Formerly known (and often still referred to) as Google Places, Google My Business is the place where you want your business to be found.

When someone uses Google and performs a geographical or location-based search, Google will display the results of local businesses that match the searcher’s query.

Google My Business is a free Google account that any business can sign up for. Once you’ve signed up, you’ll be asked to fill out business information such as the address, business description, and contact details.

According to Google guidelines, you can only have a Google My Business account if you make “in-person contact with customers”. So if you’re running a business that is solely online and you never meet with customers, this may not be for you.

There is one major issue with Google My Business that you need to be aware of and that is spam. Unfortunately, spammers have realised the power of Google My Business and how exploiting it can bring in fantastic free traffic from multiple entry points.

This is part of the reason why Google has since made Google My Business very difficult for spammers to join. As a result, they’ve probably gone overboard with who can and can’t show up in the results, making it more difficult for everyone in the process.

Potentially the most important part of this sign-up process is deciding on your business category. Why? Because it will determine what kind of customers Google will send you. Think of it as though you’re telling Google who you want to visit your website or call you. Spend some time trying to find the category that best describes your business.

Soon you will get to a step that asks you to verify your business. We recommend verifying by postcard because it signifies to Google that your business exists at the location where you say it does.

To find out how to get more traffic from your Google My Business listing, speak to a member of the Zib Digital team today.