Google My Business for Contractors and Construction Companies
Google My Business (GMB) is a must for your local SEO for contractors and construction companies.
In fact, claiming and verifying your GMB listing is one of the most important aspects of any service business digital marketing strategy.
It can improve your business’s visibility in Google Maps and search results.
These listings generate a lot of clicks and traffic and you can get a lot of high-quality leads without spending a dime on ads.
Here is a pro tip.
Your main goal with your Google My Business listing is to make it into the 3-pack, optimize your profile weekly, get more great reviews, and do what it takes to stay there.
For example, when someone searches on Google, for example, a “San Diego kitchen remodel”, or “Austin plumbers,” after the advertisements, the next thing people will see is the 3 -Pack of Google My Business listings.
This is called the local Google Local 3-Pack.
You do this with continuous optimization of your GMB listing that will also help you capture new customers and continue to grow your business.
A recent study showed that the 3-Pack ranks in the #1 position in 93 percent of Google searches.
Research conducted by Search Engine Watch discovered that 68 percent of searchers prefer the local 3-Pack, 27 percent trust the organic search results below the 3-Pack, and only 10 percent prefer the paid advertisements.
As you can see, 93 percent of local searches will show the 3-Pack listings and 68 percent of these people will click on one of these businesses to inquire about a service or product.
How to optimize and get top rankings for your Google My Business profile
As I mentioned above, your goal should be to get on the first page in the Google 3-Pack.
To do so, you will need to choose the correct category for your main service offering and choose the right keywords.
Next, you will want to make sure that your company profile is 100% finished with your logo, cover photo, hours of operation etc.
Make sure your website is mobile and SEO-friendly and connected to your Google My Busienss listing via a link.
Last but not least, make sure that you keep your profile up-to-date.
Google allows you to add posts and images to your profile, so go ahead and regularly post updates by adding quality content to your GMB listing so you can stand out from your local competition.
Add specials, deals, and promotions.
How important are Google reviews?
Today, 90% of people read reviews before making a purchase decision.
Nothing will get a potential customer to contact your business more than a lot of great reviews.
On the other hand, bad reviews or no reviews will hurt your business and turn away potential customers.
Start asking for and collecting reviews ASAP from your happy clients.
The more glowing reviews you get, you will have a better chance of making it into the local 3-pack and getting more leads.
Also, do your best to respond nicely to your reviews.
How much does Google My Business cost?
Creating your company profile on Google is 100% free.
Once you create a profile, you will be able to manage your business from Google Search and Maps to customize, enhance, and optimize your profile.
How do I set up my profile?
Here are the 10 easy steps to setting up your GMB profile.
1. Visit the Google My Business official page and click on “Manage Now.”
If it’s not immediately clear whether or not your business is already listed on Google (it might be under a different name), click “I don’t know.”
Then enter your business name and address into the search box and click Add Your Business.
Google does not allow you to list a PO Box of a virtual office as an address. This is a quick way to get your listing suspended or banned.
But if you do not have a physical office or warehouse, you can list on your profile that you only serve people in their homes and/or offices.
Make sure your business information is accurate and consistent across all platforms (website, social media, etc.). This includes your name, address, phone number, and website URL.
If any of the information is different for your listings on Yelp or Facebook, for example, then Google will think they’re referring to different businesses and that can negatively impact your rankings.
2. Pick a service category
Choose a category that best describes your business from the list provided by Google like kitchen remodel or plumber.
Google My Business allows you to pick one primary category for your business and up to nine secondary categories.
Make sure that you set it up with your main service offering as your primary category and then list your other services as your secondary categories.
Add information about your services, including opening hours, payment methods and contact details (email address).
This will help people find you when they’re searching for contractors in their area on mobile devices or desktop computers using Google Search results pages or Maps listings.
4. Choose a location or areas served
Google will also give you the option to pick your service areas. You will want to list your main city you do business in and possibly 3-4 areas surrounding your main service area.
5. Add a logo, photos, and videos
Add your company logo along with photos of your storefront or office location with descriptions about what services you offer, what type of work you do (plumbing, painting, roofing, etc.), hours of operation, etc.
6. Verify your business
Google will then ask you to verify your business by mail or text.
Get the postcard and input the code online or answer the call or open the text with the code.
7. Manage reviews and ratings
Do your best to monitor and manage your rating on a daily basis.
It is better to have a special software like Nice Job that helps with this process
Need help setting up your Google My Business profile?
If you are a contractor or home service business that needs help listing and or optimizing your Google My Business listing, please contact us.
We can help you set up your listing and optimize your profile to collect reviews and local citations.