You’ve worked hard to build your small business from the ground up. Now it’s time to show consumers who you are, what makes you so great, and why they should buy your product or service.

That’s where local marketing—and a free Google Business Profile—comes in. Yes, you could spread the news about your business via word of mouth, but if you really want to connect with customers on a wider scale and boost your local visibility, Google Business Profile is where it’s at.

In fact, Google Business Profile is one of the most important, if not the most important, tool you can have in your local marketing toolkit today. According to a recent report, 60% of smartphone users contact businesses through Google Business Profile. But only 44% of local retailers have even claimed their Google Business Profile.

If you want to get a leg up on your competitors, claiming and setting up your Google Business Profile is absolutely critical. Here’s how to do it right, so that you can stand out on Google and reach as many people as possible.

Setting Up Your Google Business Profile

Think of Google Business Profile as a digital storefront, where people first encounter you when they search online. To get customers “through the door” so to speak, you want your storefront to create a good first impression.

Start by visiting Google Business Profile’s homepage and identifying or claiming your business. From there, you’ll be able to input your business name, category, address (if you have one), contact details, opening/closing times, pricing, products, services, and website link.

You’ll also be able to choose your service area if you don’t have a brick-and-mortar location. But remember, Google Business Profile is best-suited for local marketing. If you expand your service area by over 100 miles, you’ll start to water down the effectiveness of your Business Profile. For best results, keep it within a 20-mile radius.

Google will then verify your business’s authenticity, and within about 5 days, you’ll be all ready to go. Now, when people search for a product or service similar to the one you offer, your small business will pop up on the world’s biggest search engine.

Standing Out on Google Business Profile

You may be thinking, “Okay, I’ve set up my Business Profile. What else could I possibly do to stand out on Google?” Believe it or not, there’s still more work to be done. But we promise it’s easy. With a little bit of hard work and dedication, your business will soon be on its way to Google stardom.

So what’s the secret to standing out on Google? It’s all about regularly keeping your Google Business Profile fresh with new photos, offers, posts, and updates. For example, if you’re a restaurant owner, update your menu regularly and use attributes to let customers know which services you offer, like “Dine-in” or “Curbside pickup.” If you run a retail business, use Pointy from Google to show which products you currently have in store. It ultimately comes down to updating your profile anytime you have something new to share, whether that’s upcoming events, product promotions, special offers, company announcements, etc.

You should also treat your Google Business Profile like a social media platform—because it is one! Create a posting schedule and strategy so that you’re publishing posts and uploading photos or videos every week. If you’re not sure what to post, repurpose what you’ve already published on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Save time and energy by using the 1:1 aspect ratio to easily reuse photos across platforms.

Each social media platform is different, and that includes Google. When it comes to posting on your Business Profile, it’s important to remember why you’re posting. The purpose of Google is to connect with customers, so make sure your assets are customer-centric. Use this space to answer questions, respond to customer reviews, and highlight positive reviews. In other words, do everything you can to gain customer trust and let people know why they should trust you with their business.

Need help setting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile? Let KLI Brand help you. We offer everything from Google Business Profile audits to Google Business Profile optimization services and more. Discover all our small business services here.