A large part of these businesses showing up atop the results is that Google has verified them to be legitimate and trustworthy businesses.

Google Business Profile lets you control what your customers see on Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs), from your business’ address to pictures and contact information. It’s a free business listing service that helps your company get discovered by current and potential customers on Google.

However, to access these features, you need to verify your business with Google through a simple process. This article dives into why Google Business Profile verification is necessary and explains the five methods to get verified.

What is Google Business Profile (now Google Business Profile)?

Google Business Profile, now called Google Business Profile, is a listing service by Google that helps businesses establish themselves on the search engine and dictate what information users see about the company.

When you search for a business on Google, a card on the side displays the business address, images, location, website, summary, and contact information. Companies can update these elements by creating and verifying their Google Business Profile (GMB) profile.

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GMB is necessary for businesses that operate in a physical location, such as a store, hotel, or restaurant, or ones that offer services across multiple locations, like electricians, consultants, or interior designers.

Online businesses can use Google Analytics, Google Ads, and marketing tools to get their name and information out there.

Google Business Profile verification can also unlock additional functionalities. For example, if your restaurant has online delivery, Google can list licensed third-party information to show that you deliver.

Why Is It Important to Verify Your Business Listing on GMB?

If you haven’t verified your GMB profile and aren’t convinced about why it’s so important, here are five key benefits it provides:

Keep your business information up to date

Google Business Profile verification gives you complete control over your company information on Google Search and Google Maps. It enables you to update information and upload photos.

Users also get access to Insights, a feature that showcases listing statistics about how customers find the listing and the actions they take after. You can use these metrics to track customer engagement.

Respond to customers

One of the biggest benefits of Google Business Profile verification is that business owners and representatives can respond to customer reviews.

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User reviews are crucial for businesses. Good reviews lead to new and repeat customers, while bad reviews turn them away. In a 2020 survey, 94% of consumers said positive online reviews made them more likely to do business with a company. 92% said negative ones were likely to turn them away from a business.

Once verified, businesses can thank customers who have left good reviews, address any genuine concerns patrons face, and call out fake reviews.

Crucial for local SEO

Local SEO is vital for in-person businesses since they often serve the community or area they are located in. They have a limited number of potential customers, and they need to rank higher than their competitors if they’re going to reach them.

When someone Googles “best steakhouse in Kansas City,” these restaurants appear at the top of the screen:

This feature is known as the Google Local Pack, where Google lists three businesses for every relevant search query. These businesses are pulled from the Google Business Profile directory. GMB verification is crucial if you want to improve the chances of a higher ranking.

These listings are also what shows up for all searches on Google Maps.

Boost brand reputation

Imagine you’re searching for the best plumbers in your area on Google. Would you rather pick one with readily accessible contact information and good reviews, or one where you have to dig deep to find even the most basic details?

Most people would pick the first. This highlights why Google Business Profile verification is crucial for brand reputation. According to Google, users are twice as likely to consider a verified business as reputable compared to a non-verified one.

Prevent misrepresentations

An unverified Google Business Profile listing allows scammers and fraudsters to claim they’re a part of your business or outright own the business. They can use this title to scam your customers and destroy your company’s credibility.

GMB verification ensures that only the business owners and employees are public representatives of the company.

How to Verify Your Listing On Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

There are five verification options for your business on Google Business Profile. Let’s take a closer look at each option:

Before you apply for verification, you need to claim your business. To do this, the business owner has to search for their company on Google and click on the “Own this business?” option to start the verification process.

#1. Postcard

In this method, Google will send you a postcard to your address with a unique code. Business owners need to enter an accurate address and request the postcard.

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Once the postcard arrives, the owner has to go to their Business Profile, enter the 5-digit verification code when prompted, and click “Submit.”

After the business is verified, the owner can add managers or other owners. If needed, they can transfer ownership to a third-party, such as a marketing agency.

#2. Email

Some business profiles can be verified by email. If you see the “verify by email” option, click on it, double-check the email address, and select “Verify Now.”

You will get an email from Google with a verification code and link to activate it. Click on the link, enter the code on the following page, and tap “Verify.”

#3. Phone or text

On your Google Business Profile, select “Get Verified” and choose the “Phone or SMS” option. Ensure that the number you’ve provided is the right one, and you can immediately answer calls on it.

Google will then call you and give you a code. Alternatively, they’ll send a text to that number with a code.

Enter the code in your Google Business Profile page, and you’re good to go. This verification method is only available in a few countries, including the US and Canada.

Beware: There are chances that scammers will call you and claim to work for Google. Use this guide to identify and report dubious calls. In general, an actual call from Google will never ask for any payments, passwords, codes, or personal information.

#4. Video recording

You can send a video recording to Google to prove that your business exists in that location and that you own it.

The business owner needs to record a continuous video that shows:

• The business’s location
• The business’s equipment
• Proof of management

Your recording should capture outside signs and the area around your business to prove that it is where you say it is. Record the inside of your store or restaurant to prove it exists. The owner must then prove they are the owner by accessing employee-only areas or showing business documents in the video.

