Friday, 3 March 2023

Google Business Profile What It Is and Why You Want One

A Guide To Google Business Profile

What Is A Google Business Profile

A Google Business Profile is a free business listing that you can set up and manage right within Google.

Its like having a high-converting website right on Google’s search results page!

Not long ago, I had a local client asked me, “Do I have to have a Google my Business?” I responded, “You don’t have to have one, you GET to have one! “

What Information Does Google My Business Listing Show To Searchers?

A Google My Business profile shows searchers

  • Your business name
  • Address
  • Website
  • Phone number
  • Driving directions
  • Hours of operation
  • Customer reviews and ratings
  • Business description
  • Products and services
  • Messeges and updates from the business owners or managers
  • Promotions or events the business is offering
  • Frequently asked questions
  • And more…

It also include a and its services or products, messages from the business owners or managers, posts about promotions or events happening at the business, and frequently asked questions.

A Guide To Google Business Profile

If you are looking for a guide on how to create a Google Business Profile, you have come to the right place. There are a number of steps that you can follow in order to ensure that your profile will be set up correctly.

Create a Google Business Profile

If you are a local business that wants to get more visibility, you should create a Google Business Profile. With a profile, you can promote your products and services, answer customer questions, and communicate with potential customers. The Google My Business dashboard also allows you to review your description and add photos or reviews to your profile.

When you start creating your profile, you will need to give your business a name, category, and address. You will also need to choose a cover photo for your business. Your photos should be compelling enough to entice customers to visit your location. Having a photo of your storefront or sign is best, but you can also use other photos to showcase different aspects of your business.

The first step to create a profile is to log into your Google account. From there, you can navigate to the “Complete your business profile” tile on the Home page.

Once you have filled out your information, you can click on the “Verify your business” link. This will prompt you to enter a five-digit code. Some profiles will allow you to verify by email, while others will require you to go through a physical verification process.

To ensure the best Google Business Profile results, you should keep the profile up-to-date. Google will usually show your profile alongside organic search results. However, your business must be verified to appear on Google Maps.

One way to increase your Google ranking is to include photos. Statistics show that businesses with pictures are more likely to receive driving directions and website clicks.

In addition to photos, Google My Business can also feature videos. Videos are especially useful for local videographers, photographers, and other media-forward businesses.

Another great tool to have on your Google Business Profile is the ability to reply to reviews. Eighty-nine percent of customers say that they are more likely to use a business that responds to reviews. So, responding to these reviews can be a great way to attract new customers.

You can add up to seven photos to your Google business profile. You should make sure to include the best images that represent your business.

Add categories and products

Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows businesses to show their products to shoppers. It is a valuable resource for marketing, and can help you boost sales. However, you should use it carefully. There are a few things to remember when setting up your profile.

First, you need to select the right categories. You can use the Google My Business category tool to find and choose categories that fit your business.

You can add up to three categories to your profile. You can then start adding products. These will be added to your profile and can also appear in search. Once you have your product listed, you can edit them and order them.

Adding products to your Google Business Profile can increase your brand visibility, and can even give you a competitive edge. In addition, products will be boosted by local SEO efforts.

You can view and add your products in the Products tab on your Google profile. You can also reorder them. A few minutes will pass before your products are added to the carousel. If you’d like to make changes, it can take a few days to get reviewed.

After you’ve added products to your profile, you can also import your existing locations. You can choose to have your business’s locations listed as separate profiles, or you can include them in one.

You can also add photos to your business profile. You can add pictures of the interior and exterior of your business, as well as pictures of your team members.

Lastly, you can add Google Posts. These posts feature your products, as well as details about your services. They are a great way to share offers and events.

Google Business Profile can be a powerful marketing tool, but it’s important to use it correctly. If you need assistance with your Google Profile, the Google Business Profile team can offer you advice and help you add more information to your listing.

As a Google Business Profile user, it’s best to do as much research as you can before you start a new category. Having the right categories will help you describe your business accurately.

Verify your account

To make a name for yourself in your local area, you’ll need to verify your Google Business profile. This process boosts your credibility in the eyes of potential customers. Fortunately, the verification process isn’t as hard as it may seem. You’ll need to follow five simple steps to complete the task.

