A guide to Google My Business

A beginner’s guide to Google My Business
Back in 2010, Google launched Google Places, allowing small businesses to put themselves on the map. Many companies set up Google Places listings, alongside Google+ pages; this meant they could acquire reviews and people could become advocates for the businesses they liked, sharing them and their stories with their circles.

Last year, Google got rid of Google Places and things got a little bit more complicated. They created Google+ and Google Local, to integrate the old system and create a new platform that incorporated all of this; Google My Business.

This was launched in June 2014, although it has taken a few months to roll out for all users. The change has resulted in a few challenges for businesses that were using Google+ and Google Places before the change. So off the back of much sleuthing, we thought we’d create a “Google My Business Beginner’s Guides” to help you get on top of the changes for your business.

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Google My Business – if you are starting a fresh

If you are starting a fresh and have never used Google Local or Google+ for your business before, you are in luck. It is really easy to set up a Google My Business account, verify your Local page and link it to your Google+ page. To read Google’s guide on how to do this, click here.

 

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For the rest of you, here’s a small explanation of the new platform. Google My Business (GMB) is basically a dashboard that connects everything together, it looks different from what we have seen before but once you get the hang of it it’s really straightforward.

When searching for your business in Google you will see information on the right hand side including your company name, a map, address, contact details, opening hours, reviews, any images associated with your business and your most recent post on Google+. This is all governed by the information you put into GMB, so it’s a good idea to make sure everything is correct.

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GMB also controls the information that appears under your listing on Google, this includes the link to your Google+ page. The dashboard links your Google+ page to your Google Local listing and lets everyone know your company is a verified Local Business as well as having a verified website link. This is shown by two ticks on your Google+ page.

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With Google My Business you can see and respond to reviews, see analytics for your page and even download an app allowing you to manage your business on the go.

Google+

If you already have a Google+ page, it’s a good idea to make sure that your website is verified. This verifies that you are the owner of your Google+ page and is really easy to do. You will need to send a snippet of code to your web developer, which needs to be embedded in your website. Google will prompt you for this when you log into the Google My Business dashboard and your profile will not show as complete until this is done.

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Google+ Local

If you already own a Google Local listing you will need to get it verified, again, Google will prompt you for this and it involves receiving a code from Google either through your registered address or phone number.

To set up a new Google Local listing you will need to go to the Pages dashboard in Google+, then click on “Get your page”. Google My Business will then ask you to choose a business type and type in your business name, follow the steps from there to create your Local page and go through the verification process. You will need your company phone number, website address, opening hours, address and some photos to complete your listing but don’t worry about a profile picture as this will pull through from your Google+ page when you link the two together.

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Once you have a verified Google+ page and a verified Google Local page you are left with a Google+ Local page, a page that has linked everything together. To do this you will need to go to the pages section of Google+ and select “Manage this page” for the Google Local listing. Under settings there is the subtitle “Profile” here you will see “Connect a different page” and you can select your Google+ page.

When you return to the Pages Dashboard you will see a page called “Backup of…” you can delete this page by following these steps.

Deleting a Google+ or Google Local page that doesn’t belong to you

We have found that a large number of companies have Google+ or Google Local pages that nobody seems to manage or know the logins to. If you can’t access a listing for your business, for whatever reason, there is still a way to get rid of it and start a fresh.

The first option is to request ownership of the page. This is a good idea if the page has good reviews about your business. You can do this by attempting to create a Google Local listing, (following the steps above). When you see your business on the list, click on it and then on the link “Request admin rights”. This will send a message to the administrator of that page and they can contact you to allow you to become the page owner.

Alternatively, you can report the page for impersonating your business. This is easy to do but you will need to provide some proof that you are a business representative, by providing ID. Do this by going to the page you are trying to gain control of, reporting it and follow the steps.

I have more than one location for my business

If you have more than one location for your business, you will need a separate Google+ Local page for each. All of these pages can be seen from your dashboard and controlled, although it might mean that you need to post the same information to all of the pages. A quick and easy way to do this would be through Hootsuite.

If you have more than 10 businesses you will be able to use a special dashboard especially for companies with a high number of locations.

Google is a company that is ever changing the way its products work. From an SME’s point of view, this can be frustrating and it sometimes feels like as soon as you get to grips with a new tweak, it’s changed again. Despite this, once you understand how Google’s products work they are relatively easy to get along with. Google also have a huge volume of help guides for most problems that you might come across, so it’s a good idea to check there before giving up completely. Good luck!

 

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#MarketingTitbits – personalities, authentic brands, social media

personalities-authenticity-socialmedia-smaller1. The best jobs for every personality type
Ever wondered what job you are best suited for? If you don’t, taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test could be a start. You may not have come across it before, but this test has been an established tool within business for decades. Simply answer the questions and the results will outline what 5 job types you are most suited for, easy!