After you’ve decided what to record, go to your Business Profile on your phone select “Get Verified” – “Capture video.”

Tap “Start recording” and use the instructions to record your video. Click on “Stop recording” after you’re done and upload it.

Google reviews your video within five working days, and you get a notification if verification is successful. If not, you’ll have to use another verification method.

#5. Live video call

You can have a video chat with a Google representative to complete your Google Business Profile verification.

First, you need to check when representatives are available for the call on this page.

You can enter the call by starting a text chat with support on your mobile device. Go to your Business Profile, select “Get Verified” – “Video call,” pick your language and then tap “Start Call.”

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A support representative will help you join the call. During the call, you need to show all the same details you would in a video recording, i.e., business location, equipment, and proof of management.

Pro tip: 

If your website is already verified with Google Search Console, your Business Profile might be eligible for instant verification. If it is eligible, you don’t need to go through any of the above verification methods and can directly edit your company’s details.

How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile Listing After It’s Verified

Now that your GMB verification is complete, it’s time to optimize your Google Business Profile to provide useful information, connect with customers, and boost local SEO. Here are five ways to improve your profile after you’ve added the primary details:

Use professional images

Add real photos of your business, restaurant, or shop, but ensure that they are high-quality and are consistent with your brand.

You can also add videos to showcase your business and team. Visual elements act as social proof for customers while highlighting your products or services.

Google says that businesses with photos have a higher probability of receiving clicks to their website and requests for directions.

This plumbing service provides an example of good photos to add to your Business Profile:

The first photo is friendly and professional, while the rest are well-taken pictures of their work.

Similarly, restaurants can add images of their dishes and decor, and craft or furniture stores can highlight their products.

Categorize your business correctly

Google Business Profile lets you add business categories to your profile to show what you offer. Don’t just add one main category. Add multiple relevant categories. You can add up to 10.

Google uses these categories to decide when to show your business in local search queries — simply adding “restaurant” or “grocery store” as a category is not enough. These terms can be your primary category, but you also need to add supporting ones.

For example, if your store has a pharmacy, include “pharma” in the categories section.

Enable special features

Google Business Profile offers special features for hotels, restaurants, pubs, and more to better highlight their products. For example:

• Hotels can show class ratings, check-in and check-out times, and a list of amenities.
• Restaurants, bars, and similar establishments can display menus, add URLs for online delivery, and for making reservations.
• Some businesses can directly list their products.
• Healthcare providers can list insurance information.
• Businesses can add the option to book appointments or get a quote.

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Depending on your business offerings, you should capitalize on these features since they make it easier for customers to complete purchases.

Add any other helpful information, such as wheelchair accessibility, LGBTQ+ friendly, and free Wi-Fi availability.

Get more reviews

Reviews are vital for building credibility. Google offers star ratings and detailed comments so customers can accurately relay their experience.

Potential customers look at reviews before visiting your store or ordering products from it. Good reviews lead to more customers, while poor reviews dissuade them.

You can use our handy guide to drive more Google reviews and increase revenue.

Be sure to respond to both negative and positive reviews. Thank reviewers who have had a great experience for leaving a review, direct negative reviewers to your customer support email or phone number.

Don’t leave negative reviews unanswered. If customer concerns are legitimate and you don’t respond, it shows callousness and casts doubt on whether you genuinely care about your customers.

Optimize the copy on your listing

Add a small overview of what your business offers at the top of your Google Business Profile listing. Here’s an example from a sushi restaurant:

This one or two-line sentence is a deciding factor that can persuade customers to pick your business over competitors, who either have no overview or a poorly-written one.

Think of it as a call to action for your company. Keep it concise but highlight what you offer and how you stand out from other similar businesses.

Boost Your Local SEO Presence with a Verified Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile verification is crucial for businesses looking to attract local customers. Getting this verification is the first step in presenting a business listing that entices new customers and gives them all the relevant information. It also boosts local SEO efforts.

Do you want people in your local community to find your business when they search Google? This is the right place to start.

A bit confused as to how you can make all this happen? Let The HOTH marketing and SEO experts handle your Google Business Profile and local SEO today.

The post Google Business Profile Verification: What Is It, and Why Do You Need It? appeared first on The HOTH.

This started with Nerdwallet – one site that absolutely dominates the finance niche. 

Nerdwallet ranks for everything from credit cards to loans, driving over 21 million visitors per month with organic traffic and a reported over $100 Million a year in revenue.

One of the strategies that they reportedly use to drive such a huge amount of traffic is called content syndication. Syndicated content not only increases your brand awareness, but it helps with link building and can drive more organic traffic to your website. 

I’m about to share with you the content marketing secret that successful companies use to explode their traffic, sales, and succeed in thought leadership.

Ready to grow your business by implementing a strong content syndication strategy? Keep reading! 

What is Content Syndication?

Content syndication is an interesting tactic of republishing content on websites other than your own with the goal of reaching a larger audience. Syndicated posts use the “rel canonical” tag which prevents Google from seeing these posts as duplicate content. 