First, you’ll need to establish an email account. This is an easy step and will help you manage your business listing. It’s important to ensure that the email address you choose is correct.

Next, you’ll need to prove that you have the authority to manage the business listing. You can do this by phone or email. Using the telephone is a good choice, as you’ll have a chance to talk with a Google representative.

Lastly, you’ll need to provide proof of ownership. If you own a physical location, you can get a postcard sent to you by mail. The postcard should arrive within five days, but in some cases it can take up to two weeks.

Choosing the best way to verify your Google Business profile can be confusing. However, there are three main ways to do so. All of them require you to enter a verification code. Whether you opt to call, email, or send a postcard, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, you’ll need to prove that your business has the authority to manage your listing. You’ll need to answer a few questions to demonstrate this. There’s no specific number of businesses that qualify for this.

Similarly, you’ll need to prove that you’ve received the verification code. You can receive the code by calling or sending an email. Alternatively, you can receive the code via a text message. But note that if your business has a landline, you won’t be able to receive a text message. Regardless of how you choose to verify your Google Business profile, you should do it as soon as possible.

Having a Google Business profile is a good idea. Not only will you be able to find more customers, but you’ll be able to update your information as needed.

Market your business

If you own a local business, it’s important to market your profile on Google Business Profile. This can help customers find you and also boost your reputation. Adding your details and photos will help make your listing more appealing to visitors.

To get started, you need to create a free Google account. In this account, you can update your profile, add users, and add other aspects of your business. You can also manage your reviews and messages.

Once you have created your account, you can add your address, hours of operation, and other information. Then you can choose to display your business’s photos, videos, and other assets. Creating your own Google Business Profile is a great way to get your business noticed and attract new clients.

You can also use the Google Post feature to increase the visibility of your business. This allows you to share information about your business, announce new promotions, and let your customers know about seasonal events. When you post, your company’s name, logo, and a cover photo will appear in the post.

In addition to posting, you can also add a link to your website. This will encourage traffic to your site and get more people visiting.

As with any other form of online marketing, you should focus on providing the right information. For example, a Google Business Profile should be populated with the correct phone number. However, adding additional numbers or keywords may cause your listing to be penalized.

It’s also important to respond to user comments. Whether negative or positive, this feedback will impact future customers. Having a dedicated team member who checks in on your profile daily will help keep your listing up to date.

Google business profiles are a helpful tool for businesses of all sizes. They give you an opportunity to interact with potential customers, analyze your performance against your competitors, and track your progress over time.

Investing in a Google Business Profile will ensure your business gets more calls and leads. Your listings can be updated and managed with the Google Business Profile Manager.



from
https://professionalseoanddesign.com/google-business-profile-what-it-is-and-why-you-want-one/


from
https://professionalseoanddesign.weebly.com/blog/google-business-profile-what-it-is-and-why-you-want-one

Local SEO Keyword Research Finding theBest Keywords for Your Business

Keyword research is like a treasure hunt for business owners. It helps you discover the hidden gems, which are keywords and phrases. 

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a crucial aspect of digital marketing that helps businesses reach their target audience in a specific geographical location

Imagine if you could unlock the secrets to what your customers are looking for and use those words to make your business more visible online. That’s exactly what keyword research does for you.

With the growing importance of online presence, it has become increasingly essential for businesses to optimize their websites for local search results. This is where local SEO keyword research comes into play.

How To Choose The Right Keywords For Your Business? 

Keywords are essential to help your website rank higher in search engines, so it is crucial to choose the right ones. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Step 1: Identify Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience at first when choosing the right keywords. Ask yourself what your ideal customer is looking for and what keywords they might use to find your business.

Step 2: Conduct Keyword Research

Use keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to find keywords that are relevant to your business. These tools can help you see how many searches a keyword gets each month, how competitive the keyword is, and what other keywords are related to it.

Step 3: Analyze Competitor Websites

Take a look at your competitors’ websites and see what keywords they are targeting. This will give you an idea of what keywords you should focus on and what keywords you should avoid.

Step 4: Make a List of Relevant Keywords

After researching and analyzing, make a list of all the relevant keywords that you found. This list should include both short-tail and long-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are typically one or two words and are highly competitive, while long-tail keywords are longer phrases that are more specific and less competitive.

