Managing your online review profiles, specifically Google My Business, is critical for your online reputation.
rater8 has a lot of Google My Business clients. And we notice that many clients haven’t even claimed their existing listings.
This is a BIG mistake.
It’s important to claim your Google My Business listing so you can:
- update basic business information
- add photos
- keep track of your reviews (and flag inappropriate ones if needed)
- manage users
- analyze customer insights and data
- much, much more!
Claiming Your Google My Business Profile
In order to claim your Google My Business listing, follow these simple steps:
- Navigate to Google My Business and sign in. If you haven’t created a Google My Business account, quickly sign up. It’s free!
- Search for your business using its name and address.
- If you see a dialog letting you know that someone else has verified the business, follow these steps.
- If you don’t see your business listed in the menu, click “No, these are not my businesses or I’ve correctly entered the business.”
- You’ll then be prompted to enter additional details for your business. Make sure you enter an accurate, complete street address, and a phone number which reaches your business directly.
- Click Submit.
Email Verification
If the Google My Business profile has already been claimed by another individual, Google will require email verification. Google will send an automated email to the current owner and that individual must approve your request.
For email verification, Google will not reveal the owner’s entire email, but it will show you the leading characters.
Why is this useful?
Imagine a request was sent to js…@yourdomain.com. I might recognize that the email belongs to John Smith so I can follow up with that person directly to ensure he grants me access.
Postcard Verification
For listings that haven’t been claimed before, a postcard verification may be necessary.
A postcard will arrive within 3-5 business days at the designated business address. The postcard will contain a verification code, along with a URL to complete the claiming process. The postcard method is admittedly slower and delays the process but there is unfortunately no way to expedite this.
Now you have claimed your business on Google, you can begin optimizing the profile to attract more online visitors and customers.
