Setting Up GMB For Toronto-Based Business

Toronto is the largest city in Canada, and is internationally recognized as a diverse and cosmopolitan centre for business and the arts. Surrounded by scenic Lake Ontario, this city grew from a small town into one of the most populous places in all of North America. You want your business to stand apart from the stiff competition, just like how the CN Tower rises above the Toronto skyline. So, how do you do it?

For your business to thrive, you need to meet your customers where they’re at, and the answer to that is online. A recent survey revealed that 90% of consumers look for businesses online. If you want customers to discover your business, your website needs to be visible in search engine results. A marketing strategy that’s used to rank websites higher in Google is SEO (search engine optimization). It involves a lot of moving parts and is difficult to orchestrate on your own, but one important aspect of it is your Google My Business listing. A GMB is something you can set up by yourself for free. Let’s dive into how to do so, and the ways it will benefit you:

 

How do you set up a GMB?

It all begins with a Google account. You may already have a personal Gmail address, but for a GMB, you’ll need one that’s associated with your business. Once that’s created, visit https://www.google.com/business/ and click Manage Now. This takes you through the process of setting up a Business Profile, where you’ll provide basic information like the name, location, and category of your company. 

Next, you need to verify that your business exists. This is frequently done through postcard verification, where Google mails a code to the address of your business. You may also be eligible for phone or email verification. Wait for your code to arrive, enter it on Google, and voila! You’re ready to start fleshing out your GMB. 

Your company may already have a listing on Google, even if it hasn’t been claimed or verified by you yet. If your listing isn’t claimed, anyone can make changes to it, which means that it might be full of misinformation. To check for this, look up the name of your business on Google search or Maps. You’ll see a clickable link that reads, Own this business? This will take you through the verification process that’s detailed above. 

Once your GMB is claimed and verified, the next step is adding all the information that you can. Include photos, a website URL, a phone number, the areas you serve in Toronto—seek to answer any questions your customers might have. Describe your products and/or services and be sure to update your hours or contact information whenever they change. You may be asking yourself, what’s the point of all this work? Well, a GMB stands to benefit your company in several ways.

 

Why is a GMB good for local SEO?

One of the biggest reasons that your company needs a GMB listing is that it increases your visibility in search results. A GMB can help with SEO in a few ways:

  • It makes your business more enticing to customers. With a GMB, you’ll see increased customer engagement. Uploading photos to your GMB enhances its desirability. A consumer will be more likely to call your business or visit your website to learn more when your GMB listing appears in search results.

 

  • A GMB compiles the most frequently asked questions into one convenient location. Before a customer decides to buy from your business, they have all sorts of questions: What are your hours? What’s your average review score? Where are you located? A completed GMB listing contains all this information and more. In turn, this will increase your CTR (click-through rate).

 

  • It’s a ranking factor. The many ways that Google ranks websites is a mystery to most, but over the years, SEO experts have managed to determine a few factors—one of which is having a GMB listing. When Google is organizing which websites appear in their Local Pack, a highly visible list of three businesses relevant to a search query, GMB signals make up 33% of ranking factors.

 

  • Customers can leave reviews. Have you ever considered buying from a business, but then you saw their average star rating and changed your mind? You’re not alone; online reviews are an influential factor when it comes to making purchasing decisions. When a consumer is picking between your business and your competitor, often it’s the positivity of the reviews that sways their decision. A GMB listing allows you to start amassing and responding to reviews. 

 

Do you need help with Toronto search engine optimization? An SEO agency with all the necessary tools at their disposal is exactly what you need. First Rank is a Canadian SEO business that can help you create a GMB that your competitors will envy. Along with GMB management, we have a team of technical specialists, content creators, and link builders. Get in touch with us to start taking control of your rankings. 

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The purpose of First Rank is to help businesses generate leads from their websites. We put a focus on SEO, because we believe it is one of the most cost effective and highest converting forms of traffic generation, however traffic alone is not enough on its own to grow your business. SEO should be combined with conversion optimization, email marketing and retargeting to maximize the ROI of your advertising dollars.