Step 5: Group Keywords into Topics

Organize the keywords into topics that are relevant to your business. This will make it easier to create content around those topics and target multiple keywords at once.

Step 6: Optimize Your Website

Once you have your list of keywords, it’s time to optimize your website. Make sure to use the keywords in your page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and throughout your content. But be careful not to overuse keywords, as this can harm your website’s ranking.

Step 7: Monitor and Adjust

Regularly monitor your website’s ranking and adjust your keyword strategy as needed. Try new keywords, eliminate keywords that aren’t working, and continuously improve your website’s ranking.

Remember that choosing the right keywords is an ongoing process and requires continuous monitoring and adjustment.

Longtail Keywords for Local SEO

If you want to find the longtail keywords for local SEO, here is the process you can follow- 

  1. Start with broad keywords: Start by researching broad keywords that are related to your business. For example, if you run a coffee shop, some broad keywords might be “coffee,” “café,” or “espresso.”
  2. Get specific: Take the broad keywords and get more specific. For example, instead of just “coffee,” you might use “best coffee shop in [city name].”
  3. Add location-based keywords: Add your location to the keywords. For example, “best coffee shop in Seattle.” This will make it easier for local customers to find your business when they search for a coffee shop in their area
  4. Use keyword research tools: Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find long-tail keywords related to your business and location. These tools can help you see how many searches a keyword gets each month, how competitive the keyword is, and what other keywords are related to it.
  1. Look at local directories: Look at local directories like Yelp or Google My Business to see what keywords they are using to describe your business and other businesses in your area.
  2. Analyze competitors’ websites: Take a look at your competitors’ websites and see what keywords they are targeting. This will give you an idea of what keywords you should focus on and what keywords you should avoid.
  3. Make a list of relevant keywords: After researching and analyzing, make a list of all the relevant long-tail keywords that you found. This list should include both short-tail and long-tail keywords that are specific to your business and location.

Best Free Tools To Find Local SEO Keywords  

Here are five of the best free tools for finding local SEO keywords, along with an explanation of their features and benefits:

  1. Google Keyword Planner: Google Keyword Planner is a free tool offered by Google AdWords. It provides data on keyword volume and competition, allowing you to see how many people are searching for specific keywords and how difficult it will be to rank for them.
  2. Google Trends: Google Trends is another free tool offered by Google. It provides data on the popularity of specific keywords over time, allowing you to see if a keyword is becoming more or less popular. This can be useful in determining which keywords to target for your local SEO strategy.
  3. Moz Local Listing Score: Moz Local Listing Score is a free tool offered by Moz, a leading SEO and marketing software company. It analyzes your local listings and provides recommendations on how to optimize them for local SEO, including keyword optimization.
  4. SERPstat: SERPstat is a comprehensive SEO and PPC tool that offers a free version with limited features. Its keyword research feature provides data on keyword volume, competition, and related keywords, making it a valuable tool for local SEO keyword research.
  5. Ubersuggest: Ubersuggest is a free keyword research tool that provides data on keyword volume, competition, and related keywords. It also provides suggestions for long-tail keywords that can be useful in local SEO, making it a valuable tool for finding and targeting the right keywords for your local business.

These free tools can be useful for researching local SEO keywords and determining which keywords to target for your local business. 

It’s important to keep in mind that keyword research is just one part of a comprehensive local SEO strategy. 

You should also focus on building high-quality local listings, creating valuable and relevant content, and engaging with your customers and the local community.

How To Organize Your Research Using Google Sheets?

Organizing your research using Google Sheets is a great way to keep track of your findings and collaborate with others. Here are the steps to effectively organize your local SEO keyword research using Google Sheets:

Step 1: Create A New Spreadsheet

Log into your Google account and create a new Google Sheet. This will be the main document where you will store all of your research findings.

Step 2: Define Your Columns

In the first row of the sheet, define your columns. You will want to have columns for the keyword, volume, competition, related keywords, and any other relevant information you want to keep track of.

Step 3: Fill In Your Research

As you conduct your research using the various keyword research tools mentioned earlier, fill in the relevant information for each keyword in the appropriate columns.