Let me just quickly mention that although content syndication sounds similar to guest posts, it’s totally not the same thing. A guest post is a new piece of content that is written for one publication. Content syndication is taking the same piece of content and republishing it on other platforms. 

Content syndication has become a popular content marketing strategy because it’s a quick way to earn lots of backlinks at once. 

Having a strong backlink profile can help boost your sales, improve conversion rates, and help with lead generation. 

Content Syndication Examples

Content syndication is one of the main strategies that I noticed was being used by Nerdwallet, and many other big-name companies such as TV Guide, Value Penguin, The Penny Hoarder, and other huge publishers. Even Moz has a whiteboard Friday about the positives of content syndication. 

After a bit of digging, I realized Nerdwallet was getting links from all sorts of news sites.

I found that information interesting because these weren’t normal news citations from a story, they almost always said they were already published. 

They essentially were just taking older content they already had published, and distributing it on tons of high authority news sites with links and CTAs back to their site which resulted in reaching a wider audience. 

Other times, they would distribute some original content such as infographics and just link it back to their site.

Here’s an example if you want to check it out.

Nerdwallet isn’t the only company doing this. In fact, 94% of marketers surveyed across 39 countries are investing in content marketing. And, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 94% of those B2B marketers reported making some kind of adjustment to their strategy in 2021. 

How Do You Create a Content Syndication Strategy Campaign?

Now that you know what content syndication is and what the big brands are doing, here are a few ways you can create a great content syndication strategy: 

• Free
• Paid

Taking the free route means that you need to spend time and effort to find the right publications, pitch your awesome content, and build connections with syndication partners. These things are done without any real guarantees, including reaching your target audience.

To make your blog more visible, you may first want to create a landing page on your website to give other bloggers, guest blogging leads, or businesses in your niche a way to contact you regarding how they can syndicate your content. You could begin by titling this page, “please steal my content.” That will catch the eye of a potential syndicate network. 

You could also use other marketing tactics like participating in podcasts or webinars. It’s always best if you post in Facebook groups or subreddits to make sure you read the rules and also keep your posts natural and relevant. 

If you are having trouble finding the right content syndication partners, influencers, bloggers, or publications on Google search to pitch to, you could include Medium to grow your long-form content’s reach and boost your digital marketing. 

If you’ve chosen to go the free route, here are some other great ways you can create a free content syndication campaign:

• Republish your best content on a larger website
• Syndicate old content on sites that have the same niche audience
• Guest post on bigger websites and syndicate later

When you syndicate to a big publication, you increase your reach! However, since readers can read entire pieces of content directly on third-party websites, there’s not that much incentive for them to check out your website or the original post. 

With that being said, that isn’t really the point of content syndication. What your goal should be focused on is building backlinks and improving brand awareness. The more aware your audience is of your brand, the higher chance you have of gaining organic traffic and becoming a memorable name in your niche. 

If you’re more interested in gaining a wider audience, then you should consider syndicating content to smaller publications. It would be best to look for publications with authority and readers that are similar to your own. 

They may also have more contextual links that you can reference back to your own blog or website from the article. It’s a good way to give readers a way to discover more helpful information from your content and generate new, welcomed leads. 

The paid strategy may cost you a pretty penny (depending on the service), but you would receive professional assistance and have a better chance at content syndication success. The solution means that you can use tools that allow you to get your content recommended by major publications faster and with more guarantees. 

It’s a good thing The HOTH offers an awesome content syndication service called HOTH Syndication. Our service allows you to leave all of the hard stuff to professionals and focus your attention on other areas of your business. 

What are the Benefits of Content Syndication?

Content syndication isn’t just for the major players in business industries. Even small blogging websites can benefit from using this emerging strategy.

Here are some reasons why you should definitely add content syndication to your content marketing strategy: 

More High-Quality Backlinks

As mentioned earlier, getting high-quality backlinks is one of the biggest benefits of content syndication. Each website that syndicates your content should include a link back to the original piece. 

Remember, the more backlinks your webpages get, the more Google’s search engine will believe its reliability and will allow more users to see it. That makes your website more visible to your target audience which increases your organic traffic. 

A Boost in Organic Traffic

Increasing web traffic isn’t one of the main goals of content syndication, but traffic does increase when using this method. When people see your content syndicated on another website, they may decide to check out the original source to get more information. Eventually, these people may become regular visitors to your website. At some point, they might even turn into customers. 

Cost Effective

Content syndication is a super cost-effective way to generate more qualified leads because it allows you to get several backlinks at a time. In some cases, syndicating just one post from your blog can result in more than 100 links as opposed to paying for one link at a time.

Brand Awareness

One of the best reasons to use content syndication is brand building. Providing niche content on third-party sites increases Google’s perspective of credibility to your content or web page. 

There are three main pillars to brand awareness when using content syndication:

• Content topics
• Target audience
• The best syndication sites

It’s important to keep in mind that flooring third-party websites with too much useless content can lead to quality issues and disrupt the user experience and trust. 

