links to book an appointment, manage and respond to reviews. So many details that many users are looking for, right at the tip of their finger.

Many users will stop scrolling once they get to your listing, so keeping it up to date is a great way to ensure your customers the latest info about your business. 

At the moment, with business details changing regularly due to COVID-19 and restrictions, keep your details up to date so your customers know your business status. There’s facility for COVID-19 updates right in the dashboard. 

If you haven’t looked at your listing in a while, Google has made some changes. 

• You can now grab a link to share your review form. By automating requests for reviews with your customers, you show new customers the proof they need to buy from you. 
• You can offer the link to your online appointment bookings
• You can get an overview of how many people have seen your listing 
• You can list multiple categories that your business falls into

What I want you to do

1. Google your business name and find your business listing (If you can’t find one, you can create a new listing here)

2. On your listing, click the own this business and ensure that it’s associated with one of your email addresses

3. Review all the details and ensure they’re accurate

4. Even if they’re accurate, login to the Google Business Centre and …. 
         1. Complete any missing details
         2. Upload some photos
         3. Reply to any reviews
         4. Double check your phone number, address details, business services and descriptions
         5. Copy your review form link, and add it into your customer follow up processes

A tip on reviews, always leave a reply. At the very least, thank them for taking the time to leave you a review. We, along with some of our clients, have won business purely because we’ve replied to our reviewers.

If you’ve got any questions about Google Business Listings, contact us and we'll answer your questions.