Whenever a person needs something nowadays, one of the go-to resource is Google. The person types a query and would most likely check the top displayed results.
Recently, Google has launched a free tool called Google My Business to provide business listing assistance to business owners. It helps with the local SEO of a business’ website and allows customers to know more about the business as it will display essential information about it.
Customers would want to see every information available with a single search. If your website won’t appear on their top searches, or if your business profile is not updated and lacking details, there’s a possibility that you just lost a potential customer.
Read along as this article discusses what is Google My Business, and how you can start enjoying its benefits by connecting your restaurant website with it.
WHAT IS GOOGLE MY BUSINESS
Google My Business is a free tool that enables business owners, in your case restaurant owners, to promote their business profile and restaurant website on Google Search and Google Maps. Learn more about the online behaviour of your customers on how they interact with your restaurant through Google.
There are just two major steps on how to connect your restaurant website to your Google My Business profile:
- Create and setup your Google My Business Profile
- Integrate your Google My Business profile to your website
CREATE AND SET-UP YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS PROFILE
WHAT IS GOOGLE MY BUSINESS PROFILE
It is a free business profile on Google that helps your restaurant business appear when customers search for businesses, products, or services like yours on Google Search and Google Maps. It keeps your updated information and contents visible to customers so they won’t have to go to your website just to know more about your restaurant.
Updating your business profile is important because it auto-updates the information on your Google business website. Through GMB, you can choose how your customers can reach you like messaging, calling, and the like.
HOW TO CREATE AND SET-UP A GOOGLE MY BUSINESS PROFILE
Here’s a much detailed step on creating and properly setting your Google My Business profile and starting to get as many business listings as you can.
Step 1. Get into google.com/business and log in your Google account (create one for your business if you don’t have an existing Google account). After doing so, click “Manage Now” to start.
Step 2. Input your restaurant business name.
Step 3. Input your restaurant business updated and complete address.
Step 4. To entice more customers, let them know that you deliver. Check out the box “I deliver goods and services to my customers” (this is only if you do deliver). You also have a choice if you want your address to be shown to the public or hide it. Indicate your delivery area as well on this part (again, only if you do delivery service).
Step 5. Select the business category that best fits your restaurant business. This is how Google interprets which type of customers should see your business listing.
Step 6. Input your business phone number, and restaurant website url.
Step 7. Verify your business on Google.
There are 5 verification options that Google offers for business owners. They can verify their business by the following:
- By phone
- By instant verification
- By email
- By bulk verification
- By postcard
OPTIMIZE YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING
After creating and verifying your GMB profile with Google, you have to update other relevant information about your restaurant business.
Information and media are important to keep customers engaged with your GMB profile and listing. Make it easier for customers to reach out to you by adding a business profile photo, operating hours, delivery area, special attributes (parking space, wheelchair friendly), and other information you can fill out on the said page.
Highlight everything that sets you apart from the competition. It is also ideal to input reservation policies, payment policies, and cancellation policies to keep your customers properly informed about your business.
Make sure the details you’ve provided are correct, updated, and properly monitored.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS PHOTO
Another way to optimize your GMB profile and listing is to upload photos. Customers would love to see what your restaurant looks like, what your food items look like, and what’s the experience waiting for them should they try your restaurant.
Keep your photos well lit, and make sure it to select a set of quality photos that are relevant to your restaurant.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS VIDEO
Though this is not essential for your Google My Business listing, adding videos to your GMB profile can help your business profile stand up among others.
GOOGLE MY BUSINESS REVIEWS
Google My Business allows customers and users to leave reviews and feedback about your restaurant. This is a good chance to improve your business listing, as long as you respond to the reviews as soon as possible.
Be it positive or negative reviews, responding to reviews allows you to communicate with your customers and know that you value their opinions and loyalty.
INTEGRATE YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS PROFILE TO YOUR WEBSITE
Having a GMB profile means you already have a presence on the web; however, it does not replace your website. Instead, it complements it and increases your restaurant website’s visibility to Google Search and Google Maps.
Here’s how you can link your restaurant website to your Google My Business profile.
Step 1. Sign in to Google My Business.
Step 2. Click on “Website”
Step 3. Your restaurant website domain will show, click “Connect”
Step 4. Confirm by clicking, “Connect” again.
TIPS IN USING GOOGLE MY BUSINESS
Creating a GMB profile is easy and straightforward, but others might find it overwhelming and make small mistakes that could affect the tool’s performance. Here are some of the tips every business owner should know if they want to focus on their GMB listings.
- Keep the information you add as accurate as it can be. Inconsistencies affect your reputation with customers. It is also important to make sure that the information you provide is updated.
- Make sure your listings are verified.
- Avoid using different keywords in the title of your GMB profile. This is to avoid confusion from your customers and to prevent Google from suspending your account.
- Don’t create fake locations. Though ranking in multiple cities is a great thing for a business, it is never acceptable to use a fake address.
- Be proactive and communicate with your customers. Monitor your GMB messages and reviews and respond to them timely.
- Collaborate with local influencers and ask them to leave a review to your GMB profile.
- Stay away from arguments. While responding to your customers is a great thing, poorly responding to them will just hurt your business. Keep your responses professional and try to understand their concerns.
- Never create fake reviews. Customers will see through you and will start to doubt the credibility of your restaurant. This also applies to adding negative reviews to your competitors. Keep the competition healthy for everyone and focus on your own game.
- Use high-quality content- photos and videos. Google will automatically optimize it to keep good quality.
- Ask for approval if you’ll use your customer’s photos.
TAKEAWAY
All restaurant businesses are aiming to be on top; this also goes for online ranking. But it is important to keep in mind that good things come to those who wait. Starting your Google My Business profile may look like a small step. Still, it will slowly help you connect to a wider and diverse customer base as long as you’re consistently providing a satisfactory service.
Still trying to set up your restaurant website? Talk to us and let us help you through it!
source https://www.etakeawaymax.co.uk/google-my-business-for-restaurants-takeaways/
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