In this article, I explain what Google Business Profile is, why do you need one and how to make the best of it.
What is Google Business Profile?
It's a free Business Profile on Google Search and Google Maps. It shows up every time people search for your business, products or services online on google. It can include your business details, pictures, updates, products, services, reviews and more.
Why should you get a Google Business Profile?
A well-structured profile helps you stand out from the competition on google search. It helps your search engine optimisation (SEO). It can include calls to action (CTA) that will lead customers directly to your website, online orders, online appointments or encourage contact. Google Business Profile complements your website by adding more visibility to your current business website on Google Search and Google Maps. Google Business Profile supports direct messaging, helps you build a simple website and gives you a way to advertise your products and services. And as I mentioned earlier, it's FREE.
How to get Google Business Profile?
You will need to create an account and provide your business's details like name and address. Then you will need to request a verification which may take a while. Google will send a postcard with a code to the address you provide to confirm it. After receiving the postcard, you will need to log in to your account and finish the verification. Then you can start building your profile. Google will review all your updates to verify that they comply with their policy. After that, the updates will go live.
Elements of Google Business Profile
I will explain all the elements based on Brand Loud's profile. You can see our complete profile here.
Info section
In this section, you can add all the information you want to share with your customers, like address, phone number, website, opening hours and description.
It's also worth mentioning that you don't need to add an address to your profile. You can hide it if you are, for example, a home-based or service-area business.
Post section
Want to inform customers about some news or offers? The post section is the place for it. Google lets you choose between 3 types of posts, "what's new", offer or the event. Each type let you add a call to action and images. In the "what's new" post, you can add some text, while offer and event let you add titles and dates. Posts more than six months old get archived.
Post images size recommendation
Image size is a tricky part. Your images won't be shown identically across different devices. They show as a rectangle in thumbnails but squares in the post preview. They will also look different on maps. That's why we recommend using pictures with a ratio of 4:3, with a minimum resolution of 480 x 270 pixels. Make sure all important content is placed in the middle of the image as the sides get cropped. In every post, the first image works as a thumbnail. On the desktop, the thumbnail is oblong, so the top and bottom may get trimmed. The maximum file size for images is 10Mb PNG or JPG.
Review Section
This section shows customers' reviews. Reviewers can leave a text note and upload an image. You can respond to the reviews to increase customer engagement or mark a thumb up.
Cover image and logo
Your Logo image should be square, and the resolution of the uploaded image should be at least 720 x 720. Your logo gets cropped to a circle, so make sure to leave corners empty and content centred.
For the cover image, we again recommend a 4:3 image ratio. You should know that even when you mark a photo as a logo or cover, it doesn't mean Google will use them. They will choose images that they think look best on your profile. So to maximise the chances of your chosen picture, make sure it's of good quality and high resolution. Google tends to pick high-quality interior or exterior images over a logo for the cover.
Products
Google Business Profile lets you showcase your products to potential customers. You can upload an image, add a description and add a call to action button linked to your website. Recently edited products and categories display first in the Product Catalogue. To showcase a product, make a minor update to the item to bring it to the top of the catalogue.
Services
If your business is service orientated, you can list them in the services section instead of adding products. Or you can add both, but then services will be only visible on mobile devices. It's worth mentioning that customers may suggest edits to your profile. It's crucial to check your profile regularly and update it when necessary.
Photos section
This section includes images uploaded both by owners and other people online. It also contains a street view and 360. If the street view is old and doesn't match the business, you need to report it, as there is no way to remove it.
Boost your Google Business Profile with Brand Loud
I offer Google cover designs, post design and full profile management. Check out the Social Media section for more.
