Introduction

If you’re in the trade, you will know how important local business is, making you a great fit for a Google Business listing. The harder you are to find, the less chance you have of gaining new customers or potential leads. That’s where we come in. We’re here to talk you through how to set up a Google Business listing, what it is, how to make the most out of it, plus the benefits of each stage and why it is so important for those in the trade. 

After reading this article you will be fully equipped with all the knowledge to go forth and do great things with your trade company!

   

What is a Google Business Profile? 

You’ve no doubt heard of Google, everyone has, but you might not have heard of Google My Business. So, let us explain exactly what it is so you can see the importance of using it for your trade. 

Google My Business is a free tool that helps businesses establish a presence on the search engine and appear in relevant searches. Basically, anything you put into Google is then filtered out to take you where you need to go. So, when looking for tradespeople in a certain area, those who are registered with Google My Business will appear – see, simple! 

Businesses listed on Google My Business provide searchers with things such as contact information, a Google map that shows where you operate, reviews, opening hours, your website and so on. You put all this information into your profile listing and Google puts it out on the web, making it super easy for existing customers and new leads to find you. 

 

Why is Google My Business Important?

To get straight to the point, Google My Business is important because in order to be found, customers need a way to find you and creating a profile on Google allows them to do that! Many people now go to the internet to find products and services, so if you aren’t there when they are looking, you don’t stand a chance of competing.

Not only do these listings provide customers with the details they need to use your business, but they are also genuinely useful. If you have ever searched for a local restaurant, bar or shop on Google, you have most likely interacted with these listings. Whether you have used the number provided, checked their opening times, or had a browse on their website. These are all things that help the customer determine whether or not they are going to use you or others in the trade. 

Something worth noting is that the more information you provide on your Google listing, the better. Google uses this to list you on their search engine, so if your profile has contact information, location, images, website and more, you stand a better chance of ranking higher when customers are searching.  

Now you know what Google My Business is and how important it is for your trade, let’s get onto the fun stuff and talk you through setting up your profile! 

It’s also useful to note that for local searches for example: ‘Window installer in Surrey”, on both desktop and mobile, these results come up first, above the traditional search results. It’s vital that you’re in the pack and doing what you can to improve your listing.

To give you a better idea of why Google My Business is so important, below shows a few statistics that explain what it can do for your trade business and the benefits of using it:

• 97% of people learn more about local companies online than anywhere else
• 91% of adults use search engines to find information
• Google has over 90% of the search engine market share
• 46% of all searches have local intent
• 56% of actions on Google My Business are website visits (get yourself a website if you don’t already) 
• 64% of people have used Google My Business to find contact details for a local business
• 16% of all businesses receive more than 100 calls a month just from using Google My Business

(Figures from Localiq)

 

How to List on Google Maps and Create a Google Business Profile

1. Go to Google Business Profile and Login

First, you need to go to google.com/business where you will find the Google Business Profile Page. You will be asked to log in, ideally, you want to use an email address that is already tied to your business. If you don’t have an email account for your trade business, it’s a good idea at this point to go set that up and then use it to log in to your Google Business Profile. 

2. Check your Business Isn’t Already Listed

This might seem a little weird, considering you would most likely know if you had already set your business up on Google, however sometimes others do this for you, a family member or someone in the office (something we run into all the time). So, once you have logged in, it’s best to check through the businesses and their locations to check that you’re not already listed. 

If you see that your business is already on the site, you can still go ahead and claim that listing, just skip to selecting the “select a primary category for your business” stage.

 

3. Add your Business Name

After establishing that you’re not already listed on Google My Business, you will then need to enter the name of the company you wish to add. Once this is done, you will have to go through the boring stuff, such as reading and agreeing to the terms and conditions of using the site.

4. Select a Primary Category for your Business

We are aware that those in the trade generally cover a wide spectrum, from electricians to plumbers and general builders to window fitters. So, at this point, you just need to narrow it down to the main service you offer. There’s no need to worry though because later on, you can add more categories to your listing, so try not to overthink this stage too much! 

If you’re completely stumped as to what category to select, a good starting point is to check out what your competitors have put and then just follow their lead. 

5. Add your Business Location

We are aware that this stage is going to be pretty tricky for the majority of those in the trade. As tradespeople tend to move around and go wherever the work is, it can be hard to narrow it down to one location. Luckily enough, this part is optional! 

Although you don’t have to enter a location, we would highly recommend that if you can, you do. This helps customers see where you work and whether or not you are in their radius. 

Don’t stress it too much though, as the location is only really valuable for those businesses that require footfall traffic. Typically, those in the trade go to the customer, it is rare that a customer will need to come to you. 

So, if you don’t have an address to put down, there’s no need to fret it, your listing will still shine after following all of our other steps! 

6. Add the Areas that you Work

Unlike entering a specific location, putting in the areas in which you work is actually important – especially for those in the trade. Again, you can choose to skip this part, but we would advise against it. 

