In the fast-paced retail and food & beverage markets of the Middle East, the ability to be found in search results is essential to creating and maintaining a successful business or restaurant. Nowadays, if you cannot find your business on Google, you almost don’t exist online.
Claiming and creating an accurate and informative Google My Business listing is crucial to this success. This listing ensures that your location, phone number, website, hours of operation, and even photos of your business are available and accessible on Google Search and Google Maps for all potential customers to see. Naturally, this is a powerful local marketing tool that requires proper listing management. Localyser can help you optimize your SEO.
It is important to leverage the power of Google My Business’s free dashboard, which allows business owners and marketing managers to oversee their digital online presence associated with Google all in one place. This enables businesses to manage:
However, managing a Google My Business listing is not always an easy process, especially in the GCC region where precise addresses are not always maintained.
The first step to using this service is to check if there is already an existing Google Business online presence. Once confirmed, you can request verification as a business owner to claim the listing on the business profile. You will then be asked to verify by postcard or phone (limited to certain businesses/areas) to confirm your business is legitimate and managed by you.
Once you have verified your business or location, you are free to update what will be displayed in search results as an online listing. Remember, it is essential to ensure your listing matches what is on your business website, including name, address, and phone number, in order to develop your brand consistently in the digital sphere. You should also ensure you choose the most relevant and specific business category for your listing so potential customers can find you right from the initial discovery process. Keep in mind that social media profiles should also be consistent with your brand.
Finally, you will want to add dynamic images, updated hours of operation, descriptions, and current customer reviews to further optimize your online presence. Mastering all of these things is a very effective way to make your business known and reach potential customers.
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