Setting up your Google business profile is the first step to ranking your business on Google Maps and Local packs. If you are a local business and you haven't set up your business profile yet, then this video is for you. Let's go. Hey, it's Jack from Rank Math, the One tool that empowers millions of WordPress sites with easy-to-use SEO and AI tools. And this channel is all about sharing the right SEO knowledge. So if you're new to us, consider subscribing. Anyway, to start, you don't need a Google account, and most often it will be in the form of Gmail. Most of us have personal Gmail, but if you run a business, I recommend that you use a separate Gmail to manage your business profile. If you want to create a new Gmail, just search for Gmail, click on this. If not, this is the link. The same link is in the description. If you are already logged into an existing Gmail, you can simply

click on your profile icon, click on Add Account, and over here, Create Account. You want to select For Work or my business. From here, you will be given two options. One is to have a domain email address that comes with your domain name. That is, if you want to manage your business emails through Gmail, this will cost you about $6 to $18 per user per month, depending on the plan you choose. Then the other option is to have a standard Gmail. If you don't want to spend money managing your domain emails with Google, you can get a standard Gmail address. I'm pretty sure creating a Gmail account is straightforward. I'm sure you have done it at least once before, so I won't go through that. Let's go back to the Google business profile. So we are on a Google business profile page. This is the link. It is in the description as well. This is one way to create a Google business profile.

The other way is if you know your business
is already on Google Maps. When you find your business, for example,
this, you can claim the business by clicking on this,
and you will need to go through a verification process
to claim the business. We will get to this part in a while. For now, let's assume that
you have started a new business. What you want to do is
to sign in with the Google account that manages your business profile,
and it will ask for your business name. This is straightforward. It could be your registered company
or business name, brand, or whatever name your customers can find you. Now, this is important. Your business name, address,
and phone number that you add to your Google business profile needs to be
consistent with every asset you have online, such as your Yelp profile,
website, social media profiles like Twitter, YouTube, TikTok,
LinkedIn, or whatever. Because a difference in
this information could cause confusion.

to search engines and your customers. So take note of that. Now, back to the setup. As you type something
into the field, Google will try to match your business name to
those that are already in their database. This is to avoid duplication. If you found your business
in the suggestion, then simply click on it and verify your business. But on the assumption that I'm starting
a new business, let's say that we are starting a photobooth business. So I'll add Jack's Photobooth. Let's say that this is the business name,
and since this is unique, I'll click on this. A tip here is that you want to try adding
a focus keyword you want your business to rank for in your business name. For example, if we search for
a photo booth Singapore on Google Maps, you will see that most businesses
ranking at the top will have a photo booth in their business name. But if your business name does not
include the keyword you want to rank for,

then you may consider adding your business tagline. For example, selfie box. They do not have photo booth in their business name, but they add it in their tagline. When you search for them on Google, you will see their tagline here as well. The key is to optimize the business name for a primary keyword you want your business to rank for. For the case of selfie box, they will be adding their tagline to the business name. But take note that it is against Google guidelines if your business name does not reflect your business real-world name as used consistently on your storefront, website, stationery, etc. If you are adding your business tagline here, make sure that you include the same tagline in your website, storefront, signage, or whatever. But since Jacks Photo Booth includes the keyword I want my business to rank for, I will leave it as it is and click Continue. Now, your business may fall into more than one category here.

If you have a local store and you have an online retail store as well, you can select both, or you could be a service-based business with a physical office or store. You can select these two. But in this tutorial, I will walk you through two of the most popular types, which are the local store and the service business, one at a time. I'll start with the service business because there is something I want to share with you in advance. So businesses such as freelance web designer, graphic designer, plumber, social media manager, virtual assistant, or basically any businesses that do not require a physical address, you will select this option. Click next. Here, you will choose your primary business category. Google already has a list of business categories, and depending on what you choose, the information required and the verification process might be different. For example, let's say that my business is offering a photo booth service for events such as weddings, corporate events, or whatever.

