"The way to achieve your own success is to be willing to help somebody else get it first." -Iyanla Vanzant

Dramatically increase sales by improving your visibility through your free Google Business Profile. It takes about 20 minutes to set up and you don't need a website or products to use it. It will place your business at the top of search when applicable. Your customers can then chat, call or drive to your location and buy your products or services. Let's see how!

*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.

Google Business Profile Increases Your Traffic for FREE

What is a Google Business Profile?

Google Business Profile is what appears for a business on Google Search and Maps when users are trying to find a product or service in their area. You probably did a search like this yourself in the last week: "T-Shirt shop near me." Lot's of search results come up but your business could be the big result on the right side of the page that beats out everyone else on the page including paid ads! They are likely to attract 70% more locations visits and 50% more likely to lead to purchases! (Grow with Google Data)

How do I get started?

Creating a Google Business Profile is a great way to get your business noticed online. It helps you appear in search and maps, and reach potential customers. Here are the steps to create your Google Business Profile:

1. Begin by searching for your business on search or maps. Be sure you are signed in with a gmail account that is associated with your business or create a new one.

2. Once you find your account, you can add your business information. Make sure to include accurate details like your business name, address, and contact information. You can add your website if you have one or add that later. It is critical that you double check all of your information.

3. Once you have entered your details, you will need to verify your business. You can do this by having a postcard sent to your business address, or by verifying your phone number. This is the step that most people skip. If you don't claim and verify your business then you cannot be sure that you are in control of your listing and that it stays up to date.

4. After you have verified your business, you can add additional information like photos, logo, business hours, and services. This will help customers find you online. You can start to update this information now but it will not be visible until you are verified. Think about search terms people might use to find you and use those in your description.

5. Finally, you can use the Google My Business dashboard to track insights and manage reviews. This will help you understand how customers interact with your business online. Reviews are a great way to gain trust in your business. You can send your review link to former customers and start adding that social proof that people love to see.

Am I done now? It just works?

In order to continue to rank high and be served up to more customers, it is important to post periodically to your profile and update your hours and photos. Put a reminder on your calendar each month to take 15 minutes to update your profile. Here are some easy suggestions:

• If you post on another social platform like Facebook, post it on your Google profile as well! You can post specials, deals, seasonal items, tips and tricks.

• Post new products as they come into your store. You can use Pointy to list your products on Google for free. Get more information here at https://pointy.withgoogle.com/.

• Post 30 second videos with a tour of your store, latest services, service in action or other highlights.

How can I increase interaction with my community?

There are several free ways you can interact with potential customers:

• Turn on the chat feature and make sure someone is available if people have questions.

• Put in your phone number so people can call.

• Provide a review link or QR code in your store so customers can immediately leave a link.

Ok, I am in but I don't have time to set this up and manage this.

Google Business Profile can be managed by one of your employees that you designate to manage it OR you can contact us at [email protected] and we will set it up and manage it for you for a low cost monthly fee. We can also manage all of your listings across the web via YEXT for less.

Bonus Tip:

Check out my video series on YouTube that outlines exactly how to get your business listed on Google. As a Grow with Google Partner, I can help you get your business on Google search, Ads, Analytics and more.

At Future Ready Consulting we can help you move through the process of setting up or scaling your business.