You want to understand exactly what topics your audience wants to see. That means knowing which stage of the buyer’s journey your content should focus on. 

It would be best to know exactly who you are targeting with your content. Even though the main goal when using this method is awareness, you also want to make sure that you’re sharing the best content with the right people. You need detailed, good information about your target audience before producing any content syndication strategy. 

There are many places you can post your syndicated content like social media. Beyond social media platforms, you could also find partners just by using tools like BuzzSumo or SEMRush to analyze backlinks. The HOTH even offers a fancy backlink checker tool that you can use as well! 

Let’s Wrap it Up

Getting access to distribute your content is not easy, but it’s totally worth the time, money, and effort. 

It would be best to learn how to navigate the complicated world of PR and publishing. In doing so you’ll find it less complicated to get access, especially if you aren’t a big name brand. 

Don’t want to do the hard work? That’s why you have us.

You see for the last year we’ve been negotiating deals to make this happen for you.

HOTH Syndication allows you to syndicate your content on the same sites as the big players for a fraction of the price.

When you syndicate your content, you’ll get your content and links published to over 300+ real, high DA authority news sites. 

Sign up for free and schedule your call with one of our experts today!

The post Content Syndication Strategy: How to Promote Your Content Like the Big Brands appeared first on The HOTH.

One helpful tool is the Google Business Profile. This tool allows you to manage the way your company appears on Google search and Maps. It also allows customers to leave good reviews of your business. 

So, how do you go about getting more reviews for your Google Business Profile? 

Don’t worry if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. This article will explain the best ways to get more google reviews, why you need them, and any other questions you might have regarding Google My Business. 

Why is it Important to Have Reviews for Your Google Business Profile?

So, you probably already have the jist of what a Google My Business account is; it’s a free tool to manage and control the way your company appears in Google search and google maps. You can connect with potential customers, post products, and services.

Discovery is one of the most important reasons your business absolutely needs a Google Business account. Whether you are looking for more web or foot traffic, it is needed to give your customers the option to view your business via Google search. 

Besides viewability, reviews are one of the most crucial elements in building trust with your shoppers or clients. Reviews are necessary when a potential customer is viewing your business. Just one written review can be a deciding factor for someone interested in your service. 

Another great reason that your business account needs reviews is for social proof. If you have no reviews or very few, your business doesn’t look solid. These days proof of legitimacy is crucial to your business. In 2021,  there were over fifty-thousand scam reports. Your company needs to look real from an outsider’s perspective and reviews can definitely do that. 

Don’t stress public reviews! It’s an excellent way to establish confidence, and even if you receive a bad review, you can respond to that customer with your side of the story (but more on that later). 

What Are the Easiest Ways to Get More Google Reviews?

So, here is the bread and butter of this article. Reviews about businesses are so telling and can carry more weight than any marketing tactic. Whether your reviews are word of mouth or written, you need your customers to let people know your business or company is awesome.

Here are some fantastic and easy ways to get more google reviews:

• Share your link
• Allow accessibility
• Ask your customers for reviews
• Social Media Posts 
• Link out from your website 
• Import a Google review CTA in your footer 
• Encourage your customers to leave a review with cards 
• Respond to previous reviews 

Sharing your link and giving your customers or potential customers access to your review page is important. It’s makes it much easier for clients to leave comments about your business. Also incentives, such as giveaways, are also a great tool for boosting reviews. 

There is no shame in review requests. Most customers understand that reviews are necessary to help spread the word about your service. 

Ask your customers or clients for reviews either on social media or with a card, but remember to make it easy for them. Also remember to respond to any previous reviews that you already have. 

Regardless if your reviews are good or bad, communication is vital to gaining leads for your business. 

How Important is Sharing Your Google Business Profile Review Link?

Getting your google review link out there is a great way to get more reviews. The easier it is for your customers to be directed to your business acount, the more reviews you’ll get. 

It’s vital to have a customizable or even a short url to your review page or review platform so your customers can spread the word. Studies suggest that 88% of customers trust reviews as much as personal recommendations. 

For example; if you ask your client to write a review for your business account and they have a difficult time finding your review page, then you may not get that good review that could potentially lead to a new customer. 

It’s a great practice to make your link easily accessible, especially if you send it via email, newsletter, or social media. If your business information is widely available, then it’s easier for happy customers to leave a google review on your business account. So share your google review link as much as you can. 

Google search and potential customers are more likely to trust, request service from, and even call if your company profile has at least forty reviews. So, more reviews, either good or bad, are great for business. 

What Are the Benefits of Having Google Reviews? 

As you already know, getting reviews on your business profile is so useful to your website, business, or company. If you still are unsure if you need a Google profile with reviews, then you may want to consider some of the main benefits of using this innovative, free tool.

Here are some fantastic benefits of having Google reviews:

• Being seen on Google Maps
• Being able to manage your Google presence
• Being recognized as a local business 
• Gaining foot and web traffic

Being seen and getting discovered is one of the main benefits of reviews. Traction and gaining new leads that turn into loyal customers are critical when starting up a new profile. Whether your company is brand new or being revised for a modern world, you need new reviews from your respected clients and customers. 

