Full Transcript
Lauren: Okay so I just Googled a business I went to last weekend. And their listing showed the wrong hours. Like, it said they were open on Sundays and they definitely are not.
Honor: Welcome to the 805 Web Minute with Lauren and Honor. We make website stuff make sense. Let's get into it.
Honor: That's such a common problem. And the frustrating part is, it's completely fixable. That listing you saw? It's called a Google Business Profile. And the business owner either never claimed it, or claimed it and never finished setting it up.
Lauren: Wait, so Google just creates these listings on its own?
Honor: Yeah, Google pulls from public records and creates listings automatically. So there might already be one out there for your business that you didn't even know about. With the wrong hours, maybe an old phone number. And that's what your customers see first.
Lauren: That's terrifying. So how big of a deal is this really?
Honor: Huge. Businesses with complete, verified profiles show up 80 percent more often in search results than ones that are half-filled out. Not a little more. Eighty percent. So if you're a plumber in Arroyo Grande and someone searches plumber near me, the guy with the completed profile is showing up way before you are.
Lauren: Okay so how do you actually set one up? Like, where do you even start?
Honor: First step, go to business.google.com and search for your business. If there's already a listing, you can claim it. If not, you create one. Then Google needs to verify you're real. They'll either send a postcard, call you, email you, or — and this is the newer, faster option — ask you to record a short video of your storefront and signage.
Lauren: Like, walk around with your phone kind of video?
Honor: Exactly. Show your address, your sign, prove you're a real place. Upload it and Google usually verifies within a couple days. Way faster than waiting for a postcard.
Lauren: Okay so you're verified. Then what? You just add your hours and you're done?
Honor: That's what most people do. And that's where most people stop. But there are sections that almost nobody fills out that make a huge difference.
Lauren: Like what?
Honor: The business description, for one. 75 percent of businesses in the top three Google results have filled in their description. Below the top three? Less than 40 percent even bothered. It doesn't need to be fancy. Two or three sentences. Family-owned plumbing company serving SLO County since 2008. We handle everything from leaky faucets to full remodels. Licensed and insured. Done.
Lauren: So just plain and simple. What you do, where you are.
Honor: Exactly. Then there's categories. Your primary category is probably the most important thing on your entire profile. It tells Google what searches to show you in. Don't pick something broad like Contractor. If you're a plumber, pick Plumber. Then add secondary categories like Water Heater Installation Service or Drain Cleaning Service.
Lauren: Oh so it's not just one category. You can have several.
Honor: Right. And then there's the services section where you can list every specific service you offer. Each one gets its own description. So when someone searches tankless water heater Arroyo Grande and that phrase is in your services list, you've got a way better shot at showing up.
Lauren: What about photos? I'm guessing you shouldn't just throw up your logo and call it a day?
Honor: Definitely not. Real photos of your actual business. Your storefront so people recognize it when they drive up. Your team, because people want to see who they're hiring. Your work — before-and-after shots are gold for contractors. A bakery posting a photo of this morning's fresh bread? That gets clicks. You don't need a photographer. Phone photos in decent light work fine.
Lauren: And I've seen some businesses post little updates on their Google listing too. Like promotions and stuff.
Honor: Those are Google Posts. They're like mini social media updates right on your profile. A seasonal promotion, a new service, an event, a quick tip. They expire after about a week so you want to add a new one every week or two. It shows Google and your customers that your business is actually active.
Lauren: What about reviews? Because that always feels like the elephant in the room.
Honor: Reviews are probably the most powerful thing on your profile. The best time to ask is right after a good experience. Customer's happy, you say, hey if you have a minute a Google review would really help us out, I can text you the link. There's a shareable review link built right into your profile. Copy it, save it in your phone, and text it after every job.
Lauren: And then respond to all of them, right?
Honor: Every single one. Thank the good ones. For bad ones, stay calm, acknowledge it, offer to make it right. People read your responses just as much as the reviews themselves.
Lauren: Okay so if someone's listening to this and thinking, I really should set mine up but I know I'm going to forget half of this...
Honor: That's what we're here for. At YouGrow, our Local SEO service handles your Google Business Profile from setup to ongoing optimization. We fill in every section, post weekly updates, manage your reviews. 99 dollars a month and it's handled. But if you want to do it yourself, everything we just talked about gives you the whole playbook.
Lauren: Love it. Alright, this has been 805 Web Minute. Thanks for listening.