Google My Business listings have a new name: Google Business Profiles (GBPs); But that’s not all that’s new. Are you in the know about how to effectively manage and update your business’s Google Business Profile? 

Read on for invaluable tips to expertly manage your listing and why it’s important to keep your GBP updated. 

Quick breakdown: 

• Why Keeping Your Business’s GBP Information Current is Important
• Google Business Profile Ownership

Why Keeping Your Business’s GBP Information Current is Important

Google Business Profiles give business owners an easy way to control and update information about their business online. The right side of the screenshot below is an example of a Google Business Profile.  

Frequently updated Google Business Profiles help businesses gain credibility with search engines. This credibility is an important factor in your business’s online ranking. If your business’s GBP has inaccurate information, search engines will be less likely to show your business in search results when someone is looking for what it offers. Keep your credibility strong, keep your GBP updated!

Google Business Profile Ownership

Part of running a top performing GBP is maintaining ownership of the listing. Maintaining ownership is trickier than it may seem and there are consequences for losing ownership. 

Here’s how GBP ownership works: 

First, it’s important to know that there are different levels of access for GBPs. There are managers and owners. Owners receive new ownership access requests and can either approve or reject them. Managers do not receive these requests and can only change information on the GBP. This access level is important to keep in mind if you have a third party, such as a digital marketing agency, managing your business’s listing. Whoever keeps track of your business’s GBP most likely needs to have ownership access and to know what to do when new ownership access requests come through. 

Anyone browsing the internet can request access to a Google Business Profile. If the current owner does not respond to the request within seven days, Google will allow the account requesting access to claim and verify the listing. 

Before the new account takes ownership and verifies the GBP, a postcard with a verification code will be mailed from Google to the address provided by the new account. Once verified, the account receiving access can change the business information listed on the GBP. 

If you currently own a GBP, you’ve gone through this process. However, you don’t want just anyone gaining editing access to your business’s online information. This is why it’s important to continuously check-in on your GBP to appropriately handle any rogue or legitimate requests for ownership. Neglecting to keep up with your GBP could result in wasted time trying to get ownership back and losing potential customers if your business’s information is incorrect or the GBP has been deleted due to suspicious activity. Losing ownership can also cause review responses and photos uploaded by the previous owner to be removed.

Final thoughts…

If business owners manage their own listing, they should monitor their email notifications and always keep their business listing up-to-date. Updating hours, holiday hours, photos, business categories, updating new services or deleting old services, making Google posts, and responding to reviews all go into an optimized GBP that works for your business. 

Interested in what it could look like to have RevLocal handle your business’s digital marketing? Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experts. Until then, check out these resources on digital marketing best practices and more!