If your business needs some SEO work, don’t fret; check out our SEO strategy template for a ton of helpful information to get your business seen. 

What Is The Best Way to Respond to Business Reviews?

Responding to your customers’ reviews whether they are great, bad, or neutral is important to gaining reviews and new business leads in general. 

Some customer service tactics come into play when responding to reviews; because potential clients are reading them and deciding whether or not they want to use your service. 

The best responses to each review are always professional, friendly, and reasonably responsive.  If you happen to receive a complaint, it’s always best to be apologetic, try to be understanding, and try and talk it out. 

Another great way to respond is to remind your critic about the strengths of your business. For example, if you receive a bad review; remind them that your customer service is there to help them out if they have any questions or concerns. 

Offer ways to fix their problem, and it may be best to give the best way to contact your business with a direct link and with contact information such as a phone number or email address. 

What Should You Do If You Receive Negative Reviews?

So, let’s take a second to talk about negative reviews. Every business has them, and there’s a right and a wrong way to handle them. It can be somewhat discouraging to receive a poor review, but Google actually finds businesses more trustworthy if they have a few bad reviews. For example, too many five-star reviews may seem suspicious to a potential lead. 

With that said, let’s talk about the best ways to react to complaints. Always respond regardless of what is said. As stated above, bad reviews will happen and when they do, using a basic customer service approach is the best way to handle them. 

Responding professionally with friendly problem-solving tools will help show your potential leads that even if they have a bad experience with your business, it can be resolved professionally.

If you’re having trouble getting more positive reviews and need a helping hand, check out  HOTH Stars, our online reputation management and review software. 

What Are the Best Strategies for Receiving Positive Reviews?

Good reviews are the most sought-after feedback. Every business owner wants positive reviews for obvious reasons. The best way to receive good feedback is to treat your customers and clients with respect and provide great service. 

Here are some strategies to get positive Google reviews for your business:

• Stay professional under pressure
• Participate in social media posts
• Send a personalized follow up message 
• Share positive reviews to your social platform and your website
• Always respond 

Whether you are on a mobile device, a tablet, or a computer, it’s important to make your review links accessible and easy to access for your clients. The Google maps app is a great example for mobile access to your new customers. 

Using these seamlessly easy strategies and tools can really boost your positive google reviews without having to change your Google My Business listing. Remember not to worry about negative reviews; just be sure to respond with helpful ways to fix their problems. 

How Do You Handle Fake Reviews?

If you keep receiving spam or false reviews for your business, that can be a problem; however, there’s a way to fix it. If you are confident that a fake review was posted, you may flag this review by locating the three dots to the right and clicking. 

An option to flag as inappropriate should pop up. Be careful not to overly flag comments because Google may penalize your business. 

It’s against Google’s terms of service to create fake reviews or misleading google reviews. Be aware of Google’s business profile rules before flagging or asking google to remove reviews. 

The best practice would be to simply respond kindly to any negative reviews with common customer service practices. Report any fake reviews or false information if needed.

How Do You Improve Your Business with Customer Reviews?

If you only have a few reviews or you’re searching for a better way to improve your business name with your google reviews, you may want to consider using a few digital marketing tactics. Whether your reviews are from business location, online services, or through social media reviews are what helps drive traffic. 

Put your reviews where everyone can see them! Blast them across your website or use them on your social media posts so everyone can see your star rating. Follow up with potential customers or past customers to see if they need your services. 

You can also keep track of happy customers with your services, which will allow you to follow up with clients who will spread the word about your business. 

Content creation and digital marketing is a fantastic way to show off some of those awesome reviews left by your happy customers! Using SEO and blog content with direct links to your Google Business Profile can also help gather more reviews by loyal customers.  

How Do Customer Reviews Affect Your Business?

We took some time above to discuss negative reviews. A few bad reviews can sometimes help your business because it makes your company look more “real” to Google. However, if you keep getting negative reviews, it can deeply affect your business and the way clients view it. 

Studies show that 86% of potential leads will hesitate to purchase a product or service from a company with too many bad reviews. The same studies also suggests that just one negative review can cost your business a sum of thirty leads. 

Response times for negative reviews are also considered when a client is viewing your business profile. If your response time is late, the client might also reconsider moving forward with your product or services. 

The same can also go with good reviews, you may receive a gold star review that glows and makes your business look amazing; responding to all reviews whether good or bad, can really boost your company’s local search, local SEO, and make your business look professional. 

Do Reviews Impact Your SEO? 

Search results and the algorithm are greatly affected by your google reviews, whether negative or positive. The more reviews you get, the better! It’s a fantastic way to boost your online presence and your search ranking. People love reviews and reading them. That can really improve your online reputation. 

They help your potential leads turn into clients or customers. Whether these reviews are good or bad, reviews are always a deciding factor. Google also takes the same stance when SEO comes into play. 

