For a business serving a specific area, the Google profile pays off more than anything else that is free. It appears above ordinary sites, with phone, map and reviews — and many people settle things right there, without visiting any site at all.
Create and verify
The listing is free. Verifying the business is yours is usually done with a code sent by post, phone or email, depending on the case. Without that verification the profile stays limited.
Fill in everything
A complete profile shows up more than a half-finished one. Worth filling in:
- the right category — it is the field that most influences which searches you appear for;
- real hours, including holidays;
- phone and website address;
- area served, if you travel to the customer;
- real photos, of the place and the work. Stock photos convince nobody.
Reviews are the main differentiator
Between two similar profiles, the one with more recent reviews shows up first and converts better. Ask every satisfied customer, on the day, with the link ready. And reply to all of them, including the bad ones — the reply is read by whoever is deciding.
Keep it alive
Post updates now and then, refresh photos, correct the hours. A dormant profile loses position to an active one.
What the profile does not solve
It covers local search. It does not cover someone searching for your product without naming a city, or someone in another region. For those, the route is the site — and the site has to be found, which comes down to having sites pointing to it, which is what the Magneth network does.
