In order to stay ahead of the competition, mastering your GBP listing from Google search is now essential. To help you get started, here’s an overview of all the incredible features that come with the in-search experience.
Since 2017, people have had the capacity to grow a Business Profile directly from Google search. This is not a new concept; but, it continues to be invaluable for companies worldwide.
Staying up-to-date with your profile is a must in today’s digital world. This means you must understand how to optimize and utilize your Business Profile in the “in-search experience”.
The In-Search Experience: How to Manage Your Google Business Profile in Google Search
To successfully manage your Google Business Profile on Search, first, be sure to sign in with the email address linked to that profile.
Search for the exact name of your business (consider adding in your city) or simply type “my business” if you want to access and manage it quickly. Don’t forget to hit View Profile.
Explanation of the Google Business Profile menus
Here is a comprehensive overview of some of the main menus available to businesses.
You can navigate the menu page either by using the tabs located at the top or simply scroll down to access all available fields that you need to update.
Edit profile
The “Edit Profile” menu is of the utmost significance as it contains essential information which customers and potential customers alike often search for. Through this feature, you can easily adjust your main business details such as:
- Business name
- Business categories
- Description
- Opening date
- Phone number
- Website
- Business address or service areas
- Business hours
- Attributes/More information:
- From the business (You can add attributes like women-owned, veteran-owned, LGBTQ+-owned, etc.)
- Crowd (i.e., LGBTQ-friendly)
- Highlights
- Offerings (i.e., drive-through)
- Planning (i.e., Appointment Required, Accepting New Patients)
- Service options (i.e., Offers online appointments, Offers online care, Language assistance)
Depending on the type of business you run, additional options may be available to you such as:
- Check-in and check-out times (hotels only)
- Hotel information (hotels only)
- Health insurance (medical categories in the U.S. only)
- Offers online care (medical categories only)
- Or other options
Some industries, including hotels, car dealerships, and medical practices may benefit from additional options in this section. All businesses can take advantage of the various offerings within.
Read Reviews
Monitoring your reviews is crucial if you want to cultivate a prosperous business.
With this menu, you can easily pick out your reviews and find the most commonly-used words in customer satisfaction about your business. The default ordering of these reviews is set to “Most relevant” for effortless organization.
When you receive a new review, Google will notify you through email. This message contains a “Read Review” link which leads directly to that specific evaluation.
Merchant Panel also presents you with your latest reviews to stay in the know. This is especially beneficial if you can’t evaluate your Google Business Profile email account as often as necessary.
When you receive a notification of a new review, simply click on it and the corresponding one will show up so that you can promptly respond to your customer’s feedback.
Messages
Messages are an excellent way to make relationships with your customers and prospects. If you have the resources to respond in a timely manner, click on the “Turn on chat” button and follow the steps.
When you begin, be sure to curate a welcoming message that will greet customers when they start a conversation with you.
Activate the message feature to let your customers know that you are available for a real-time chat on mobile devices when they search for your business.
From the convenient “Messages” menu, you can efficiently manage all your chat conversations and promptly answer anyone who has reached out to you.
By clicking on the three-dot menu, you can access your chat settings and further refine your conversations.
With the chat settings, you have full control over your conversation preferences: enable or disable the feature as needed, choose whether to receive read receipts and customize your welcome message.
You can easily configure automated FAQs with answers for up to 10 frequently asked questions. If users include one of these questions in a message, they’ll receive an instant response crafted by you.
Your questions can have up to 40 characters, and answers can contain as many as 500 characters. Plus, you may even include links in your responses — ideal when directing people toward a website or sales page.
Add Photo
The “Add Photo” feature allows you to enrich your Business Profile with memorable images and videos. There are several options for you to choose from:
- Photo: Here, you can share visuals of your business and upload images of anything. It may include the exterior and interior of your office space, personnel profiles, products for sale, or services that are accessible. Don’t forget to exclude stock photos and other marketing visuals from being uploaded.
- Logo: You can upload your logo.
- Cover photo: When selecting a cover photo for your business, be sure to choose an image that reflects the values and mission of your company. It is up to you which picture should grace this feature. Google reserves the right to choose any cover image for your Knowledge Panel that suits their needs.
A straightforward strategy to incorporate photos and videos is by using your Business Profile. Just click the “Add photos” button for a more organized and easier way of uploading visuals quickly.
Performance
The “Insights” feature has now been updated to the new and improved “Performance” tool. Here, you can keep tabs on your Google Business Profile’s success through several metrics like:
- Overview of the total Business Profile interactions
- Calls
- Messages
- Bookings
- Directions
- Website clicks
- How your products performed
- Top products
- How people discovered you: by platform and device
- How people found your GBP through keywords
Advertise
This links directly to Google Ads if you want to spend some more money on paid advertising.
Edit Products
Local business owners who sell products should not delay in taking advantage of the immense opportunity presented by Google’s “Edit Products” feature. Simply click the provided link and get started.
You can then decorate your page with all the details regarding each product you are selling, such as:
- Product name
- Category
- Price
- Description
- Call-to-action (CTA) Button
- Photo (Remember to add one)
After you’ve included all the product information, just press the “Publish” button and you’re done.
Apart from these options you also get main menus including —
- Edit Services
- Booking
- Calls
- Q&A
- Add Update (a.k.a., Posts)
- Ask for Reviews
- Three-Dot Menu
Bottom Line
Of course, the interface takes some getting used to. But you will soon appreciate its convenience and performance once you’ve mastered it. It is now a necessity to learn how to manage your Google Business Profile in search results.