As you probably already know, reviews and SEO are interconnected because they are trying to reach the same goal. Google wants to help its users find the best possible answers to their questions, so gaining good reviews rank better in search. 

One great tip to be aware of is only four-star rated businesses will show- up in Google search results. So, while a negative comment here and there may not deeply affect your business, gaining good reviews will positively impact your SEO and ranking. 

Keywords and SEO practices are necessary when setting up your business account. It would be best if you incorporate keywords into your account. It can help make your business seen and get discovered by new people. 

Conclusion

Customer feedback is often an overlooked element of business. However, reviews are extremely important for potential customers and customer experience when deciding whether or not they want to take your business up on your offer. Trusted companies rank higher in searches, and gain more customers in the long run. 

Every business should use a Google Business Profile account for reviews and use its free tools to promote sales and offer services.

Business trust happens after a great client experience; speaking of trust, If you need some assistance Schedule a call with us today. We are here to help!

The post How to Get More Reviews for Your Google My Business Profile appeared first on The HOTH.

Google My Business was, for seven years, a physical business’ digital business card. It helped businesses establish an online presence, improve their SEO and manage their information in one place. 

Things have changed, and now Google Search and Maps serve as GMB used to in the past. Your listings will now be manageable by doing a Google search instead of a dedicated application for them. 

However, other tools in the app might not be the same and could be confusing for some users.

Let’s find out what things have changed in the Google Business Profile.

What is Google Business Profile?

The Google Business profile is a free tool available on the Google Suite, used for providing a physical business with a digital presence.

The GBP will serve as a replacement for Google My Business.

What will Happen to my Google My Business Listing?

No need to worry! 

All your local business information from GMB is still stored in your google account. The Business profile remains essentially the same as GMB, with a couple of changes that we’ll be explaining below. 

The Business profile is mostly just a new name for GMB.

What’s new on Google Business Profile?

Business owners can now manage their GMB listing directly on Google Maps or Google Search. 

These updates to the GBP allow you to quickly verify a business’s profile directly on Google Maps or the search engine. It also opens up more accessible possibilities for profile suspension, social media integration, and Google ads. 

On the ‘My Business’ section of Google Search, you can get to what was once your Google My Business website and also edit the information people will see when searching for your business, such as your address, photos, and store hours.

GBP will now feature customer messaging on search, including read receipts for client and customer. Previously, this feature was only available on Maps. 

There’s also a new Call History tool available for verified profiles in the US and Canada, among new features.

The call history feature will highlight what inbound customer phone calls came from their Google Business Profile. It’ll also select the real answer and missed call ratio and even the call’s performance.

How do I Create a Google Business Profile?

Setting up your business profile will help manage how your business appears in Google products so new customers can find your business.

But what if I didn’t have a Google My Business profile created?

No need to worry! We created a guide for you to claim your business listing here.

Alternatively, these are the steps to create a Business Profile on Google:

1. Go on Google Search and type in your business address.
2. Select the “maps” tab.
3. Click on “add your business”.
4. You’ll be asked to fill in the information on the Business Profile Manager. Type in your business name and category, then click next. Add your keywords on the business name to boost your search rankings, as long as it fits properly. 
5. Select whichever business category option matches your type of business.

How to update your business’ display data

1. You’ll be asked about your business’s physical location. 
2. An excellent way to know whether to answer yes or no is by deciding if your business is one your clients will go to in person.
   1. If your business is one clients will go to, you should select yes. If you’re a small business or a service-area business that doesn’t need customer visits, then you should select no.
3. Optionally, you can specify which areas you’ll serve your customers, such as deliveries. You can choose a state, city, zip code, nationwide, or worldwide.
4. Add your business phone number and your website URL.
5. Include a mailing address.
6. Add your contact name, and click on mail.

How do I Customize My Business Profile?

Now that your listing is up and running, it’s time to customize your Business Profile:

1. Add your services. If it doesn’t show on the available list, click ‘Add custom service’ and create your own.
2. Add your business hours.
3. You have the option to add messaging so customers can contact you through Google Maps. Toggle “Accept messages” depending on your decision. 
4. Add a business description with keywords and descriptive language conveying your business’s message.
5. Add photos of your business. Don’t skip this step! This is excellent for SEO.

You can also check out this guide on how to further optimize your listing to rank better.

What can I do in the Google Business Profile?

The Business Profile manager lets you add posts with important announcements in the “posts” tab, which is especially useful when announcing special hours, sales or events.

You can edit all of the previous information on each remaining tabs, which haven’t changed much from the My Business app.

Sign in to your Google account and type your business name exactly as it’s registered on the profile manager. Alternatively, you can type ‘my business.’

On search or maps, select view profile. You have the option to create an ad, local marketing, or add updates to your business’ display information directly from here.

What will Happen to the GMB Mobile App?

Google stated that the GBP manager would transition to support larger businesses with multiple locations.

The Google My Business app will be retired from mobile in 2022. Google wants to encourage business owners to manage their data on the browser instead. 

