Fix Your Google My Business Profile

Last year I hired a SEO company to go into my website and clean it up for me.  They made sure that if I had broken links that they were fixed.  They made sure that my Google My Business profile was set up properly and everything was good, but then I made some changes and broke some things.  

It's 2022 and I've decided to go back into the studio and start producing the show from there so that I can grow the show and invite guest to be on the show.  Because my address, hours of operation and description has changed, I now have to go in and make the necessary changes on my Google My Business profile.  See I've set a couple of huge goals for this year.  One goal is to become the #1 hyperlocal podcast in the world and the other is to have a #milliondollaryear in my business.  Before I can get anywhere close to those goals I have to first do an audit of Good Morning Gwinnett to see which services I want to offer.  Then I need to make sure that this site is ranking well in Google and and that all of my information is correct out there in Internet land.

When you are setting up your Google My Business profile these are the things that you need to make sure you have in place:

• Verification: First, claim your page and submit it through the Google verification process. Google will send you a postcard in the mail with a verification code.  The first time I did this I got the postcard in the mail and I completed the verification.  I think it took about a week to get it.
• NAP: I'm almost certain this part of my Google My Business is not correct. because my address has changed twice since last year.  Make sure that your business NAP (name, address, and phone number) are up to date, and are identical across your Google My Business profile, your website, and other online listings. You can check the accuracy and consistency of your NAP with MozLocal. Let Google know that you have a local business by choosing a local phone number rather than an 800 number.  My local number is the only thing that didn't change.  I got a local number through Godaddy and that has helped me make sure I don't miss any important calls.
• Categories: Google categories must be focused on services rather than results. For example, a fence company might choose Fence Contractor and Fence Supply Store, along with any supplementary services such as Handyman. Aim for 3 to 5 categories in total. Here’s a handy list of Google My Business categories from Mike Blumenthal.  I don't think I ever filled this part out, but I will go in and update my profile to add the services that I will be offering which are advertising and marketing on the show.
• Description: The description that you write is very important.  I did one before, but I don't think I included a clear call to action.  Your description is a brief overview of your business that closes with a call to action, and should be between 100 and 200 words long. A fence company might use something like this: {Name of Company} offers professional {fence building and repair or similar} in {Your City}. {Provide some information about your company and/or why customers choose you.} Call {Phone Number} today for a free estimate!  
• Hours: Make sure that your hours of operation are correct and are identical across the Internet.  Because I go live at 10am, I have decide if I want me hours to start when I get to the studio or once I get off the air.  This is important because I don't want people to come by while I'm air.
• Images: I've done over 600 episodes of  Good Morning Gwinnett and many of those had guest and for each guest I created images that I will add to the profile along with my personal images.  Images help to humanize you to potential customers, and can increase customer engagement. Depending on the nature of your business, you might add a few photos of your office and your staff, your team at work, or even your satisfied customers (with permission).  

So you see I still have a lot of work that needs to be done before I go full speed ahead into my #milliondollaryear.  If your goal is to have a #milliondollar year stop by often to listen to the podcast and to check out my latest post under Your Business.  I will be sharing what I'm doing on a daily basis to make Good Morning Gwinnett the #1 hyperlocal podcast in the world and to also have a #milliondollaryear.

I hope this article helped you.
Until Next Time
Make It A Great Day!
Audrey