The Ultimate Guide to Google My Business

If you're just getting started with local SEO, your Google My Business listing is a great place to focus your early efforts. After all, when people search for a product or service near them, they're usually very close to making a purchase --二分之一的人who conduct a local search (think "watch repair near me") visit a store that day. So it's important the information about your business that shows up when people search Google is as accurate, complete, and optimized as possible.

要了解如何创建您的Google My Business帐户，验证您的业务，并使其列表尽可能强大，请继续阅读。

1. Create an account and claim your business
2. 验证您的业务
3. 优化您的列表
4. Download the GMB app
5. 了解Google我的业务，​​Google Places和Google+之间的区别

Create a Google My Business Listing

• Step 1:登录您想要与业务关联的Google帐户（如果您还没有的话，请创建一个Google帐户）。
• Step 2:转到Google.com/business，然后在右上角选择“立即开始”。
• Step 3:Enter your business name.

• Step 4:Enter your business address.

• Step 5:如果你去你的customers’ locations, rather than having them come to you, check the box “I deliver goods and services to my customers.” And if you work out of your house or another address you don’t want publicly shown, Check “Hide my address (it's not a store) Only show region.” Finally, select your Delivery area.

• Step 6:选择您的业务类别。尝试选择最准确的类别 - 您实际上是在告诉Google哪种类型的客户应该查看您的业务列表。
• 步骤7：Add your business phone number or website.
• 步骤8：Choose a verification option. If you’re not ready to verify your business yet, click “Try a different method” → “Later.”

How to Verify Your Business on Google

There are several ways to verify your GMB listing:

• By postcard
• 用电话
• By email
• Instant verification
• Bulk verification

Postcard Verification

• Step 1:If you aren't already logged into Google My Business, sign in now and choose the business you want to verify. (If you're already logged in, you'll be at the verification step.)
• Step 2:Make sure your business address is correct. Optional: Add a contact name -- that's who the postcard will be addressed to.

• Step 3:Click "Mail." The postcard should reach you in five days -- make sure you don't edit your business name, address, or category (or request a new code) before it comes, because this could delay the process.
• Step 4:一旦你得到了明信片,登录到谷歌y Business. If you have more than one business location, select the location you want to verify. If you only have one, select "Verify now."
• Step 5:In the Code field, enter the five-digit verification code on your postcard. Click "Submit."

If your postcard never shows up, or you lose it, you can request a new code by signing into Google My Business and clicking the "Request another code" blue banner at the top of the screen.

Phone verification

Google lets some businesses verify their location by phone. If you're eligible, you'll see the "Verify by phone" option when you start the verification process.

• Step 1:If you aren't already logged into Google My Business, sign in now and choose the business you want to verify. (If you're already logged in, you'll be at the verification step.)
• Step 2:Make sure your phone number is correct, then choose "Verify by phone."

• Step 3:Enter the verification code from the text you receive.

Email verification

Google lets some businesses verify their location by phone. If you're eligible, you'll see the "Verify by email" option when you start the verification process.

• Step 1:If you aren't already logged into Google My Business, sign in now and choose the business you want to verify. (If you're already logged in, you'll be at the verification step.)
• Step 2:Make sure your email address is correct, then choose "Verify by email."
• Step 3:转到您的收件箱，打开Goog​​le My Business的电子邮件，然后单击电子邮件中的验证按钮。

Instant verification

If you've already verified your business with Google Search Console (a free tool that lets you manage your website's search performance and health), you might be able to instantly verify your email.

• Step 1:Sign into Google My Business with the same account you used to verify your business with Google Search Console. (Some business categories aren't eligible for instant verification, so if you don't get a notification asking you to verify the listing, you'll have to use a different verification method.)

Bulk verification

If you operate more than 10 locations for the same business -- and you're不是服务业务或代理商管理多家业务的地点 - 您可能有资格进行批量验证。

• Step 1:If you aren't already logged into Google My Business, sign in now and choose a location. Click "Get verified" next to its name.
• Step 2:Click "Chain."
• Step 3:Fill out the verification form with your business name (as well as the parent company, if applicable), country or countries where you operate, all contact names (i.e. everyone who will be using the Google My Business account), contact phone number, business manager email (someone at the business who can verify you're a representative of that business), and the email address of your Google Account Manager.
• Step 4:Submit the verification form. It can take up to a week for Google to review and process your claim.

