Don’t Register Your Google Business Profile Before Doing These 3 Essential Steps

However, according to Valerie Robinson, SEO specialist with RunLocal Marketing in Longmont, many business owners miss out on potential customers by not planning for their profile BEFORE trying to register it.

Robinson lists three crucial steps you need to follow to ensure your profile is optimized for success, helping you to avoid pitfalls that could harm your business.

Step 1: Choose the Right Business Address

The first step in setting up your Google Business Profile is to ensure that your business address is in the same city as your target clients. This may seem obvious, but choosing the correct address is more complicated than it appears. Google prioritizes local businesses with verified addresses in the city that people are searching for. If your business address is not in the city where your target customers are located, you could miss out on valuable leads.

For example, if you are a dentist in Longmont, having a physical address in Longmont is critical. According to the latest local search ranking factors, having a verified address in the city you target is the fourth most powerful ranking signal. This applies to all types of businesses, whether you have a physical storefront or operate as a service area business.

However, it’s essential to understand that Google’s perception of city boundaries may differ from yours. Take, for instance, Longmont and Mead, Colorado. If you search for “plumber in Longmont,” most business pins will show up in the downtown Longmont area. But if you search for “plumber in Mead,” the results will be predominantly from that area.

The issue is if your business is located near Mead but you still have a Longmont address, Google will show your competitors in downtown Longmont above you for searchers who type in that they are looking for a plumber in Longmont.

So even if your business address is technically listed as Longmont, you will likely struggle to compete with businesses more centrally located in Longmont.

To avoid this issue, use Google Maps to look up your business address. Search for your target city and check the highlighted boundaries. Ensure your business address falls within those limits to maximize your chances of ranking well on Google Maps. Do a search for your niche and see where the results are primarily located.

If you’re far away from that city center point, then you have a barrier that your competitors don’t have and you’ll have to work to remove that AND still do all the other typical work it takes to compete head to head.

Step 2: Utilize the Proximity Factor

Once you have confirmed the city boundaries for your business address, the next step is to consider the proximity factor. Google uses a signal called “proximity of address to centroid,” which is currently ranked as one of the most influential local ranking factors. This means that the closer your business address is to the center of the city, the higher your business profile will rank in search results.

For instance, let’s continue with the dentist example. If you search for “dentist in Phoenix,” Google will show a list of dental businesses within the city. However, these aren’t all the dentists available. If you zoom in on the map and search for a specific area, you may discover even more dental practices that Google hasn’t displayed initially. This is because Google prioritizes businesses that are closer to the city center.

To identify the city center, search for your target city in Google Maps. After you find the city boundaries, click on the directions option and search for the city name again. Google will display the exact city center with a pin. The closer your business address is to this pin, the more likely your Google Business Profile will rank high in search results.

Step 3: Analyze the Competition

With your business address and proximity sorted, it’s time to check out the competition before you finalize your location. This step is crucial; ignoring it could be detrimental to your business. Let’s say you think you’ve found the perfect spot for your new dental clinic in Phoenix. Before signing the lease, go to Google Maps and enter the exact address you’re considering.

Google will display a panel for that location. From there, you can search for businesses related to your industry by entering relevant keywords, like “dentist,” “orthodontist,” or “dental clinic.” This search will show you existing businesses in the vicinity, marked with red pins, while your chosen address will be represented with a blue pin.

Zooming out will give you an overview of the competition around your chosen location. If you find multiple dentists nearby or even other dental practices at the same address, this could be a significant issue. Google employs a local filter that ranks businesses based on location data, and if several businesses of the same category share the same address or are very close to one another, some may be filtered out from search results. This could drastically reduce your visibility and customer reach.

Moreover, businesses with higher ratings and more positive reviews tend to appear more frequently in search results. If your new listing starts with no reviews, it may struggle to compete against well-established practices in the area. However, if you already have an established Google Business Profile with positive reviews, moving to a competitive area may not pose as much of a risk.

To further analyze the competition, consider downloading a free Chrome extension called Plepper. After installing it, paste your chosen address into Google Maps, and it will show you relevant information about nearby businesses, including their ratings and reviews. If you feel confident that you can outperform the existing competition, then moving to that address might be worth considering. If not, continue searching for a better location.

Conclusion

Setting up your Google Business Profile correctly is crucial for attracting customers and ranking high on Google Maps. By following these three essential steps—choosing the right business address, utilizing the proximity factor, and analyzing the competition—you can significantly increase your chances of success. Remember, a well-optimized listing will not only help you rank higher but also ensure that your business gets the visibility it deserves.

For more tips on optimizing your Google Business Profile, check out our additional resources and strategies to elevate your business presence online.