A Simplified Guide to Creating a Google Business Profile for Your Nigerian Business

Are you looking for a way to boost your online presence and attract more customers?

Look no further, creating a Google business profile is one of the best options. With over 8.5 billion searches conducted on Google daily, a strong presence on the platform will put any business in the world’s map. It does not only create a strong online presence but also makes your business credible.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps of setting up your own Google Business profile so you can reach more potential customers in no time.

What is a Google Business Profile?

A Google Business Profile is an online profile created by businesses to help them stand out on Google Search, Maps, and other Google products. It provides customers with important information about a business, such as its location, contact details, opening hours, reviews, and more.

By creating a Google Business Profile, businesses can ensure their customers can find them easily on the web. A Google Business Profile is an important part of any business’ digital marketing strategy, as it helps them reach more potential customers and build trust.

How to Create a Google Business Profile

If you want to make your business easy to find online, one of the best things you can do is create a Google Business Profile. This will make your business more visible in search results and allow you to control how your business appears in Google Maps and Google+.

• Creating a Google Business Profile is free and easy. All you need is a Gmail account. Once you have created an account, log into Google Business Profile. You will be asked to either claim an existing business or add a new one.
• If you are creating a profile for a brand new business, click “Add your business” and enter the required information. This includes your business name, address, and phone number. You will also be asked to categorize your business. Once you have completed all the required fields, click “Continue.”
• If you are claiming an existing business, enter the name of the company and its location. Google will generate a code that you must write down or remember. Next, Google will call the phone number listed for your business and provide the generated code when prompted. Doing this verifies that you are indeed the owner or manager of the claimed listing.

Once you have either added or claimed your listing, take some time to fill out as much information about your business as possible under each tab. The more information you provide, the easier

Here are key things to note when setting up a Google Business Profile for your business:

1. Enter your business name and address properly. If you have a physical location for your business, include it. If your company has multiple locations, you can also add them here.
2.  Choose the appropriate category for your business. This will help customers find you when they search on Google.
3.  Add some photos of your business or products/services. For example, this could be your company logo or an image of your storefront. Customers love visuals, so include high-quality photos that accurately represent your work.
4. Write a compelling description of your business and what makes you unique. What do you do? What are your specialities? This is your chance to sell yourself!
5. Finally, add some additional information about your business, such as your hours of operation and website address. 

Having a business profile makes connecting with other businesses and potential customers on Google easy. This social network is growing in popularity, so you can use it as a digital marketing strategy for your business. Nigerian businesses rarely use this Google feature because they rely on other digital strategies, they do not know the Google business profile creates a larger online presence not only locally but also internationally.

As a business owner, you should create a Google Business Profile for your company because it’s free advertising. Your business will come up in relevant search results, and you’ll be able to specify important information like your hours, location, and contact information. Customers can also leave reviews, which can help build your business’s credibility and reputation. Overall, having a Google Business Profile benefits you and your customers, so it’s important you have one.

Read Also: Things Every Company Owner Must Do To Succeed

Benefits of Creating a Google Business Profile

If you haven’t already created a Google Business Profile, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to promote your business and improve your visibility online. Creating a Google Business Profile makes it easier for customers to find your business, learn about your products and services, and contact you.

There are several benefits of creating a Google Business Profile for your business:

1. Improve your visibility online

A Google Business Profile makes it easier for customers to find your business online. When people search for your business name or category on Google, your Business Profile will appear in the search results along with basic information about your business, such as your address, phone number, website, and opening hours.

Your business becomes visible to millions of people, they don’t have to ask a lot of questions about your business when they’ve seen your business profile on Google.

2. Promote your products and services

Your Google Business Profile provides an easy way to promote your products and services to potential customers. You can add photos and videos of your products or services and detailed descriptions to help customers learn more about what you offer. You can also include pricing information and special offers on your profile to encourage customers to buy from you.

3. Increase customer engagement

A Google Business Profile provides an easy way for customers to contact you or get directions to your business location. Customers can call you directly from your profile or get directions using the map. Depending on your type of business, they can also place their orders online while you get them delivered via dispatch riders or any other means possible.

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4. Edit your listing and speak for yourself

If you don’t like how your business is represented on Google, you can take matters into your own hands by editing your listing. It gives you a chance to add your personal touch. When you edit your listing, you can add photos, change your business hours, and even add a description.

This is your opportunity to speak for yourself and tell potential customers what makes your business unique. Take the time to edit your listing and make it your own. It’s a great way to showcase what you have to offer and might just be what sets you apart from your competition.

Read Also: How to Create a Compelling Company Profile for Your Business (Template)

How to Set Up Booking Appointments on Google Business Profile

After successfully claiming your business on Google and verifying your ownership, here’s how to set up booking appointments so potential customers can order your services easily. Follow these steps to get started: 

•  Open your Google Business Profile 
•  Click on ‘Bookings’ in the left-hand panel.
• Select ‘Yes’ next to ‘Do you offer appointments?’ and click ‘Save.’ 
• Decide whether customers can book appointments directly with you or through a booking provider.
• If you’re using a booking provider, select ‘I use a booking partner’ and enter the website where customers can book an appointment. 
• If you’re taking appointments directly through your Google Business Profile, select ‘I take appointments directly with my business.’ 
• Decide which appointment types you’d like to offer, then click ‘Save.’ 
• Provide additional details about your appointment types, such as service duration, price, and special customer instructions. 
• When you’re finished adding details, click ‘Done.’

How to Set Up Performance Report on Google Business Profile

Your business’ growth is important, this is why you have an updated performance report of your business. You can set up a performance report to track your business’s performance on Google Business Profile. Here’s how:

• Log into your Google My Business account.
• Click on the “performance” button.
• Choose the metric you want to track. Here, you can see metrics such as, how often your business has been shown in search results and how many views and clicks your profile has received. You can as well track the calls to your business.
• Select the time frame you want to track. You can choose between 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days.
• Click on the “Apply” button. Your performance report will be generated, and you’ll be able to see how your business is doing on Google My Business!

How to Add Question and Answer to Google Business Profile

The modern internet user is pleased when the information they seek is accessible in fewer clicks. Anything you can add to your Google business profile that helps users get answers to their questions faster gives them a better experience and makes them think of you as an authority in your niche. You will also save time as a result of this.

Suppose there are questions about your company that you repeatedly answer in your chat section or on calls, consider including those questions in the most visible places to reduce the time you spend answering them.

Adding a Question and Answer section to your Google Business Profile is a great way to interact with potential customers and answer their questions. Here’s how to do it:

• Log in to your Google account and go to your Google business profile page.
• Click on the “Create a new business” button.
• Enter your business information, including your business name, address, and phone number.
• Click on the “Add Question & Answer” button.
• Enter your question in the “Question” field and your answer in the “Answer” field.
• Click the “Post” button to publish your question and answer on your Google Business Profile.

NB: You don’t have to wait for customers to ask a question before using this feature on your Google Business Profile. If your business has a website with an FAQ section, you can copy and paste them here.

Conclusion

Setting up your business on Google is important in today’s digital world. By creating a comprehensive profile with accurate information, including photos and links to essential resources, you can build trust within the search engine community and take advantage of all its great benefits over traditional advertising methods.

With the right setup, you can be sure customers find you quickly and easily when searching for businesses like yours! Plus, building a strong online presence helps boost overall visibility for your business, so take advantage of this opportunity now.

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About Author

Samuel Usman

Samuel Usman is a writer and copywriter who has honed his craft to make you see what you want to see.
His passion is communicating ideas through words—creating content that is clear, concise, easy-to-understand, and persuasive—and he specializes in creating content that engages readers and drives results.

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