GOOGLE MY BUSINESS (GMB) listing optimization -Why and How?

Google My Business listing optimization is an important and initial step in any local SEO strategy. Google My Business listing can also be categorized in Local SEO. And it is your prime task to claim and verify your own local business on Google My Business (GMB) listing. However the striking part is that, hooking yourself or your provided services on Google My Business listing, can increase your chances of showing up in Google’s top organic rankings in general.

Why is it important to optimize your business on Google My Business?

Google My Business listing provides you to list your business location on Google Maps and local search results. By this procedure you can display important information about your business, including the opening/closing time schedule, phone number or a link to your website. Google also has provided a new feature allowing you to post a link to articles or up and coming events. The listings are free and should be regarded as a necessity by all businesses. If your business or the services you provide don’t have a physical shop and it’s online only then also you should still consider having a Google My Business page.

How to verify yourself in Google My Business (GMB) listings?

 

To qualifying for Google My Business (GMB) listing, first and foremost you need to have an account on Google. Once you have claimed yourself on Google then the next step would be verifying your local businesses which include basic information like about your company, like your address, phone number, business hours and types of payments accepted.

To get started, and verify yourself on Google My Business Listing visit here https://www.google.com/business.



 

To be able to manage your business’s information on Google, you will first need to complete the verification process. The verification method available to users will depend on the type of business users manage.

1. Google provides various types of verification process to claim your business on Google My Business Listing and Post-Card Process is the most common process to verify your business is by postcard. Once you have updated every single details of your business during the verification process, Google will send you a postcard with a 5 digit UNIQUE VERIFICATION CODE to the business address that you have provided at the time of verification.

• Make sure that the address you have provided is accurate and acted in accordance with Google’s guidelines which include exact street address and only including information that is part of your official address. You also need to include phone number, city, state, zip and country. However including cross-streets or nearby landmarks when they are not a part of your official address might create complications during verification and may make it more difficult to determine on Google maps.


• It takes almost one to two weeks for the post card to arrive. During the time of receiving your post card, you should not edit any kind of information that you have provided during the verification process as this might delay the process of verification.


• After you have verified your account and entered your verification code into your Google My Business (GMB) account, you will able to edit your business information. And if the verification takes more than 2 weeks, please contact Google https://support.google.com/business/contact/local_pages_verification_manual

However if you lose your verification post card then you can request for a new one too. Moreover the validation of your post card's unique verification code remains for only one month, and in that case if someone doesn't verify their businesses on Google My Business listing within 30 days after they had received their post card, then you need to opt for a new one.

2. One more process to verify your Google My Business account is via Phone. Google has provided an option to verify some business via phone as it is the fastest way to verify your account. Google will call you on the listed business number to confirm if all the information that you have provided are legitimate. If you don’t find the option to verify via “Phone Call” then “Post Card” option is the efficient way to verify your (GMB) Google My Business account.


3. Alongside if you have verified your business’s website with your Google Search Console then Google might be able to verify your Google My Business (GMB) account instantly. Just make sure that you have signed into your Google My Business account with the same account you have verified your site on Google Search Console.


4. Moreover if you have or manage 10 or more locations for the same business, you may be eligible to verify all the locations in bulk. Click the link to know more about Bulk Verification https://support.google.com/business/answer/4490296?hl=en&ref_topic=4596653


5. Finally, Google has emerged with Email Verification to verify your Google My Business Listing. However Google has provided this option to limited businesses. If you don’t find “Email Verification” option then Post-Card option is recommended.

Negative Traits on Google My Business (GMB) Listing:



 

There are varieties of options when you update your Google My Business (GMB) details. And when a searcher clicks on your (GMB) Google My Business listing, there they can find an option called “Suggest an edit”. And when a searcher clicks on that option they can precisely edit your Google My Business listing and make some drastic changes too.

Therefore this is the one sole reason why it is so important that you login to your Google My Business account regularly just to ensure that no one has attempted to make any unwanted changes. However if someone has made some changes you will be able to see a notification that all the changes made are pending which needs your approval.