“You simply don’t exist if you don’t create a Google My Business page…”
Research shows that Google My Business for local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential, enabling businesses to appear in local search results for queries specific to products/services. SEO experts* provide the following insights to optimize Google local listings and improve visibility:
- Update business name, address, phone number (NAP), hours, etc.
- Ensure phone numbers are local and match the display on your landing page.
- Add a logo and photos of your business, customers and employees to stand out.
- Verify that your website information speaks the same language as Googlebot.
- Encourage local reviews, social check-ins, and photo uploads from your customers.
- Build pages about the services you offer and theme those pages appropriately.
- Be specific when choosing your categories (e.g., better chance to rank for “fresh grocery store” than for generic terms like “groceries”).
- Employ the CAN principle:
Consistency: Have the same NAP data on directory sites and search engines.
Accuracy: Correct your NAP data across the local ecosystem, suppressing duplicate listings.
Number: Create citations on as many sites as possible, with over 50 to choose from (Bing, Yahoo, Yelp, etc.).
“Critical. It’s the centerpiece and fundamental to any local campaign.
You simply don’t exist if you don’t create a Google My Business page for your local business.”
— Raj Nijjer, VP Community at Yext
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Source: Center for Media Research, reported by Jack Loechner; based on ClickZ analysis, written by Graham Carlton;
*SEO experts: Greg Gifford at DealerOn; Max Holloway at Pi Datametrics; Kevin Gibbons at Blueglass;
Raj Nijjer at Yext.