Do’s and Don’ts in Local Search

In the vast landscape of local search, understanding the essential Dos and Don’ts is the key to unlocking the full potential of your Google Business Profile. Let’s embark on this exploration together and ensure your business shines brightly in local search results.

In the digital landscape, a well-optimised Google Business Profile is crucial for businesses aiming to enhance their visibility in local search results. To achieve the best possible outcomes and avoid common pitfalls, follow these Dos and Don’ts to effectively manage your online presence.

5 Do’s for an optimised listing on Google 

To ensure your business stands out in local search results, follow these five essential Dos for an optimised listing on Google: 

1. Always use a relevant category for your business.

Choose the fewest number of categories it takes to describe your overall core business. Categories are an important part of how your business is identified and found by customers. When you choose categories that accurately describe your business, you can increase your visibility in local search results. For example, if your business is a pizza restaurant, you should select categories such as Restaurants, Italian Restaurants, and Pizza. This will help Google show your business when someone searches for those terms. Your category selection is one of many factors that can affect your local ranking on Google. 

2. Enter Your Complete Street Address

Include all suite numbers, floors, building numbers, and other types of unit information. If you do not serve customers at your business address, leave the address field blank. If you change your address after requesting a verification letter, you must update your business profile.. 

3. Optimise Your Profile

Images are essential for creating a strong digital presence and are a great way to showcase your services and values. Upload your logo, along with a set of images that are relevant to your product or service. Make sure to follow Google’s guidelines when uploading images, such as using JPEG or PNG format, not exceeding 5 MB, and having a minimum length and width of 250 px. 

4. Respond to Customer Reviews

Responding to reviews also encourages new customers to leave reviews, which can significantly improve your ranking. Taking the time to respond to customer reviews is a great way to show that you value your customers and their feedback. In addition, start encouraging customers to leave reviews, that will help you better understand your customers’ needs and grow your business. 

5. Use Google Business Profile Insights to track your performance

Google Business Profile Insights is a powerful tool that allows you to track the performance of your business on Google. It provides detailed insights into how customers are finding and interacting with your business online. With Google My Business Insights, you can track the number of views and interactions your business is getting, as well as the types of customers who are engaging with your business. You can also use Google My Business Insights to track the performance of your posts, ads, and other content. This can help you understand what content is resonating with your customers and what content needs to be improved.

5 Don’ts that will keep your business away from trouble. 

Steer clear of potential issues and pitfalls in local search management by adhering to these five critical Don’ts for your Google Business Profile:

1. Don’t include irrelevant categories in your Business profile

Do not use categories solely as keywords or to describe amenities or attributes of your business. Do not use categories that match other nearby or related businesses. When creating a business profile, you should not include any categories that are not related to your business. For example, if you are a restaurant, you should not include categories such as clothing or electronics. Instead, focus on categories such as food, drinks, specific restaurant categories, etc.  

2. Address Don’ts

Don’t include cross-streets or nearby landmarks unless the official street address does not accurately pinpoint your profile. For example, avoid “Corner of Main St. and Washington Ave.” or “Across from Central Park.” If your address does not have a street number or if the system is unable to find a correct address, you can pin your Business Profile directly on the map by using the map feature.

3. Avoid Posting False Information

This can lead to legal issues and damage your reputation. Additionally, make sure to be honest and transparent in all of your business dealings. This will help to build trust with your customers and ensure that they have a positive experience with your business. Finally, be sure to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and news. This will help you to stay competitive and provide the best possible service to your customers.

4. Don’t create multiple business profiles for your business.

There should only be one profile per business, as this can cause problems with how your information displays on Google Maps and Search. Duplicate listings on Google Maps can be a major issue for businesses. Having multiple listings for the same business can confuse customers and lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction. It can also lead to a decrease in visibility on Google Maps, as the listings compete with each other for visibility. To avoid duplicate listings, businesses should ensure that they only have one listing on Google Maps. This can be done by searching for the business on Google Maps and deleting any duplicate listings. Additionally, businesses should regularly check for duplicate listings and delete them as soon as they are found. By taking these steps, businesses can ensure that their customers have a positive experience on Google Maps and that their visibility is not affected by duplicate listings.

5. Don’t post offensive or inappropriate content.

Posting offensive or inappropriate content on Google is strictly prohibited. This includes content that is hateful, threatening, pornographic, or incites violence. Such content can be reported to Google and may result in the removal of the content and/or the suspension of the user’s account. Additionally, posting content that violates copyright laws or other intellectual property rights is also prohibited. Google reserves the right to remove any content that violates its policies and to take appropriate legal action against those responsible.

Conclusion

By following these Do’s and Don’ts, you can optimise your Google Business Profile, ensuring visibility and positive interactions in local search results. For more insights on the importance of Local SEO for small businesses, explore our blog for additional informative posts.