If you own a business, it’s essential to be visible online, both to be seen as credible and legitimate as well as to scale. One of the most important places to be seen is on Google, the world's largest search engine. In this guide, we'll walk you through how to create a Google Business Profile, and explain why it's so important for your business.
How to Create a Google Business Profile (GBP)
Follow these five simple steps or, if you're a Lovingly partner, we're happy to handle this for you. It's a complimentary service we provide to our floral partners.
Step 1: Sign in to Google My Business
To create a Google Business Profile, you'll need to sign in to Google My Business. If you don't already have an account, you can create one for free. Once you're signed in, you'll see a dashboard with a variety of options for managing your profile.
Step 2: Add Your Business Information
The first step to building your Google Business Profile is to add your business information. This includes your business name, address, phone number, website, and hours of operation. Be sure to fill out as much information as possible, as this will help Google and potential customers find you more easily.
Step 3: Verify Your Business
Once you've added your business information, you'll need to verify your business. This involves receiving a postcard or phone call from Google with a verification code. Once you've entered the code, your profile will be verified and your business information will be publicly visible on Google.
Step 4: Optimize Your Profile
Once your profile is verified, you can optimize it to make it even more effective. This includes adding photos and videos of your business, responding to customer reviews, and posting updates and promotions. The more information you provide, the more likely customers are to find you and choose your business over competitors.
Step 5: Manage Your Reviews
Your Google Business Profile allows customers to leave reviews of your business. Make sure to respond to these reviews and address any concerns or complaints in a professional, friendly, and timely manner. It’s important to do this regularly for both positive and negative reviews.
Why Having a Google Business Profile Matters
1. Increased visibility in search results: Having a GBP can help your business appear higher in Google search results when people search for keywords related to your business.
2. Better online reputation: By managing your reviews and responding to customer feedback, you can build a positive online reputation for your business.
3. More customer engagement: Customers can leave reviews, ask questions, and link directly to your website from your GBP.
4. Free marketing: Building a GBP costs nothing, so it's a great way to promote your business without having to invest a penny.
This information is critical for florists looking to improve their online presence and attract more customers. The good news is, Lovingly can help!
How Lovingly Makes Google Business Profiles Super Easy & Simple
Lovingly provides support for partner florists that don’t already have a GBP, ensuring they get one set up, for either storefront or home-based service area businesses. And, to make it incredibly easy and convenient to keep your GBP up to date, Lovingly Partners can just activate their GBP through their Lovingly Account in the My Marketing Hub section, so the business hours and important information like name, address, and phone number all auto sync with their Lovingly Account, plus it centralizes all reviews, making managing them a piece of cake. It’s just another way Lovingly is so much more than just a website!
Lovingly is a complete ecommerce solution for florists that want to stand out and thrive online.