Register Your Business with Google My Business

You need to actually register your business with Google My Business to be listed in local search results. Sometimes an unclaimed business will be registered to the wrong person, so it’s important to be in control of that web property. Now they send physical post cards for verification- that didn’t used to be the case.

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68% of searchers contact a business directly from Google results instead of visiting the website first.

Register their business by adding a physical address where they can receive mail. Google will send a verification code in the mail to verify the physical location. MAKE SURE YOUR CLIENTS KNOW TO LOOK FOR THIS POSTCARD AND NOT THROW IT AWAY!!

While they are waiting for the postcard have them go to Google and set up a business profile. I’ve included images below of all the steps using a client’s business that doesn’t have a listing.

1st Screen

Just write your business name next to the magnifying glass icon.

Screen 2

If there’s no (unclaimed) listing found, it will ask if you want to create a business with this name.

Screen 3

Google will give you a second chance to enter the name of your business- don’t know why they don’t capture from previous page.

Screen 4

There are limited, predetermined categories. Just choose whatever is closest to your businesses offerings.

Screen 5

Even though you enter a physical location on Google, you can set your listing so it just shows an area on the map (like your city), not an actual address.

Screen 6

This is where they add your listing to local results. If you travel to Honolulu occasionally, you can enter here and even though your business isn’t in Hawaii, you will show in local results there.

Screen 7

Screen 8

Screen 9

This is where you enter information so they can send you a physical postcard.

Google Business Registration Page

What’s next?

Now, get ready to play catch up.

If they don’t have a list, now’s the time for them to build one. Have them offer their customers a free cookie if they join their list. The more people on the list, the more reviews you can help them generate.

PLEASE NOTE: They can reward people for joining their list, but if they are found out rewarding customers to leave reviews, Google will wipe every single review! Be careful!

Getting reviews can be an emotional process. Regardless of how many happy clients, most of them won’t take the time, or don’t know how to leave reviews. If your clients know they want to start strong, gather their list and email us with the subject line “Start Strong”.