This 5-day challenge is designed to help you get your Google Business Profile set up and optimized. To make this process as efficient as possible, start by gathering the necessary information using the checklist below. Once you have everything ready, follow the rest of the steps to complete and enhance your listing!
Day 1: Prepare Your Information
Before you dive into filling out your Google Business Profile, make sure you’ve gathered the following details. This will save you time and ensure your profile is complete.
Google Business Profile Information Checklist:
- Business Name:
- Business URL:
- Categories (Choose 3 categories that best describe your business):
- Explore Categories Here: https://daltonluka.com/blog/google-my-business-categories
- Opening Date:
- Business Address (Do you want it to show on your listing?):
- Business Phone Number (Do you accept text messages?):
- Business Email Address:
- Hours of Operation (Include your time zone):
- Special Hours (Holiday hours or dates your business is closed annually):
- More Hours (Breakfast hours, Happy Hour, Pick-up times, Online service hours, etc.):
- Appointment Link (If applicable, for booking appointments):
- Menu Link (For restaurants or service-based businesses with a menu):
- Reservation Link (For businesses with reservation capabilities):
- Products and Services (List of products or services offered, with descriptions):
- FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):
- Social Media Links (Connect social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.):
- Languages Spoken:
- Keywords (Relevant keywords for search optimization):
- Service Area(s) (Cities or areas you serve):
- Media:
- Logos (High resolution): 250 x 250 pixels, 1:1 aspect ratio
- Cover Image (High resolution): 1024 x 576 pixels, 16:9 aspect ratio
- Building Images (Inside and outside of your business):
- Q&A (Any frequently asked questions you’d like to pre-fill?):
- Business Description:
- Introduction (750 characters max, describing what your business does and its unique selling points):
Day 2: Claim Your Google Business Listing
Already did this? Skip to Day 3!
Goal: Claim and verify your Google Business Profile.
Once you’ve completed the checklist, it’s time to claim your listing.
- Option 1: Search Google – Go to google.com and search for your business name. Your GBP listing should appear on the right-hand side. Click the “Own this business?” link and follow the prompts to claim it.
- Option 2: Google Business Website – Visit Google Business: https://www.google.com/business/, click Manage Now, and follow the instructions to claim your business.
Troubleshooting:
- If you can’t find your business, follow the steps to create a new listing.
- No physical address? Google will allow you to specify if you don’t want to show your address on your listing.
- Photos showing as rejected? Give it a day or two and if they are still not approved, reach out to us and we can help.
- Does your listing require verification? Google is now requiring businesses to provide live video verification in many cases. While we can’t help with video itself, we have a free document that can help you prepare and explain what to expect. Contact us if you need help!
Day 3: Review and Update Your Business Information
Goal: Make sure your business information is accurate and up-to-date.
Review your details: Check your address, phone number, business hours, and website URL in your Google Business account. If something needs updating, log in and make changes under Info.
Service Areas: If your business serves locations outside of your primary address, add those cities to your profile under Service Areas.
Tip: Google will need to verify any edits. This can take anywhere from a few hours to over 30 days!
Day 4: Add Photos and Update Your Services
Goal: Enhance your profile with visuals and detailed service listings.
Add photos: Go to Photos in your GBP account and upload high-quality images of your business, products, team, or interior/exterior shots.
Review/update your services: Under Services, make sure you list all the services your business provides. The more detailed, the better!
Update your description: Write or update your business description, keeping it under 750 characters. Be sure to include relevant keywords to help customers find you.
Day 5: Collect and Manage Reviews
Goal: Start gathering Google reviews to improve your local ranking and build credibility.
Get your review link: In your GBP dashboard, find the Get More Reviews section. Click Share Review Form to generate a link that will take customers directly to your review page.
Share the link: Post the review link on your website, social media, and email marketing to make it easy for customers to leave reviews.
Respond to reviews: When you receive reviews, make sure to reply promptly. Thank customers for positive feedback and address any negative comments professionally.
Next Steps:
By completing this 5-day challenge, your Google Business Profile will be set up and optimized for success. Keep your profile up-to-date, encourage reviews, and engage with customers to maintain a strong online presence.
Set yourself apart by posting to your Google Business profile. You can use the same content you use for social media!
