What Is the Importance of Google My Business for SEO?
“Is Google My Business (GMB) only for local businesses?” That question may be on your mind if you’re a large, national business or do a lot of work online. However, it’s an important question to ask regardless of company size because the answer may surprise you!
For smaller, local businesses, the importance of a Google business listing can’t be overstated. But even for large or nationwide businesses, there are many Google My Business listing benefits available.
Are you interested in learning more about the benefits of Google My Business for local and non-local companies?
Have you been wondering, “What is the importance of Google My Business for an organization?”
If you want more information about Google local business listings and how they can help your company, then you’re in the right place.
In this article, we’re giving you expert insight into the importance of Google My Business for any sized company. We’ll provide answers to questions like, “Do you need an address for Google My Business?” and “Why is Google My Business important for SEO?”
Ready to learn from some Google My Business pros?
Here’s everything you need to know about Google My Business.
What Is Google My Business?
Google My Business (GMB) is a completely free service Google offers to businesses. It allows a company to provide online searchers with information about the business’:
Name
Address
Phone number
Products/services
Website link
Reviews
Photos
It’s also an opportunity to share store hours, a menu, or directions to your business location (if applicable).
A Google My Business local listing shows up on a Google search engine results page (SERP), often in the Map Pack or to the right of the organic searches. GMB listings are a large, right-aligned visual on Google Search that can grab your audience’s attention and provide them with a wealth of information before they call or visit your website. Google My Business pages are like an online billboard that attracts customers.
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding a GMB listing.
Are There Google My Business Eligibility Qualifications?
There are very few eligibility requirements and restrictions when creating/claiming your GMB profile.
Google itself says that “If your business has a physical location customers can visit, or travels to customers where they are…”, then you can create/claim a Google My Business listing. Even most online businesses have a company headquarters that would qualify for a GMB listing.
Whether you’re a small business or a larger company, there’s a high chance you can claim your business on Google.
Do You Need an Address for Google My Business?
You technically don’t need a physical address to claim a GMB listing. However, it’s a best practice that your business does have one.
One of the most important pieces of information necessary to fully optimize your GMB profile is an address (along with the correct business name and phone number). Google is getting very good at checking the validity of an address and whether it’s legitimate.
That said, Google will allow work-from-home business owners to use their home address or the address of a co-working space if they can prove the validity of the co-working space.
Is Google My Business Only for Local Businesses?
As stated above, any business with a physical location can claim a GMB listing.
For small, local businesses, a GMB page is almost 100% necessary if you want to show up on Google in your area and help people to find you online. However, there are also many Google My Business listing benefits for larger companies, too.
What Are the Benefits of a Google My Business Listing?
So, what is the importance of a Google business listing? And, how does it benefit a company?
When fully optimized and managed regularly, a GMB listing can be an incredibly effective digital marketing tool. Your business listing can help:
Rank your business on the first page of Google
Get you into the Map Pack (the top three search results) in Google Maps
Drive people to your website
Provide potential customers/clients with another way to contact you
Build trust and rapport with customers through reviews and photos
A GMB listing is essentially a second website or social platform that can generate more organic traffic for you. If you’re a local or nationwide business, you’re missing out on opportunities to connect with potential customers and clients if you don’t have one.
Why Is Google My Business Important for SEO?
SEO stands for search engine optimization, which is the process of getting your website ranking on the first page of Google. Being on the first page of Google is very valuable because more than 90% of all search traffic never leaves the first page—if you’re not on the first page, no one will find you.
The best way to improve your company’s ranking is by investing in a holistic SEO strategy. This kind of strategy involves:
Optimizing your website and its pages with keywords strategies
Running targeted Google Ads campaigns
Managing and updating your GMB page
When you focus on and invest in all four of these areas, your online presence will greatly increase and you’ll start receiving more inbound leads. And we all know what inbound leads can turn into sales and revenue!
So, it’s not that GMB itself is necessary for SEO. Rather, it provides your business with another valuable opportunity to rank high on Google, giving it more visibility, and ultimately reaching more customers.
Want to Reap the Benefits of an Optimized Google My Business Listing Today?
When it comes to online marketing and SEO there’s a lot to consider.
Today, we talked about and answered some of the top questions regarding one of the best free marketing tools—a Google My Business listing. We looked at:
Are there Google My Business eligibility requirements?
Do you need an address for Google My Business?
Is Google My Business only for local businesses?
What are the benefits of a Google My Business listing?
Why is Google My Business listing important for SEO?
Almost any business can qualify for and claim a GMB page. By claiming your page, you get another opportunity to rank high on Google and connect with more customers.
An optimized GMB page is a good marketing tool, but it’s even more effective as part of a complete SEO strategy.
At Veivos, we believe that a holistic SEO strategy is the best way to rank high on Google and outperform your competitors. When you work with us, we ensure that every initiative aligns with your company goals and values. Whether you’re looking for an optimized website, SEO-friendly content, fully managed GMB listing, or high-ROI Google Ads, we’ve got you covered.
Schedule a call today to learn how a holistic SEO strategy can increase your online traffic, leads, and revenue.