As I search for a photo, a list of predefined business categories will show. The photo booth appears to be here, so I'll select that. You will need to select one of the suggestions because anything out of the ordinary will not be accepted. So if the business category you want isn't available, then choose a more general category that still accurately describes your business. Now, here's a tip. The primary business category you choose here is one of the most important ranking factors, so it is crucial that you choose it wisely. If you have trouble choosing a suitable category, you may want to install a Chrome extension called GMB Everywhere. Once installed, you can search for a general keyword related to your business, and you can see all the business categories your competitors have chosen. The one marked with the star is the primary category for each competitor, so you have to decide which is more suitable. So since the top-ranking businesses selected photography services.

as a business category instead of photo booth, I will follow suit and click Next. Now, check this out. If I choose photo booth instead,
based on Google's understanding of the business category,
they deem that the photo booth business requires a location customers can visit,
and they ask for a physical address, which makes sense because customers may
want to try the photo booth before committing to the service. Now, I assume some individuals
may want to start a service business without a physical location. In our case, we could be starting
a photo booth business without an office. We have all the equipment at home,
so how do we go about doing this? Well, one obvious way is to change the
business category to something else where Google do not need your physical address. If you are lucky enough, you could find
something that still represents your business, for example, this scenario. But if you are not that lucky,
the easiest way to do this is to open up

your home to your potential customers. But I want to caution you that if you use
some virtual office business address or co-working space, it is actually against
Google's business profile guidelines. Where it says an ongoing service class or
meeting of a location that you do not own or have the authority to represent is
not eligible for a business profile. In that case, opening up your home
to your customers is probably the most suitable scenario. But of course, do check if there are
laws or policies preventing you from using your home as a business. For example, in Singapore, if you live
in a public housing estate, these are the permitted home-based business activities
together with the conditions of use. Anything out of it, you would need
to rent a location to start a business. Anyway, if we go back and change
the business category from photo booth to photography services,
which is still relevant to my business operation, in that case,
they will not ask for the address.

but instead ask for the service areas. I suggest that you search for areas
that are close to your home so that your business has a higher likelihood
to show up on local pack in areas where your customers are searching for. You can add up to 20 service
areas, but take note that the boundaries of your overall area should not extend
further than 2 hours of driving time from where your business is based. Now, that's the guideline. You can definitely choose areas
out of the 2 hours drive, but there is a high likelihood that
your business won't rank for those areas when someone searches for it. Google will most likely
rank businesses that are closest in proximity to the searcher. Anyway, back to the setup. I will just include these two areas.
Click next. Now, Google will ask for
your contact details such as your phone number and website
because those are important information included when people find your business
through LocalPack or Google Maps.

So just add the phone number. This is a requirement, but the website
is optional, and hit next. This step is for you to decide if you wish
to receive news and tips from Google. It will make sense to check this. And if you wish to
participate in their surveys or try their new products or additions,
feel free to check this as well. Then hit continue if you agree with their
terms of service and privacy policy. Now, the verification process. Again, we will discuss this in a while. For now, let's back up a little. Now, if your business has a physical store
where your customers can visit, you'll be selecting the local store option. Click next. And similarly, you will need
to select a primary business category. Let's say that we own a stationary shop. As you search for it,
these suggestions will appear. I will select this and click next. And unlike the service business
option, where you include service

areas, Google will ask for your business address instead. You need to add the address where your customers can visit, or in other words, the address where you service your customers. Now, what if I have a registered business address with the authorities, but the place of business, which is the address where my customers can visit, is different. For example, Samsung has a corporate office address in Maple tree, business city, but they do not serve their customers there. Instead, they serve their customers in different locations. For customers who want to buy their mobile phones, they will have to visit one of these locations. In the address fields, Samsung would have to add the address that serves the customers. By the way, if you serve customers in different locations like Samsung, you will need to create one business profile for each location under the same Google account. In this case, under one Google account, you will have two business profiles, one for each location.

