SME-Friendly Google My Business Support Service

To claim your Google My Business listing, follow these steps:

A) Search for your business on Google.

B) At the bottom of the profile, click "Own this business?".

If the listing isn’t claimed yet:

• Click “Manage now” to take ownership.

If someone else has already claimed the listing:

• Click the blue “Request Access” button.
• Fill out the form with your name, phone number, and desired access level.
• Indicate whether you are the owner or an employee.
• Submit the form to ask the current manager for access.

If you add a location that’s been verified, it won’t show up on Google Maps and will be marked as a “Duplicate location” in your account.

Here’s how to fix this:

1. In your “Account Summary,” click on “Duplicate Locations.”
2. Select the location(s) you want to remove.
3. Click “Delete This Listing.” For multiple locations, click the three-dotted menu icon and choose “Remove location.”
4. Be careful not to remove the verified location, or you’ll have to verify it again.

Now you need to report it on Google Maps.

1. Open Google Maps and find the location you want to report.
2. Click “Suggest an edit.”
3. Click “Close or remove.”
4. Select “Duplicate of another place” and choose the correct location if available.
5. Click “Submit.”

Here’s a list of the most common reasons:

• Mistakes or different versions of your business name show up online.
• Multiple businesses are listed at your address.
• Recent changes like your address, categories, name, website, or phone number appear on your listing.
• The name, address, and phone number (NAP) on your Google My Business page don’t match what’s in directories. Keep your GMB details consistent but don’t worry about exact phone formatting, abbreviations, or suite numbers.
• You have multiple listings for the same business or location.
• You’ve used too many keywords to try to boost your ranking.
• Your business is not a physical store (e.g., it’s online or virtual). P.O. boxes aren’t allowed.
• Your listed website is a forwarding URL.

You should never let go of the opportunity to use this free SEO tool by Google.

When people search for products or services related to your business, your profile will appear in the "Local Pack" or "3-Pack," which is a set of three highlighted businesses that appear at the top of Google. Your business location will appear also on Google Maps so customers can easily find you.

Google Business Profile allows people to leave reviews and ratings and make direct communication with your business for inquiries. What’s more, GBP provides insights into how customers are interacting with your profile. You can see data on how many people viewed your profile, how they found it, and what actions they took (e.g., visiting your website, requesting directions, or calling your business). You can install the SEO local Google My Business app to manage your profile on the go.

What’s more, it gives you an edge over competitors who have not fully leveraged the benefits of this amazing tool.

As a business owner, you need expert help so you don’t miss the great opportunity to reap the numerous benefits of GBP.

Maintaining and monitoring your GBP profile is often time-consuming and you’ve to be super careful because a wrong info can mislead both Google and your potential customers. 

Handling negative or fake reviews is another challenging task that can hamper your reputation. 

The verification process can also be cumbersome and slow, especially if you’ve multiple locations or you’re located in remote areas. Businesses that do not have a physical storefront may have the same issue.

Last but not least, Google frequently updates its algorithms. This can cause fluctuations in how often your business appears in search results.