Why was Google My Business Renamed?

Google My Business was released to help businesses complete an online listing to be found out on Google searches. It cemented itself as the go-to tool for physical businesses to create an online presence using local search.

The tool has been through several renames even prior to it being called GMB. It was called Google Places and Google Local at one point.

It provided potential customers with all the necessary data about the business, ranging from physical address, contacts, working hours, and customer reviews. 

Google wanted to simplify things for business owners and rebrand GMB to be more representative of the tool’s purpose and target audience: physical businesses and chains.

What are the Benefits of the Business Profile Over Google My Business?

The Business profile simplifies managing the business’ online information by keeping everything in one place. 

This is useful for physical businesses with special hours or important updates on their services.

On GMB, this could’ve been confusing with the mix-up between personal and business accounts. Since everything is in one place now, it becomes easier to understand how to manage your business’ data.

With the rename and new functionality, a business owner can easily understand the tool’s purpose at first glance.

What Does Google My Business’ Retirement Mean For Companies?

GMB being renamed and the mobile app retired means things will be easier for business owners. 

Google wants to provide businesses with an easier time managing their business profiles directly on both Google Maps and Google Search.

Thanks to this shift, the entry bar for digitalization and management of physical businesses has been lowered.

Conclusion

Google My Business changing to Google Business is a step in the right direction for simplifying the user experience for physical business owners with a digital presence.

Schedule a call with our digital marketing consultants to learn more about how you can effectively set up Google Business to correctly display your business’ information.

The post Google My Business is Now Google Business Profile appeared first on The HOTH.

If you run what would be considered a “local business” in your community or city, it’s absolutely imperative that you have GMB set up and that you stay on top of it.

This blog will discuss five ways you can revamp your GMB if things have grown stagnant. Your first step should be claiming your listing if you haven’t done it already.

Then, simply follow these tips to start boosting your local SEO. Ready to begin? We’re going to count down the top five things you can start doing immediately.

Start scrolling to learn how to get started.

1. Add Keywords to Your Business Description

Our first piece of advice is to incorporate relevant keywords in your Google My Business listing, including within the 750 characters you get to describe your business.

That’s not to say you should overdo it by packing as many keywords as possible. As with any SEO content, the use of keywords needs to be natural and your description should be useful for visitors.

An effective GMB business description is clear and concise, and ideally, it would include a primary keyword to help your website rank.

Some enterprising businesses will attempt to add keywords to their business name. If that works for you, fantastic! Just make sure it doesn’t come off as spammy or fake.

In most cases, this only works for businesses whose names already contain a keyword. For example, a company named “Home Renovation Auckland.”

If you’re going to try to do this, we recommend proceeding with caution. Getting flagged by Google could result in penalties or losing your GMB listing.

2. Engage Visitors With Photographs

What’s the first thing people look at when they Google your business? That’s right, photographs!

If you operate a restaurant, for example, they want to see what it looks like inside before making a reservation. Or if you sell a unique product they want to see an image of it before buying one.

Here’s something to consider: businesses with images on their GMB get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more website clicks.

We live in a visual society and a majority of customers want to see pictures before they purchase goods or services.

The key here is to post high-res photographs. Blurry or badly composed pictures will reflect negatively on your business.

It may be worth it to hire a professional to get shots of the exterior and interior of your business, staff members, and any products or services you’d like to highlight.

3. Update Local Directories With Your Business

While optimizing your Google My Business page, you also want to ensure your business information is updated in other local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Hot Frog, or Yahoo Local (to name a few).

Why does this matter? Any local directory with your business information can refer new customers. This means all of the key information like address, hours of operation, or contact information should be up-to-date.

It’s not an uncommon scenario for businesses to change their hours of operation and not have it reflected on local directories. This could be frustrating to customers and even result in a lost sale.

Not only do you want to ensure the information is always relevant but adding more directory entries can improve your SEO as well.

We know how this takes a lot of time and effort. That’s why we offer The HOTH’s Local Business Listings & Citation Building Service. Our team can conduct a full audit of all the places you appear and whether the information is correct.

Then, we can start building new optimized citations for your business to grow your exposure and search ranking.

4. Check All of Your Google My Business Settings Regularly

Details change all of the time. Parts of your business are always evolving and even Google updates its systems a few times per year.

That’s why it’s up to you, a business or the agency you hire to help with GMB, to stay on top of the listing.

One easy way to optimize your listing is by updating categories. Google automatically assigns your listing a category but you’re able to change it to something more accurate.

You can also add “additional categories” to get more specific with your listing, which could result in more qualified traffic.

Another strategy is to keep all of your information localized. Make sure your phone number is listed with a local area code, for example, and set your GMB service area to only include the areas where you operate.

It may be tempting to expand your search area in GMB to reach more people but don’t do it unless that’s the actual strategy your business is taking.

5. Solicit Reviews From Satisfied Customers

Our No. 1 tip for revamping your GMB listing is to get more reviews! After looking at your business photographs on GMB, most online visitors will check out your reviews next.

