Doesn’t life seem much easier when you type the keyword ‘Chinese Restaurants’ in your Google Search Engine and get a list of all top rated restaurants in your vicinity with reviews from authenticated users?

Google My Business Listing, formerly known as Google Places or Google+ Pages Dashboard, is a great way to mark an online presence for your business in the most hassle free way that one could ever imagine.

Add your Local business to Google My Business

If you just established your business and want to promote it, then here’s how you can add business to Google My Business account.

1. Visit Google My Business.
2. Click on ‘Start Now’.
3. Log in to your account. Note: Instead of using your personal Gmail Account, make sure you use an e-mail address that reflects the name of your business. For example: ‘predictadigital@gmail.com’.
4. Agree to the ‘Terms and Conditions’ and then click on ‘Ok, Got It!’ on Google My Business Welcome Page.

   

5. Next, you would require filling a form and type in your Business Details such as your business name, country/ region, street address, city, pin code, state, main business phone, category, and website URL. If your business detail doesn’t automatically arrive on the scroll down list, then you would require manually entering the details and pointing your exact business location on Google Maps.
6. Next, agree that you Authorize to manage this business and make sure you read the terms and conditions before you check in the box and click on continue.
7.  Google will then Verify your business by sending you a postcard with a verification pin. This usually takes 2- 3 weeks. Sometimes, you may also be asked to undergo a text verification or automated phone call verification to confirm your address instead.
8. After you have been verified, you can then confirm your business, set up a Google+ page for your business and do further edits to Promote your business on Google.  You can further use Google’s free website builder to auto- generate your listing’s information on a stunning site. Add photos, use different templates and designs, write highlights and latest gossips about your business on this site to help people know your business better.

Claiming your existing business with Google My Business

If you already have an established business, it is highly likely that your business information might have been already uploaded by some random person or your loyal customers. If your business already has a listing on Google, you would just need to find your name on the scroll down menu in the form fill-up page and select your business name to add business to Google. Subsequently, you would be asked to verify your account similar to the aforementioned procedure. You can also create a Brand Account on Google+ pages to dedicate your business.

Once you have done adding/ claiming your Google My Business Account, don’t forget to share it with your customers and ask them to provide positive reviews about your business.

If you want your business to gain local popularity, then marking up your business on the Google My Business listing is a fast and a hassle free approach.  The best part is that, all of it comes for free! However, if you want to drive paid traffic to your site, you can always use GoogleAdwords to help promote your business.