Knowledge Base

What is Google My Business (GMB) and Why is it Important?

Google My Business (GMB) is a free tool that helps your business be more visible on Google Search and Maps. When potential customers search for your business, your GMB profile provides them with important information about your business: address, phone number, business hours, website, customer reviews, and photos. GMB is critical for managing your business's online presence, engaging with customers, and standing out in local search results.

• More Visibility: GMB allows you to be more visible in local search results and Google Maps.
• Customer Engagement: You can respond to customer reviews, answer their questions, and share updates.
• More Traffic: Your GMB profile can drive traffic to your website, phone calls, and store visits.
• Free and Easy to Use: GMB is completely free and has an easy-to-use interface.

How to Create and Verify a Google My Business Account?

Creating and verifying a GMB account ensures that your business is represented with accurate and up-to-date information on Google.

1. Create an Account: Go to the Google My Business website and click the "Manage" button. Sign in with a Google account (Gmail) or create a new account.
2. Enter Your Business Name: Type your business name. If your business is already listed on Google, select it from the list. If not, click "Add your business to Google."
3. Choose Your Business Category: Choose the category that best describes the type of service your business offers. Choosing the right category helps potential customers find you.
4. Enter Your Location Information: If your business has a physical location, enter your address. If you visit customers at their location, check the "I deliver goods and services to my customers at their location" option.
5. Enter Your Contact Information: Enter your phone number and website address. This information makes it easier for customers to contact you.
6. Start the Verification Process: Google will send you a verification code to confirm the accuracy of your business. It is usually sent by postcard, but in some cases, verification by phone or email is also possible.
7. Enter the Verification Code: Once you receive the postcard, enter the verification code on it into your GMB account. This process proves ownership of your business and activates your profile.

Important Note: Your profile may not be fully visible or you may not be able to access some features until the verification process is complete. The verification process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on your region and verification method.

How to Optimize Your Google My Business Profile?

Optimizing your GMB profile helps you rank higher in local search results and reach more potential customers. Here are some key points to consider:

• Complete and Accurate Information: Make sure all the information in your profile is complete and accurate. It is crucial that basic information such as address, phone number, business hours, and website are up to date.
• Correct Category Selection: Choose the categories that best reflect the services your business offers. You can select multiple categories, but identify the most relevant one as the primary category.
• Detailed Business Description: Write an impressive description that explains what your business does, what benefits it offers, and why they should choose you. You can become more visible in search results by using keywords.
• High-Quality Photos: Upload high-resolution photos of your business's interior and exterior, your products, and your team. Photos give potential customers a visual idea of ​​your business and build trust.
• Regular Updates: Publish regular updates on your GMB profile. Share new products, special offers, events, or other important information about your business.
• Respond to Customer Reviews: Respond to customer reviews quickly and professionally. Responding to both positive and negative reviews shows that you value customer satisfaction.
• Use the Q&A Section: Answer questions asked by customers and publish frequently asked questions (FAQs) on your profile. This section helps potential customers learn and make decisions.

Real-Life Example: A restaurant can increase customer interest by publishing its menu, special dishes, and interior photos on its GMB profile. In addition, it can inform customers by regularly updating them about events and promotions.

How to Manage and Respond to Customer Reviews?

Customer reviews are critical to your business's reputation. Regularly monitoring and responding to reviews helps you increase customer satisfaction and build trust with potential customers.

• Regularly Check Reviews: Regularly check the reviews section of your GMB account. You can enable notifications to avoid missing new reviews.
• Respond Quickly: Respond to reviews as quickly as possible. Responding quickly to negative reviews in particular can help you address the customer's concerns and rectify the situation.
• Be Professional and Respectful: Always respond to reviews in a professional and respectful manner. Thank customers for positive reviews and apologize for negative ones.
• Be Solution-Oriented: In negative reviews, try to understand the customer's problem and offer solutions. You can invite the customer to contact you privately and discuss the issue in more detail.
• Report Fake Reviews: If you encounter a fake or inappropriate review, report it to Google. Google will review the review and remove it if necessary.

Case Study: A hotel immediately responded to a negative review in which the customer complained about the cleanliness of the room and apologized. In addition, they offered the customer a discount on their next stay and stated that they would review the hotel's cleaning standards. This approach increased customer satisfaction and protected the hotel's reputation.

How to Track and Evaluate Google My Business Statistics?

GMB statistics help you understand how your profile is performing and how customers are interacting with your business. You can use this information to optimize your profile and develop more effective marketing strategies.

To access GMB statistics:

1. Sign in to your GMB account.
2. Click the "Statistics" option in the left menu.

Some important statistics you can track:

• Searches: Shows how many times your business has been searched for on Google.
• Views: Shows how many times your profile has been viewed on Google Search and Maps.
• Actions: Shows the actions customers take on your profile (website visit, phone call, directions).
• Photo Views: Shows how many times your photos have been viewed.
• Popular Times: Shows the busiest times for your business.

By regularly monitoring these statistics, you can evaluate your profile's performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Example Scenario: A retail store, upon reviewing GBI statistics, notices that many customers visit the website but few call. The store aims to increase phone calls by making the phone number more prominent on its profile and adding a "Call Us" button to the website.