Step 4: Use filters and Sorting

Google Sheets allows you to filter and sort your data, making it easier to view and analyze your research findings. For example, you can sort by keyword volume to see which keywords are most popular or filter by competition level to see which keywords are most competitive.

Step 5: Collaborate With Others

Google Sheets allows you to share your spreadsheet with others and collaborate in real time. This is useful if you are working with a team on your local SEO strategy, as multiple people can add information to the same spreadsheet and work on it together.

Step 6: Regularly Update Your Research

Keyword popularity and competition can change over time, so it’s important to update your research findings regularly. Make sure to keep your Google Sheet up-to-date with the latest information to ensure that you are targeting the right keywords for your local SEO strategy.

How To Prevent Keyword Cannibalization?  

Keyword cannibalization is when multiple pages on your website are targeting the same or similar keywords, leading to confusion for search engines and potentially competing with each other for search engine rankings. 

Here are some steps you can take to prevent keyword cannibalization:

  1. Conduct Keyword Research: Start by conducting keyword research to identify the keywords that you want to target for your website. Make sure to target unique keywords for each page, and avoid targeting the same keywords on multiple pages.
  2. Map Out Your Website’s Pages And Keywords: Create a spreadsheet or a diagram that maps out your website’s pages and the keywords that each page is targeting. This will help you to see at a glance if there are any instances of keyword cannibalization.
  3. Re-Optimize Pages: If you find instances of keyword cannibalization, re-optimize the pages to target unique keywords. This may involve adjusting the page’s content, meta tags, and header tags to better align with the new keywords.
  4. Monitor And Adjust As Needed: Regularly monitor your website’s search engine rankings and traffic to see if there are any issues with keyword cannibalization. If necessary, make further adjustments to prevent keyword cannibalization and ensure that your website is optimized for the best possible search engine rankings.
  5. Utilize Siloing Structure: Siloing is a website structure that groups related pages together and creates a hierarchy. By using siloing, you can ensure that each page on your website is targeting unique keywords and avoid any instances of keyword cannibalization.

What Is Keyword Cannibalization?  

Keyword cannibalization is a problem that can occur when multiple pages on a website are targeting the same or similar keywords. This can lead to confusion for search engines, as they are not sure which page to rank for a particular keyword. 

As a result, the search engine may spread the keyword relevance and authority of the website thinly across multiple pages, leading to lower search engine rankings for each page.

When To Reach Out To An Expert SEO For Help?

There are several reasons why you may want to reach out to an expert SEO for help, including:

  • Lack of time or resources: SEO can be a time-consuming and complex process, and it can be difficult to keep up with the latest best practices and algorithm updates. If you don’t have the time or resources to manage your website’s SEO in-house, an expert SEO can help you achieve better results.
  • Difficulty with keyword research and optimization: Finding the right keywords and optimizing your website for search engines can be challenging, especially if you are new to SEO. An expert SEO can help you with keyword research, on-page optimization, and other technical SEO tasks to improve your website’s search engine visibility.
  • Poor search engine rankings: If your website is not ranking well in search engines, it may be due to a variety of factors, such as on-page optimization issues, technical SEO problems, or competition from other websites. An expert SEO can help you diagnose the root cause of your poor search engine rankings and provide recommendations for improvement.
  • Lack of traffic or conversions: If your website is not generating enough traffic or conversions, it may be due to a variety of factors, such as poor keyword targeting, weak on-page optimization, or a lack of user engagement. An expert SEO can help you analyze your website’s performance and recommend changes to improve your website’s results.
  • Competitive advantage: SEO can be highly competitive, especially in certain industries. Hiring an expert SEO can give you a competitive advantage and help you stay ahead of your competitors in search engine rankings.

An expert SEO can provide the expertise, knowledge, and tools needed to improve your website’s search engine visibility, generate more traffic, and achieve better results.



from
https://professionalseoanddesign.com/local-seo-keyword-research/


from
https://professionalseoanddesign.weebly.com/blog/local-seo-keyword-research-finding-thebest-keywords-for-your-business

The Complete Guide to Dominating Local SEO in 2023

For any local business, ranking high in local search results is critical to success in 2023. With 46% of Google searches seeking local inf...