“Google it!” We’ve all heard the phase. That’s because Google is the #1 search engine on the web. It’s the go to site when searching for local businesses.
“1 in 5 searches on Google have local intent. People are using Google to find information about local businesses and services.”
–Google’s Get your Business Online
Is your business listed in the local search listings? Will people find your business on the map when looking for the products or services you offer? If not, don’t wait – get your business on Google!
Creating business listings on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing is a great way for people to find your local business when searching online. It is also a great way to drive traffic to your website and is it completely free. Getting your business listed is easy and something that you can do yourself. Let’s get started.
Tips for Adding Business Listings
Before we get into the “how to” let’s go over three helpful tips to follow when entering your business listing. This is an important checklist to go through before submitting your listing.
- Complete as much information as possible, more is better! Populate the address, phone number, website URL, business hours, etc.
- Use high quality photos for a professional look. Image is everything!
- Consistency is key! Be sure to keep your business information the same across all listings, especially NAP (name, address and phone number). By doing this, search engines like Google recognize it as the same business listed over many sites, trusts it as a valid business, and identifies its location. For example: Redwood Valley Technical Solutions vs. RV Tech Solutions.
Keep these tips in mind as you go through the “how to” section below.
Claim You Google Business Listing
Your business may or may not already be listed on Google. Visit www.gybo.com/business and add your business to see if you appear on Google Search and Maps.
If your listing is incomplete, click the button labeled “Complete Your Information.” It’s important that you become the verified owner of your business listing so you can update and complete your information.
If your business isn’t on the map at all, click the button labeled “Let’s Get Started.” This sends you to Google My Business.
Now Follow the step-by-step guide below to get your business listed on Google Search and Google Maps.
[gview file=”https://rvtechsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Get-on-Google-Search-and-Maps2.pdf”]
Bonus: When you create a listing using Google My Business, your business will appear in Google Search, on Google Earth, and Google+.
You can watch this in-depth video on the importance of getting your business listed on Google Search and Maps including some examples of a good business listing, how long it takes to get your business listed and the steps on how to get your business set up!
Create Listings on Other Search Sites
Yahoo and Bing are two other big players in the search engine world. Be sure to cover all your bases and create listings on both of these sites as well. Visit the links below and complete the information as instructed.
Don’t Stop There
There are hundreds of online directories out there and it is important to have an accurate, consistent presence on each of them (NAP) as well. Additionally, large search engines like the ones listed above “crawl” these directories to authenticate your business. Having accurate, consistent listings will get you a higher search ranking. A win, win! Talk to us about ensuring your business is listed on the multiple directories available online.
Ask Us – We Can Help
We’re so excited to share this article on how to create your listings online and help drive more traffic to your website. But if it’s something that you’re still unsure about, or simply don’t have the time to complete, please contact us. We’d be happy to help!
Did you find this article helpful when completing you’re your online business listings? Please share in the comments below.
