How to add your business to Google Maps

Google Maps and visibility for business are key in the modern marketing environment. Here we’ll go through how Google can get your business visible on Google Maps and how Google My Business can act as a tool to improve your business visibility, as well as provide instructions on how to set up a profile.

The importance of online visibility

The success of a business in the digital age depends largely on its onlinevisibility. Consumers are increasingly searching for products and services online, and first impressions are formed from search results. Google Maps is one of the key tools for local visibility, helping customers to find your business, view its information and arrive at their destination.

Introduction to Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows you to manage your business information on Google services such as Maps and search results. With a profile, you can:

• Manage basic company information
• Publish news and offers
• Receive and respond to customer reviews
• Analyse how customers find your business

Setting up a Google Business Profile

Setting up consists of a few simple steps to ensure that your business information is up-to-date and easy to find:

1. Sign up: go to the Google Business Profile site and click the ‘Manage now’ button.
2. Verify your account: make sure Google can verify that you really represent your business. This is usually done with an electronic code or a verification code sent by post.
3. Filling in the information: enter all the necessary company information, such as address, phone number, opening hours and services.
4. Adding photos: you should add high-quality photos of your company’s premises, products and staff to your profile.

The importance of verifying your account

Verifying your account is a critical step that gives you full access and control over your business information on Google. A verified account increases trust and ensures that only you or authorised individuals can edit company information. The verification process also protects your business from falsification and inaccurate information that can affect the customer experience.

This consistent and engaging approach will help your business improve its online visibility and customer experience. Actively maintaining and optimising your Google Business Profile is key to your business’s long-term success in the digital world.

Google Maps optimisation and management in Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile Optimisation

Making the most of your Google Business Profile starts with comprehensive and accurate business data entry. This process is crucial because it determines how customers find and see your business on Google.

Entering complete and accurate business information on Google Maps

At this stage, you should enter all the key business information that will help customers to easily find and identify your business. The following steps will help ensure that the information is complete and accurate:

• Company name: Write the official name of the company without any extra words or symbols that could confuse customers.
• Address: please provide your full postal address. Make sure that the address is exactly the same as the one in your other business records.
• Phone number: Enter a local phone number that is directly linked to the location of your business.
• Opening hours: please provide exact and up-to-date opening hours. Please update this information whenever there are changes, for example on public holidays.
• Categories: choose the main category that best suits your business and, if necessary, subcategories that describe your business as accurately as possible.
• Services and products: list all the main services and products your company offers. This will help customers understand what they can expect to find in your business.
• Photos and videos: add high-quality photos and videos that showcase your business facilities, products, services and staff. Visual content improves engagement and trust.

Maintaining up-to-date business information

Regular updating of data is critical. Make sure that any changes, such as new services, special offers or changed opening hours, are immediately reflected in your Google Business profile. This not only improves your customer experience, but also reinforces the reliability and professionalism of your business.

Maintaining accurate and consistent business information helps customers find your business easily, which is crucial for local search engine optimisation (SEO). When information is clear and easy to find, it increases customer trust and the likelihood that they will contact your business.

Advanced features and management in Google Business Profile

Managing and optimising messages, offers and direct communications

Google Business Profile offers powerful tools that can significantly improve the customer experience and drive sales. Messages, offers and direct communication are essential features that help your business stand out from the competition and enhance customer interaction.

• Publications and offers: regularly updated publications and attractive offers can increase your visibility and attract new customers. Important:
  • Create interesting and topical content.
  • Make use of different formats, such as events, offers or news.
  • Monitor the effectiveness of publications and make any necessary adjustments.
• Direct communication:Google’s direct communication feature allows you to communicate with customers in real time. This feature is worth enabling in order to:
  • You’re quick to answer customer questions.
  • You’ll improve customer service and increase engagement.
  • You will promote a positive customer experience and increase customer satisfaction.

Solving the management of a lost Company Profile

If you have lost access to your Google Business profile, please follow these steps:

• First, check whether you have access to your profile or whether the account is registered in someone else’s name.
• If you have lost your rights or your account is being managed by someone else, please ask Google to restore your account.
• Make sure that all your details are up to date and that you use the correct email address as your official company contact channel.

Best practices in mobile optimisation and its importance in local markets

Mobile optimisation is a critical factor in local SEO, especially given the large number of mobile users. Effective mobile optimization includes:

• Responsive design: make sure your Business Profile works seamlessly across all devices.
• Fast loading time: optimise your images and content to speed up the loading of your website on mobile devices.
• Clear user interface: Design an easy-to-use and intuitive interface that caters to mobile users.
• Location data: leverage location data by providing information and offers based on your location to improve the user experience and increase visitor engagement.

These measures will help ensure that your business is not only discoverable, but that it provides an excellent user experience for mobile users looking for your services locally. This will help you maximise your visibility and attract more customers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I get my business on Google Maps?

To add your business to Google Maps, follow these steps:

1. Create a Google My Business account: go to Google My Business and sign in with your Google account.
2. Add your business: click “Start now” and enter your business name. If your business does not appear in the suggested options, click “Add your business to Google”.
3. Enter your company details: give full details of your company, such as address, phone number and sector of activity.
4. Confirm your business: in most cases, Google requires you to confirm your business, which can be done in a number of ways, such as by phone, SMS or a postcard sent to your business address.
5. Manage your business profile: once you’ve verified your business, you can manage your information in the Google My Business dashboard. Here you can update information, add photos and respond to customer reviews.

Once your business is added and verified, it will start to appear on Google Maps and in Google search results, helping customers to find your business more easily.

How do I verify and claim my company profile?

To verify and claim your business profile on Google:

1. Create or sign in to a Google Account associated with your business.
2. Search for your business on Google and select the right listing. If it doesn’t exist, you can create a new one on the Google My Business page.
3. Request a profile by clicking on “Require this company” or “Own this company?”.
4. Choose a confirmation method, such as by phone, email or postcard. Follow Google’s instructions to enter the verification code you receive and complete the process.

This process ensures that you have the authority to manage your business information on Google Maps and in search results.

What do I do if I lose access to my Google Business Profile?

If you lose access to your Google Business profile, you should:

1. Try to restore your account through Google’s standard account refund process.
2. Please contact Google Support directly if you are unable to restore your account through normal channels. You may need proof of ownership or control of the business.
3. Check whether your company profile has been requested by another user. If so, you can request administrative access from the current profile administrator.

It is important to keep your contact details up to date in your profile to avoid such problems.

How often should I update my profile information?

You should update your Google Business Profile information whenever there are changes to your business, such as:

• Changes in opening hours, especially during holidays or special events.
• Updates of contact information, such as phone numbers, addresses or emails.
• New services or products that are offered.
• Visual updates with new images or videos that showcase the changes in your business.

Regular updates help ensure that your business information is accurate and help maintain trust with your customers. They also affect your company’s ranking in search results, which makes regular updates useful for search engine optimisation.