What is the Relationship Between Google My Business and SEO?

Google My Business (GBI) is an important part of your local SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy. Your GBI profile helps Google understand your business and rank it higher in local search results.

The impact of GBI on SEO:

• Ranking in Local Search Results: GBI helps your business rank higher in local search results (e.g., "restaurants near me").
• Visibility in Google Maps: GBI increases your business's visibility in Google Maps. Maps play an important role, especially in searches made on mobile devices.
• Keyword Optimization: The keywords you use in your GBI profile help you become more visible in search results. Use relevant keywords in your business description, category selections, and updates.
• Customer Reviews: Customer reviews affect both your ranking and give potential customers confidence. Encourage your customers to leave reviews to get more positive reviews.
• Website Link: The website link in your GBI profile helps you drive traffic to your website and improve your SEO.

SEO Tips:

• Update your profile regularly and add new content.
• Encourage your customers to leave reviews and respond to reviews quickly.
• Use keywords related to the region where your business operates in your profile.
• Add a link to your GBI profile on your website.

What Types of Content Can You Publish on Your Google My Business Profile?

The various types of content you can publish on your GBI profile help you engage with your customers, promote your business, and become more visible in search results. Here are some examples:

• Updates: Share news, announcements, and special offers related to your business. For example, you can announce a new product launch, discount campaign, or event.
• Events: Announce events you organize at your business (e.g., live music, workshops, seminars). Include information such as event date, time, description, and ticket link.
• Offers: Offer special deals to attract your customers. For example, you can offer discount coupons, free products, or special packages.
• Products: Showcase the products you sell. Add a photo, description, and price for each product. This helps potential customers see your products and make a purchase decision.
• Services: Describe the services you offer in detail. Add a description and price (if applicable) for each service. This helps customers understand what they can expect.
• Photos: Publish photos of your business's interior and exterior, your products, your team, and your events. High-quality photos give customers a visual idea of your business and build trust.
• Videos: Publish videos that introduce your business, show your products, or include customer testimonials. Videos are an effective way to attract customers' attention and provide more information.

Content Calendar: Create a content calendar to publish content regularly. This helps you plan your content ideas and manage your publishing process.

Tips for Protecting and Securing Your Google My Business Profile

Ensuring the security of your GMB profile is important to protect your business's reputation and prevent unauthorized access. Here are some important points to consider:

• Use a Strong Password: Use a strong and unique password for your GMB account. Change your password regularly and do not share it with others.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable two-factor authentication for your Google account. This provides an extra layer of security to prevent unauthorized access to your account.
• Manage User Permissions: Be careful when granting access permissions to others to manage your GMB profile. Grant each user only the permissions they need and remove access for former employees.
• Monitor Your Profile Regularly: Monitor your GMB profile regularly and try to detect suspicious activity (e.g., unauthorized changes, fake reviews).
• Keep Your Account Recovery Information Up-to-Date: Keep your recovery email address and phone number up-to-date in your Google account. This information will help you recover your account if you lose access to it.
• Be Careful of Phishing Attacks: Do not click on suspicious emails or messages that claim to be from Google or another source. These types of attacks may attempt to steal your username and password.

Phishing Attack Example: A fake email may appear to be from Google, claiming that your GMB profile has been suspended and that you need to click on a link to reactivate it. Do not click on such emails and check the status by logging into your GMB account directly.

How to Integrate with Google My Business API? (Technical Part)

The Google My Business API is a tool that allows you to programmatically access and manage your GMB data. Using this API, you can update your business information, respond to reviews, analyze statistics, and more.

Step 1: Get an API Key

To use the GMB API, you need an API key. To get an API key:

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console (https://console.cloud.google.com/).
2. Create a project or select an existing project.
3. Go to the "APIs & Services" section.
4. Click "Enable APIs and Services" and search for "Google My Business API".
5. Enable the API.
6. Go to the "Credentials" section and create an API key.

Step 2: Send an API Request

Once you have your API key, you can send a request to the GMB API. Here is an example:

import requests

API_KEY = "YOUR_API_KEY"
LOCATION_ID = "BUSINESS_LOCATION_ID"

url = f"https://mybusiness.googleapis.com/v4/accounts/{LOCATION_ID}?key={API_KEY}"

response = requests.get(url)

if response.status_code == 200:
    data = response.json()
    print(data)
else:
    print(f"Error: {response.status_code} - {response.text}")

Explanation:

• API_KEY: Enter the API key you obtained from the Google Cloud Console here.
• LOCATION_ID: Enter your business's location ID here.
• This code sends a GET request to retrieve business information.
• If the response is successful (status_code == 200), the data is printed in JSON format.
• If an error occurs, the error code and message are printed.

Important Notes:

• Before using the API, review the Google My Business API prerequisites.
• Check the API's usage limits and pricing policies.
• Carefully read the API documentation to understand the available endpoints and parameters.

Additional Resources:

• Google My Business API Documentation
• Google Cloud Console