Hopefully you’ve heard of Google My Business by now and you’ve got your business already verified on Google Maps. If you haven’t yet then you’re probably missing out on a decent amount of local area business.
Nearly 50% of all Google searches are for local business and of those searches there is a very high percentage of that traffic captured by the map listings that generally sit at the top of the organic search results and just below the Google Ads.
The more space your business can have on the 1st page of Google the greater your website traffic will be. Another benefit of having your Google My Business listing optimised is only visible on mobile. Often the listing will include a button to call immediately and if we’re short on time, that’s all we need when we’re searching for a service.
In order to get your listing in the 3 pack, you’ll need to have it optimised for your keywords. This is often referred to as local SEO and the process incorporates both the GMB listing itself and your website design which should be attached to the GMB listing. Keep the listing up to date with accurate hours for holidays, adding new photos of client work you’ve recently completed and gathering reviews from previous customers. These activities all show Google that your business is active and relevant.
In addition to that you’ll need to ensure that your business is geographically relevant. For example in this post I’m going to mention the Sunshine Coast. This requires giving Google enough information to form a validated entity for your business. This is often done using directories listings which is often referred to as a citation. This should include your business name, business address and phone number and it should be as consistent as possible across all platforms. You’ll also need to include some location signals on your website. For example, I’m going mention Sunshine Coast here in order to get the local geographical relevance to our services.
There’s a lot that a business owner can do on their own Google My Business listing and those tasks are very easy. The competition is high for that space, so if you need some help breaking into the 3 pack, we’re here to help.