They want to know whether the products and services you’re offering are high-quality, and how past customers have felt about you. Getting good reviews not only attracts more customers but can also improve your SEO.

Google will be more likely to show your business in search results if you have more reviews than your competitors.

Reviews aren’t always easy to get but you can solicit them from customers by sending an email after the sale to follow up on their satisfaction. This could include a link to your GMB listing.

Some companies even provide this link at the checkout.

It doesn’t matter what strategy you use to solicit reviews but the important thing is that you start getting more on your GMB.

Watch Your Local SEO Soar!

It’s impossible to boost your local SEO without claiming and optimizing your Google My Business page.

Following all of the tips we listed above won’t take long and they’ll deliver results. Once your listing is optimized, you’ll want to set a schedule for checking on it to make sure no revisions are needed.

Do you have additional questions about GMB or are you concerned about possessing the experience to manage it?

Our expert team of SEO professionals can help you! Simply book a call with us to get started.

The post 5 Tips to Revamp Your Google My Business Page appeared first on The HOTH.

Content syndication is a great way to get your content (typically an information blog post) in front of as many eyes as possible. The more places you can syndicate your content to, the more chances for people to see what you wrote. But that’s only half the story.

Content syndication is also a great way to get some really diverse backlinks to your site, as well as the internal links within the syndicated content. Check out our previous post on Content Syndication here.

So let’s start talking about how you can maximize your efforts to boost your SEO through Content Syndication.

Why Should You Syndicate Your Content?

So we briefly mentioned the 2 main benefits of using content syndication above. Now we can talk about how those benefits actually come to fruition and how they can really play a part in your overall SEO efforts.

More eyes on your content

Let’s say you write up a great blog post (or maybe you had our Blogger service write it for you!). It’s getting some clicks on your site and maybe even driving a few conversions and boosting your authority a tad. But you want some extra juice and eyeballs on the content.

If you syndicate that article, it can get published to all different media outlets and news sites. The visitors of those sites can find your blog post and ideally click on any of the links that’ll point back to your site.

Build A Base Layer Of Backlinks

Backlinks should still be a huge player in your SEO campaigns. After all this time, backlinks play a big factor in getting you onto page 1, and we don’t see that going away any time soon.

But you don’t want just 1 kind of backlink pointing back to your blog post; a healthy mix of diverse backlinks is proven to be the most efficient way to boost your backlink profile.

The Do’s and Don’t’s Of Content Syndication

Here, we’re going to break down some of the more important things you should do, and some of the commonly seen things you’ll want to avoid.

Which Type Of Content To Syndicate

There are different kinds of posts that might be featured on your blog. Some of them would make great syndicated content, and others might not be as appealing to your syndication partners.

Good content to syndicate features genuinely informational content, and you definitely want to make sure it includes some internal links. This will increase the chances of someone staying on the syndicated post to actually read your content, as well as click on a link to take them to your website.

Bad content to syndicate is more promotional rather than informational. If the content is overtly trying to sell the reader on something, rather than inform them, you won’t want to syndicate that. Sales and product pages would also fall under this umbrella. And pages with thin or sparse content won’t be very good as syndicated posts either.

Follow Syndication Guidelines

If you want your content to get published and stay published, you want to make sure to follow whatever rules or guidelines publishers have laid out.

Whether that’s not posting certain niches or topics, the number of links you can include, or how long the posts can be, it’s best to just follow along as long as it’s not compromising the quality of your content.

(Alternatively, if you don’t want to manually reach out to syndication partners yourself, you can use our service here).

Content Repurposing

Some publishers might not want to syndicate your content, and instead ask to repurpose your content. Content repurposing basically means you’d be providing the publisher with an entirely new blog post.

Not only is this going to involve you writing an additional blog post you likely won’t be able to use on your site, but you also won’t be able to use the rel=canonical tag commonly associated with syndicated content.

Links Within The Content

You want a healthy balance of keywords and internal links that’s proportionate to the length of the content.

A good rule of thumb for this is 500-word posts get 2 internal links, 1000-word posts get 2-3 internal links, 1500-word posts get 3 internal links, and 2000-word Posts get 4 internal links.

We’ve found these ratios to be the most effective at capitalizing on the length of the content without crossing over into “keyword-stuffing” territory.

When To Syndicate

There’s basically no wrong time to try syndicating your content. Manually reaching out to new publishers and site owners could take a little while depending on your relationship with them. So the sooner you start that outreach, the sooner you can get your content syndicated.

It can also be helpful to wait until your original content has been indexed. While this is not mandatory, it can speed up the process for the syndicated posts as well. (Of course, you can always manually submit your blog to Google to index to speed that process up too.)

Conclusion

There are a lot of ways you can go about syndicating your blog content – some methods better than others. It’s up to you to figure out which method works best for your website in tandem with your other SEO efforts.

Want to kick your SEO into high gear? Then check out our Content Syndication package and let us do the heavy lifting.

The post How To Get The Most Out Of Content Syndication appeared first on The HOTH.