Every social media platform, whether Instagram or Twitter, has its verification procedures. You would have seen thousands of accounts with the same name, and what distinguishes them is the verification done by the platform itself. Ever wondered what would happen if this verification was not there? You wouldn't be able to know which source to trust, right?
The same thing can happen with your business as well. If not verified, there will be a sense of doubt among the customers. To avoid this, you need to ensure your business is authenticated, but who will do that and how? The answer is Google. When you list your business on Google, you can verify it just like any other social media platform does. So what is this listing, and how does this verification work?
Google Business Listing
Simply put, Google Business Listing is a process in which Google creates an online profile of your business and lists it across its platforms, such as Google Search and Google Maps. You can also call it a way of representing your business digitally. So whenever a user searches for something related to your business, Google will display your profile in the search results.
Benefits
Online Visibility
The most important thing businesses achieve by listing their business on Google is increased reach. To expand your business, reaching a broader audience is crucial. Regardless of your business, Google is the best platform to achieve this.
Credibility
Next, it brings credibility. When you get your business verified by Google, you earn a badge before your listing. This badge tells users that the business is legitimate and has been authenticated, ultimately developing a sense of trust for your business.
Insights and Analytics
Google lets you appear online and provides you with tools to see how you perform digitally. With its insights and analytics, you can make much more informed decisions.
Information Your Profile Contains
Business Name and Address
This is the first thing that you provide while creating your profile. Ensure you enter your official business name, i.e., the one in your official documents and the physical location. For the address, try to provide as detailed one as you can. It will help Google, as well as users, to navigate to your business.
Contact Information
For Contact information, you can opt for a phone number, an email, or even a website. We would suggest you provide all of these for a safer side. The more options for contact, the better will be the engagement.
Operation Information
You should mention everything in your profile, from working days to working hours. Try to give users as much information about your business as you can.
Photos & Videos
Since visual content appeals more, having photos and videos can help you influence potential clients. You can attract customers by posting creative videos or images of the ambiance.
Customer Reviews
Just like visual content, customer reviews can also influence potential customers. Apart from this, if your business profile has user engagement through likes, comments, and ratings, your business will get listed in the search results, but remember, the reviews should be on the good side. The opposite will make your business slip in the listings.
Getting Started With Google My Business
Creating an Account
Visit the Google My Business website
Use your Google credentials to set up an account. If it's not there, create one.
Click on the "Add your business to Google" button.
Add business name and location.
Adding Basic Information
After creating an account, you will be asked to fill in the basic information, such as contact options, operations details, and primary and additional business categories. All this information will help Google list your website for appropriate search queries.
Completing the Profile
You can complete your profile whenever you want by visiting your account on Google My Business page. Completing a profile requires several other pieces of information, such as website URLs, photos, videos, and much more. You can fill them according to your convenience.
Verification of Google Business
Importance of Verification
Your business is one of many that will appear in the search results. There will be competition, along with local competitors. Several factors like distance, ratings, and reviews can help you outperform them, but among all these factors, the one that users look for in the first place is a verified badge. Businesses verified by Google tend to receive more customers than others. It also makes sense since having a badge means your business has been authenticated by Google, which builds trust in users for your business.
Types of Verifications
Postcard Verification
In this kind of verification, Google sends you a verification code via postcode, and you have to enter the same in your profile when opting for the verification process. It is the most common verification method available for almost all businesses.
Phone or Email Verification
This verification is the same as the previous one; the only difference is that Google sends the verification code to your email or phone number here. Those who want a quick verification may opt for this one, but it may not be available to all businesses.
Instant Verification
This verification is suitable for those who have already verified their website with Google Search Console. Google matches the domain of both accounts and, upon finding the same, instantly verifies the Google Business Account.
Bulk Verification
If you are operating your business from multiple locations, you should opt for bulk verification as it streamlines the process.
How to Perform Verification?
The verification process is almost similar for each of its types. All you need to do is visit the Google My Business page, log in to your account, and then, on the dashboard, you will find options for verification. You will have multiple options, such as verifying by email, phone, postcard, etc. For each of them, it will ask for the necessary information such as phone number, mail ID, or business address. For phone and email, you will receive your verification code immediately, while in the case of postcards, it will take some time. Upon receiving the code, submit the same, and your Google My Business listing will be verified.
Common Problems Occurring During Verification
Delays
The most common issue that business owners face is the delay of postcards. It usually takes around 14 business days to arrive, although there may be delays. You need to be patient when opting for this verification. However, if you feel the delay is too much, you can report the same to Google.
The same can happen with mobile and email verification in case of bad networks. Try changing your network connection or wait for some time in case you don't receive the code.
Error in Verification
Even after receiving the verification, you can find errors while submitting. This will only be due to typing or network errors, so type carefully, and if you are still facing the same issue, try again after some time. However, you can request another verification code from Google by reporting the issue or raising a complaint.
Non-Availability of Verification Types
Chances are that not all types of verification will be available to your business. If you don't find the one you are looking for, it's because your business is not fulfilling the criteria for that verification. Opt for the available one.
How to Make the Most of Google My Business?
Even though there are not many mandatory fields when you create a Google business account, completing your profile is still advised, i.e., 100%. From images to videos, try to make your profile attractive. It should not look like a forced business profile. Instead, it should be able to grab users' attention. Provide various options for contact so that if one fails, the other assures you don't lose your potential client.
Apart from this, ask customers for reviews and ratings, as the positive ones will influence the audience and help your website rank in the listings. Lastly, make sure your website's address is complete. The more accurate the address, the better it will be marked in Google Maps, ensuring smooth and easy navigation for the customers.
Conclusion
So here comes the end of our article. We hope you have understood the importance of listing your business and how verification affects its performance. If you still have some doubts, let us clarify it again.
Listing your business on Google will give you online visibility, i.e., a larger audience, thus helping you compete with others. On the other hand, verifying it will provide your business credibility and can increase the number of customers. Both of these steps are crucial to your business's digital success, so make sure you take them.