如何优化GMB列表

一旦您验证了业务，就该完成您的个人资料了。

转到Google My Business仪表板，单击您想处理的列表，选择“信息”，然后选择一个填写或更​​新的部分。

Add as much information and media as you can, including a business profile photo, the area you serve, your hours, attributes (e.g. "wheelchair accessible," "free wifi"), the day and year you opened, and a public phone number and website URL.

任何人都可以“建议您的列表进行编辑”，因此重要的是要a）第一次正确完成所有内容（因此您不鼓励随机的人进行自己的更改），b）定期登录您的GMB仪表板并确保确保所有细节看起来都正确。

At any point in time, you can edit your business profile by logging into your GMB dashboard, clicking on "Info," clicking the pencil next to the field you'd like to edit, making your change, and then choosing "Apply."

Google我的商业照片

According to Google,businesses with photos see 35% more clicks to their websiteand 42% higher requests for driving directions in Google Maps.

照片应至少宽720像素，高720像素和JPG或PNG文件。

Not sure how many pictures to add -- or what they should be of?

封面照片

Your Google My Business cover photo is one of the most important, as it shows up front and center on your listing.

Profile photo

当您上传新照片，视频或查看响应时，您的个人资料照片是出现的。

除了您的个人资料和封面照片外，您还可以并且应该上传其他图片，以使您的清单更具信息性和吸引力。

Google我的业务视频

You can also add videos. Videos must be:

• 30 seconds or shorter
• 100 MB or smaller
• 720p分辨率或更高

Videos can add some variety to your profile and make you stand out among other businesses in your category; however, don't worry if you don't have any -- unlike photos, they're not a "must have."

Google My Business Reviews

One of the best ways to encourage future customers to leave positive reviews? Respond to current ones. Not only does leaving an appreciate response show the original reviewer you're thankful for their support, it also makes that positive review stand out on your listingandinfluences people to leave their own reviews.

Here's a sample reply to a satisfied customer:

谢谢您的业务，[名字]！我们很高兴您喜欢[产品，例如“蓝莓派”] - 这也是我们的最爱之一。希望很快能见到您的[企业名称]。

You should also respond to negative reviews to show you take them seriously and placate the unhappy buyer. But make sure you're extremely courteous -- attacking them back will only make you look unprofessional and their review more credible.

Thank you for the feedback, [name], and I'm incredibly sorry [product/experience] did not meet your expectations. [If you've made a change, mention it here -- e.g., "We're now double-checking orders to make sure everyone gets exactly what they asked for."] If you'd like to come back in, we'd be happy to give you [product] on the house. In any case, thanks for your business, and I hope we can do better next time.

Google My Business App

Google My Business is also available in app form for bothiOSandAndroid.

您可以使用该应用程序来：

• 更新你的营业时间,地点,联系信息rmation, and description
• Post statuses and pictures
• View search insights

您不能使用该应用程序来：

• Delete your business listing
• Change its settings
• 将列表的所有权授予另一个用户

Google My Business vs. Google Places for Business vs. Google+

如果您对管理Google存在的许多名称和选项感到困惑，那么您就有权利。Google地方usedto be Google's tool for owners to manage theirbusinessprofiles, but it was retired in 2014. Now Google My Business is the central hub to manage how your business appears on Google Search, Maps, and Google+.

So, what's Google+? It's Google's social network (the closest example is probably Facebook). You can join or start Communities -- public or private groups organized around a theme, likeKnitting-- and follow or create Collections -- think Pinterest boards.

Google+帐户为您的业务帐户使您可以与利基组进行互动，并发布图片和更新。换句话说，这就像您业务的Facebook页面。您可以从您的Google My Business仪表板访问Google+帐户（但是Google+帐户不需要一个GMB帐户）。

Here's the TL;DR:

你need一个Google+帐户？不 - 如果您的时间短时间，最好专注于其他营销和/或社交媒体渠道。

你needa Google My Business account? If you're targeting local customers, I highly recommend it.