But anyway, back to our stationery shop. Let's assume that this is
the address of the stationery shop. Let's click Next. Now, Google just want to make sure
that there are no duplicates. If these are not your business,
then select None of these and click Next. If Google can't pinpoint
the exact location of a business, they will ask you to adjust the marker
to identify your location. Once done, click Next. From here on, it will be the same
as the Service Business option up to the verification step. So let's talk about that now. Now, depending on a business category
you have selected and many other factors, Google will decide
your verification methods. And once they are decided,
you can't change them. Google said that they rarely run immediate
verification unless you have verified your website with Google Search Console,
and they can confirm that it is a legitimate business with all
the necessary business information on your website.

But the chances are slim. The more common verification method
are by phone or text, where they will send a code to your registered mobile,
and you just need to enter the code, and your business will be verified. And the most challenging verification
method is by video recording. For some people, this is
the only verification method, and most people struggle with this. So if this is you, then take note of this. The video recording needs to be done
in one take without any jump cuts or editing, meaning the whole video
needs to be done in one single take. Avoid recording faces and any sensitive
documents like your bank statement that shows your bank account numbers or
your personal identification documents. But if you need to show
your bank statement as proof of address, meaning the letterhead that includes your
business name and address, you can cover the parts and only show what matters. And most importantly, the video cannot
be more than five minutes. So you can plan your video in such
a way that it shows the location of your

business, capture the official street and
number of sites, and nearby businesses, and then focus on your business
storefront that shows the signage. For Following that, turn the camera
to you opening up the door of your store without showing your face, and then
walk around the store showing evidence that your business exists. Show yourself opening up the cash
register, unlocking your staff room or office, walking to your desk,
picking up a document that shows your business name and address. That's the rough idea. Do everything in one take. Now, for service businesses that do not
have a storefront, record your equipment or other items related to your business. Like if you're a photographer, record
your cameras, studio lighting, etc. Capture your products for sale,
brand equipment, marketing materials like your brochure, or whatever tools
that serve your customers. If you need reference to this guide,
the link is in the description. Once you have submitted your video,
it will take about five business days

for the confirmation. I hope with all these,
you will pass the verification step. Now, let's continue with
the business profile set up. I will verify the business later, so I'll
just hit more options and verify later. Now, if you have selected
the local store option earlier, you may not see this step. This is more for service-based businesses,
but I will go through it anyway in case you encounter it. And if you encounter this,
you must not skip this step because match services are a ranking factor. Based on what Google knows about
your business, they have suggested what they think are the most relevant. And in some instances,
Google would have selected a few services for you by default. You can customize the services
by selecting the ones that are most relevant to your business. Now, how will the services
show on Google Maps or Local pack? Let me show you an example. On Google Maps, let's
search for swimming lessons.

And as you scroll down, you will see
some results with this on-site services, online classes, etc. This is the result of adding the services. But don't you think it will
be better if you add, for example, online swimming lessons, and if someone
searches for private swimming lessons, the service is shown here. Wouldn't that be more
relevant to the searcher? So if you don't see the services specific
to you offer in the suggestions, feel free to add custom services like this. Take note that not all custom services
are accepted, especially these. So beware of them. Anyway, when you are done with
adding your services, click next, and we will need to add our business hours. Business hours is a ranking factor
because Google wants to show businesses that are still available to the searcher,
even if it's 3:00 AM in the morning. So businesses that are still open
at the time may rank at the top.

However, if you list your business hours
as 24/7 while it is closed at 3:00 AM, if Google finds out,
your business profile may be suspended. So be cautious of this. Anyway, the business hours
you add here should be consistent with the information on your website,
your signage, or other local profiles like Yelp, Yellow Pages, or whatever. Now, this is pretty straightforward,
so it needs no explanation. But let me walk you through
a more complicated scenario. Let's say that you run a restaurant
and it is only open on Tuesday, and there are two opening hours. This is just a hypothetical
scenario, okay? So I will turn Tuesday on,
and let's say that it opens at 9:00 AM and closes at 1:00 PM. That's the first set of opening hours. And then the restaurant
opens at 5:00 PM again. So we will click at Hours, look for 5:00
PM, and closes at 11:00 PM.

