Boost Your Business with Google My Business Optimisation
In today’s digital landscape, visibility is everything—especially for local businesses. If you’re not showing up when potential customers search for services or products like yours, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities. One of the most powerful (and free!) tools at your disposal is Google My Business (GMB). Optimising your GMB profile can supercharge your search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts, helping you rank higher in local searches and attract more foot traffic or online inquiries. And while we’re at it, let’s not overlook its counterpart from Microsoft—Bing Places for Business—which offers similar benefits for a different audience. Here’s why these tools matter and how they can work for you.
Why Google My Business Matters for SEO
Google My Business, now officially called Google Business Profile, is a free platform that lets you manage how your business appears on Google Search and Google Maps. Think of it as your digital storefront. When someone searches for “coffee shop near me” or “best plumber in [your city],” an optimised GMB profile increases your chances of popping up in the coveted “Local Pack”—the top three results displayed with a map. This prime real estate can drive significant traffic to your business.
But it’s not just about showing up. A well-optimised GMB profile signals to Google that your business is relevant, credible, and active. Key SEO benefits include:
Improved Local Rankings: Google uses factors like relevance, distance, and prominence to rank businesses. A complete GMB profile with accurate details—like your name, address, phone number (NAP), and business category—boosts relevance and prominence.
Customer Trust and Engagement: Features like customer reviews, photos, and posts show Google (and users) that your business is legitimate and engaged with its audience. More reviews and higher ratings can directly improve your ranking.
Keyword Optimisation: Adding your services, products, and a concise business description with relevant keywords helps Google match your profile to search queries.
Actionable Insights: GMB’s built-in analytics show how customers find you (direct searches vs. discovery searches) and what actions they take (website clicks, calls, or direction requests). This data lets you refine your SEO strategy over time.
Studies show businesses with optimised GMB profiles are seven times more likely to attract customers than those without. That’s a game-changer for small businesses looking to compete without a big marketing budget.
How to Optimise Your GMB Profile
Getting started is simple, and the payoff is worth it. Here are some practical steps to optimise your GMB profile for SEO:
Claim and Verify Your Listing: If you haven’t already, claim your business on GMB and verify it via postcard, phone, or email. This ensures you control the information displayed.
Fill Out Every Detail: Add your NAP, website URL, hours of operation, and a primary category that best describes your business. Don’t skimp— completeness matters.
Add Photos and Posts: Upload high-quality images of your storefront, products, or team. Regular posts about promotions or updates keep your profile fresh and engaging.
Encourage Reviews: Ask happy customers to leave positive reviews. Respond to them (yes, even the negative ones) to show you’re active and care about feedback.
Use Keywords Wisely: Incorporate local keywords—like “Bradford bakery” or “Leeds car repair”—into your business description and services naturally, without stuffing.
Consistency is key. Make sure your NAP matches across your website, social media, and any online directories. Google rewards accuracy and penalizes discrepancies.
Don’t Sleep on Bing Places for Business
While Google dominates search with over 90% market share, Bing still holds a respectable slice—about 3-5% globally, and higher among certain demographics like older users or desktop searchers. That might not sound like much, but it translates to millions of searches monthly. Enter Bing Places for Business, Microsoft’s equivalent to GMB.
Bing Places lets you create a free business listing that appears on Bing Search and Bing Maps. The setup is similar: claim your business, add your NAP, upload photos, and verify your listing. A neat perk? You can import your GMB data directly into Bing Places, saving time while ensuring consistency. Like GMB, an optimised Bing Places profile boosts your visibility in local searches on Bing, helping you reach customers who might skip Google altogether.
Though Bing’s audience is smaller, it’s still a worthwhile addition to your SEO toolkit. Consistent NAP across both platforms reinforces your online presence, and every extra customer counts.
Next Steps
Optimising your Google My Business profile isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a must for any business serious about local SEO. It’s free, user-friendly, and packs a punch in helping you stand out in search results. Pair it with a Bing Places listing, and you’ve got a combo that maximises your reach without breaking the bank. Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar shop or a service-based business, these tools level the playing field, connecting you with customers who are ready to buy.
So, if you haven’t already, claim your profiles, optimise them, and watch your business grow.
If you already have a profile, login and check the details and update any opening times, images and reply to any reviews.
Once you have a profile set up, make it a weekly task to add an update to the profile, linking back to your website.