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Video Summary
A Google Business Profile is free from Google, and it helps you maintain your business in local search results. This profile is important because it’s one way Google lets you maintain information about your business in a way that helps you show up better in the search results.
A properly configured profile helps your business show up in the part of Google search results that I call the Money Zone. That’s the section near the top of the search results that shows a map and up to three businesses.
In this video, I’m going to show you how to get a Google Business Profile if you don’t already have one…
Video Transcript
Hello, my name is Jeffrey Kirk.
If you’re watching this video, then you might think you don’t already have a Google business profile. This profile is important because it’s one way Google lets you maintain information about your business in a way that helps you show up better in the search results.
Sometimes you might hear people referring to the profile as a Google My Business listing. That’s just an old name for basically the same thing. It’s important to have a complete profile so local searchers can easily find your business.
The Money Zone
A properly configured profile helps your business show up in the part of Google search results that I call the Money Zone. That’s the section near the top of the search results that shows a map and up to three businesses.
I call this part the Money Zone because it’s so prominent in the search results that the businesses showing up there are easily seen. And, searchers get access to your website, your phone number, and even GPS navigation all in one place. This is also where your Google reviews are going to appear.
It’s super important to show up in the Money Zone and stand out against the other two businesses that are there. If you can do that, it practically forces your prospects to call you.
In this video, I’m going to show you how to get a Google Business Profile if you don’t already have one.
How To Add Your Google Business Profile
Since Google often makes profiles automatically when they learn about a business, a good first step is to verify that a profile doesn’t already exist. So let’s see what your situation really is. So, start by going to Google and search for your business by name.
If you do this on a desktop computer, and your business already has a Google business profile, you should see your business featured in a panel on the right side of the search results.
If your business does not show up this way, you may not have a profile. But we have to dig a little deeper to know that for sure. In this case go to google.com/maps. Then, type in your business name followed by your city name. For example, I could type in “007 Cars and Gadgets, Milwaukee”.
If your business shows up this way, then a profile exists. In that case, you don’t have to create a new profile. Instead, you need to claim the profile that exists. I have a separate video that shows you how to claim an existing profile. So, look for that and follow that video instead.
Okay, so your business doesn’t show up in the map either. So it’s time to create a profile. Look to the bottom of the left column in the Google Map results. You will see a link that says, “Add a missing place”, as shown in the image here. So click that link…
You must be logged into a Google account in order to complete the process. So one of two things is going to happen at this point. If you see a small window that asks you to sign in to get started, you’ll have to click the sign in button and then log into your Google account or create a new Google account if you don’t already have one.
Or, if you’re already logged into your Google account, a window will open which says, “Add a place” at the top. This is the window that you want to see.
On this screen you can enter the business name, choose a category for the business, enter the business address, and pick a location on the map.
You can also click the Add more details drop-down and open up the section to add business hours, and your phone number, your website address, and your business opening date. You can also add photos. At a minimum, add your phone number, but eventually you’ll want to add as much information as possible to your listing, so why not get started with that right away?
Verifying Your New Google Business Profile
Once you have all the details in place, click the “Claim this business” link at the bottom. This will start the verification process and connect this new business profile to your Google account.
Do not click the “Claim this business” button until you have information entered that is all accurate. If you cannot complete the information accurately, then cancel and come back with the correct information later. The reason is that in many cases, the creation of the profile takes some time. You may get lucky and have the opportunity for instant verification by phone, text, or email. If you get one of those options, definitely take it.
Otherwise, you may have to wait until a postcard is mailed to the business address. This card contains a verification code that must be entered to finalize the verification. But this can take a couple weeks.
So that’s why it’s important to have the correct information before you verify. If the address is incorrect, you’ll never get the card. And if you change the business name, change the address, or the business category after submitting the data and before verifying, then the process might start all over and you’ll end up waiting for a new card.
To help prevent unnecessary delays in getting your business profile setup, it’s best to make sure all your business details are correct before you start the verification process.
Once your business is verified, then you can make additional edits without starting the verification process all over again. And you can further optimize your listing to get better online results. You can look for that in another video as well.
So that’s it. That’s all it takes to add your Business Profile to Google. Earlier I mentioned the Money Zone, that part of the search results is the part that shows only 3 businesses and the map.
Now that you have a Google Business Profile, wouldn’t it be great if it could help drive more customers and clients to your business? I’ve got a free training webinar that shows how to do this. Take a look at upatdawn.biz/webinar and join me soon.
Your business deserves to be seen online, and I will help you get there.
Thanks for watching and have a great day!