If you choose not to input the areas in which you operate, you are limiting your chances of showing up in different searches. By adding the different places where you typically work, you will therefore be visible for customers entering ‘builders in XXX’ or ‘tradesmen near me’ (as Google picks their location up for them).  

What we’re trying to say is, don’t skip it, this will only take a few minutes and it is actually worth it! 

 

7. Add Other Details 

Next, you need to add any additional information that is going to make your business stand out against the rest. Remember when we talked about adding a secondary category above? Now is the time to do it. As you’re in the trade, you most likely offer more than one service, so get them all in here. Make sure you let customers know exactly what you do and the things that you offer, this way you don’t only seem like a person who does it all, you also appear in yet again more searches on Google. 

You also need to make sure you input an address for Google to send your verification postcard to. This will continue your code that allows your listing to go live on the site, so keep an eye out for this, otherwise, all your efforts will be wasted! 

 

8. Add your Contact Details

You’re probably already aware that people don’t really use landlines anymore, but does that matter to Google? No it does not. Google likes to see a landline when registering a business, so wherever possible try to get one in here. It might be worth making use of a landline that redirects calls to your mobile, or an automated answering service, as you most likely (like everyone else) use your mobile anyway. 

The other thing to note is that Google will verify your phone number through an automated service, so make sure it is entered correctly and that you can get to your phone for the verification set-up. 

When considering contact information, Google loves it when you add a web address. Not only does the Google bot think this makes you appear more authentic, but it also helps customers see that you’re a well-established business, and helps your SEO. It’s crucial that your website can be easily accessed and has all your relevant information on there too. 

 

9. Add your Business Hours

Business hours seem a little less relevant for those in the trade don’t they? You associate these hours by which a physical store or business address is open. Well, they actually are relevant to tradespeople too as they let customers know when they can or can’t contact you. This also feeds back into the point we made earlier about providing as much information as possible to let customers know you are a reputable business. 

 

10. Add a Business Description

This is where you get the chance to truly stand out against your competition. You must see this stage as an opportunity to sell yourself and what you do. The only downside here is that you only get 750 characters to get your point across, so be precise and to the point, yet make sure you stand out against the crowd. 

A good way to get in the flow is to check out your competitor’s listings and see what they have put in their description. What do you offer that they don’t? Why would someone choose your business over anyone else? Highlight those things and add in some personality (aka be human) and remember not to sound like a robot! 

 

11. Add Imagery

Adding beautiful imagery really rounds off your profile and creates a more succinct portfolio of what you offer. Bear in mind that images should be high-quality and showcase the best of what you do. Things like previous work, your company logo and premises are all good starting points. 

If you choose to skip this part, Google will fill in the blanks with an image of your address and street view – not the most appealing of things to look at when searching for tradespeople! 

So, if you haven’t already, start gathering a folder of excellent images as they will only help to boost your profile, make you stand out against the competition and really showcase exactly what you do. 

 

 

12. Check Your Account

Checking your account might seem like the least relevant of these stages, but it’s not – trust us! It’s important that you go through and double, triple check that all the information on your profile is accurate and up to date. Google will dismiss information such as contact information if they haven’t been inputted correctly. Plus, if there are spelling mistakes or poor grammar customers will be immediately put off by your listing. 

By checking your account, you are ensuring that your trade is shown in the best light possible and as first impressions count, you want this to be the absolute best of what you have to offer! 

 

Quick Tips

After you have gone through all the steps above, you might think that’s it, but it’s not. In order to have a consistent and effective profile on Google My Business, you should maintain it and keep it up to date. 

Things like asking your customers to send a review to your profile after you have finished a job will help others know you’re still doing high-quality work. If a business has a review that dates back 5 years, it’s unlikely that people are going to trust this. Asking for reviews should be built into your process at the end of every job, this way you start to create a strong portfolio of what you offer and it tells potential customers that you’re still good at what you do! 

Good reviews are one of the most powerful things a business can have. People trust other people, you could state that your business is best, but consumers know you’re biased. Getting social proof from others is a great way to keep your profile honest and transparent – something consumers like when spending their money on something!  

What Next? 

We hope that after reading through all the steps above, you are now fully equipped with the knowledge to go forth and do great things. At first, the process might appear tedious, but we promise it will pay off! 

With so many businesses (including those in the trade) now moving online to keep up with marketing trends, you don’t want to be the one that’s left behind! Taking these steps will help boost your visibility in the local market. The bigger profile Google has of you, the more credibility you gain, putting you in a much better place for ranking on page one. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get started today and get ready to see those new leads keep rolling in!  

If you are in need of generating more leads for your trade business, having a solid marketing strategy is the key to competing with other local trade businesses. Get in touch with our team of trade marketing experts for an honest, transparent and fruitful chat about we can help you grow your business!