What is Google Business Profile

A free program called Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business, allows charitable organizations and small business owners to improve the information about their establishments on Google Search and Maps. You may communicate with your customers, provide company updates, and track how people are interacting with your business on Google by using Google Business Profile.

A Google Business Profile can be thought of as your own personal space on Google local. When consumers have a specific need that they need to be fulfilled quickly, they often turn to Google search to find a solution. If your business has a Google Business Profile, it increases the likelihood that potential customers will find and reach out to your business to meet their needs.

Google Business Profile features help you to attract, engage, and convert customers. With a verified Google Business Profile, you can:

Connect with customers through phone calls, messaging, or responding to reviews
See how customers interact and connect with your brand on Google
Feature products, photos, or menu items right on Google

Before you can do anything, you need to create a Google Business Profile, so let’s walk through the process.

How to create a Google Business Profile

You are now aware of the benefits a Google Business Profile can bring to your marketing efforts, but how do you set one up? The following nine steps will guide you in creating a new profile. For those who prefer visual aids, a video tutorial has been provided to assist you throughout the process.

Step 1:  Start by going to google.com/business

Be sure to bookmark this address, as you’ll need it to access your Google Business Profile listing in the future.

Step 2:  Log in with your Google account

If you don’t have a Google account, visit google.com/accounts. You’ll be able to create a free account with any email address.

Step 3: Enter your business name

Be sure you spell your name correctly and use Title Case (where you capitalize the first letter of each word.) This is the first impression for a customer, and you want to make sure it’s a positive experience.

Also Read: How to create a website for free in Nigeria.
Step 4: Enter your business address

This screen is where you’ll enter your business address, so Google can verify that your business exists. This cannot be a post office box or mailbox in a storefront like Postal Annex or UPS Store. You can also only have one business per residence.

Step 5: Choose whether you’re a storefront or a service provider

Here’s where you choose whether you want customers to visit your storefront or if you work from home or would prefer your customers don’t visit your office; you can choose a mile radius around your business, a specific city or state, or a group of zip codes.

Step 6:  Choose your Primary business category

Choosing your primary category is very important because it dictates where and when you will show up on Google searches. Google is all about relevance, so if a potential customer searches for “Italian Restaurant” but you’re a pizza place, then you may not show up. If the customer searches “near me” or for “Best pizza near me,” then you’d have a much better chance of your business profile showing up in the search results.

Step 7: Add your phone number and website

Both phone calls and website clicks are tracked by Google Business Profile, so make sure your information is correct here.

Step 8: Verify your local listing (most likely with a postcard)

According to Google, to manage your business information in Search, Maps, and other Google properties, you must verify your business listing. The verification process helps Google make sure your business information is accurate and that only you, the business owner or manager, have access to it.

Step 9: Finish populating your Google Business Profile listing

I’ll talk more about optimizing your Google Business Profile in the next installment of our Google My Business series.
Source: https://medianorms.com/how-to-create-a-google-business-profile-in-nigeria/