That's how you should do it. Anyway, once you have done
with the business hours, click Next. And here, you will have the option
to select if you wish your customers to contact you via messages on Google. You see, on certain business profiles,
you will have this message function where your customers can get in touch with you. This is the result of turning
the accept messages option on. If used properly, the message feature may
help turn your prospects into customers. However, the caveat to using this feature
is that you have to respond quickly. If your response is slow, it may leave
a bad impression on your customers, and in extreme cases, it may frustrate them. When Google deems that response time
is slow, they may automatically disable the feature. So if you are not confident
in responding promptly to your customers, feel free to turn this off. Anyway, let's click Next,
and here you will write a description about your business.

Keep it within 750 characters. You should focus on writing a short summary of what your business offers, what sets your business apart from your competitors, and anything else that might be helpful to your customers. If you already have an established website and have an About Us page, you can add those descriptions here. And if you have trouble writing your business description, feel free to use Content AI to write it for you if you are using WordPress. On your dashboard, hover to Rank Math SEO, select Content AI. As you can see, there are many AI tools that you can use, but the one that we need is under the Miscellaneous tab. Right here, the Company Bio AI tool. Let's say that we are running a photo booth business. The company name is Jack's Photo Booth. The purpose is to capture precious moments in candid style during weddings, corporate events, business parties, etc. In the Company Information section, we will include the name of the company.

location of your services, the services you provide, and anything that will help your customers understand what you do. These are the three required views. The rest are optional. You may want to add a focus keyword such as photobooth services. Hit comma to add another keyword if you have. Then set the tones that match your business voice. Select your language. We have more than 28 languages to choose from. Select your number of outputs, and let's hit Generate. In a while, your company description will be done. This entire description can be added to your website as part of your About Us page, and part of it can be used in your Google business profile because it only allows for 750 characters, which is about 100-190 words. Your business description will appear right at the bottom when people are viewing your business profile, so it is wise to beef up your description that aligns with your customer's interest.

Though you can add 750 characters, as you can see, only about 244 characters will be shown. A few things to note: The business description is not a ranking factor, so do not cram a bunch of keywords into the field and do not include any promotional messages like buy now and get 50% discount. Put all text in uppercase, use emojis, add phone number, URL, or HTML code. You'll just be wasting characters. Anyway, let's click Next, and you'll be prompted to add images of your business. Google said that businesses that add photos to their business profiles receive 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35% more click-through rates to their website than businesses that don't. So it will be wise to add authentic images, especially those taken when you are providing the service. If it is a store, then take photos of your store and the products you sell. When you are done adding the images, click Next.

If you wish to run Google Ads,
like those you see when you search for something on Google Maps
or Local Pack, you can click Get Started. Otherwise, you can skip this. You can always run ads
later when you are ready. And finally, it will ask if
you wish to try Google Workspace that will include your domain email address
and all other Google services. If not, click Skip,
and you are done with the setup. You will see something like this on search
that includes a summary of your business as well as a dashboard to help you
manage your Google business profile. If you have exited the Google business
profile and you want to get back to it, just search My Business, and
if you are logged into the right Google account, as you scroll down,
you will see your business profiles. Click on View Profile,
and you are back at the dashboard. Simple and easy. Of course, this is just a set-up process,
and there are more optimizations to make.

your business profile more credible and
trustworthy, which inherently increases your chances of higher rankings. If you want to learn more about that,
do let us know in the comments. Anyway, if you find this video
helpful, can you help us out by smashing that thumbs
up and subscribe to us to keep yourself updated with the latest on SEO and AI. This is Jack from Rank Math. I'll see you in the next video.

Google Business Profile Tutorial: Step-By-Step Guide to List Your Business

Google Business Profile Tutorial: Step-By-Step Guide to List Your Business