Let us know if you get anything surprising.

To take the test and find out what your top five are,click here.

2. How to be an authentic brand

Firefish has recently conducted a survey into the ‘authenticity’ of brands from the views of 1000 consumers. Many of the world’s most well-known brands hit the top 20, but there were also a few surprises. Heinz fought off competition from Apple, who came in 6th, and Coca Cola, who hit unlucky 13th, to come out in pole position. To be authentic, a brand needs to be culturally relevant to the target consumer, but how is this determined?

According to the study, there are particular values that can boost your ability to thrive as an authentic brand, including originality, expertise and passion. But, as recommended by Heinz’s vice-principal of marketing, Giles Jepson, your key to being authentic is to be clear about what you stand for. But is it always that simple?

To read more about the rankings, click here.

3. 5 Social Media mistakes to avoid

If you or your business is looking to master the world of social media, then there are certain things you need to steer clear of, as reported by Entrepreneur. Incomplete profiles mean an incomplete brand in the social media world. How is a potential customer supposed to gain all the relevant information about a business when the details aren’t placed in front of them?

Constant bombardments of sales pitches will also divert customers away from your profiles, so try to break up your feed by adding personal touches rather than violating Terms of Service agreements by spamming users. It is highly important to see you profiles through the eyes of potential customers, in order to achieve the best results from social media. If you succeed in this, then you are ideally positioned to reap the rewards that social media mastery offers.

Click here to find out what else you should aim to avoid when creating your profiles.

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Couch to half marathon in just 3 months – we did it!!

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This year, we decided to complete a challenge that all of us could work towards and help us to raise some money in the process. On Sunday, our months of training were put to the test as we tackled the gruelling and (deceptively) hilly Basingstoke Half-Marathon. There was no blood, minimal tears and just a dash of vomit but we are proud to say that all the TLC Business Team completed the race with a smile (sort of) on their face.

We all finished in a great time and the results were as follows:

Josh – 1:31:55
Jake – 1.41.35
Lenny – 2.10.41
Anna – 2.12.20
Connie – 2.27.54

Although we are all very achy this week, we are feeling proud of ourselves for not only our personal accomplishments, but also the money we have raised (so far) for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

We’ve received an overwhelming amount of support, managing to raise £1,350.34 so far, but we’d love to raise even more and get to £1,500. Every penny counts, so we will be truly grateful for anything you can spare.

Please visit our Just Giving page, and for those of you who don’t think it’s a hard enough challenge, check out this poor guy…

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#MarketingTitbits – ice bucket challenge, Red Bull vs. GoPro, CEOs

icebucket-redbullgopro-ceos-smaller1. Charity defeats memes: ice bucket challenge hits 1 billion YouTube views
The Ice Bucket Challenge has been sweeping the globe over the past few months, but who could have predicted that it would become one of the internet’s biggest video memes in history? The challenge has topped the ‘Harlem Shake’ craze of 2013, having reached the 1 billion views milestone on YouTube, whilst raising awareness for ALS and over $100 million dollars in donations.

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease and its Wikipedia page views reached 2.89 million in August alone, coinciding with ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ searches topping YouTube in the same month. It goes to show the power of social media and begs the question – what will the next viral craze be?

To check out the most-viewed challenge videos,  click here.

2. Red Bull vs GoPro: taking content marketing to the extreme

Two brands in opposite corners, fighting it out for content marketing supremacy. But who will be crowned the champion? Econsultancy decides.

Both Red Bull and GoPro have revolutionised the content marketing world, through broadcasting heart-stopping events or positioning us at the centre of the action on helmet cams and cockpits, as sports are taken to the extremes. Not even GoPro can rival Red Bull’s Stratos jump – resulting in Felix Baumgartner breaking the speed of sound as he fell from the edge of space. Perhaps no one can for the foreseeable future. However, GoPro produces content that its audience finds entertaining, unique and exciting, proving that the brand is a force to be reckoned with. Both brands’ YouTube channels also enjoy expressing their love for the extraordinary, so if you haven’t had your fill of exhilaration, then this is the place to go. However, rivalry aside, arguably each owe their success to the other’s existence?

To see who came out on top, click here.

3. What CEOs wish they knew about money in their 20s

Some CEOs have finally confirmed what we’ve all thought; not everyone knows everything. So, what were some of the things they would have loved to know all those years ago?

Contrary to what many of us think, according to Matt Maloney, money is not the route to happiness. The CEO of grubHub believes a key lesson to learn is that passion is a driver of success, and this brings you happiness, rather than the money itself. It seems that TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie, agrees and recommends enjoying life rather than chasing money.

To hear the other billionaire tycoons’ views on wealth, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Coke Life, social media demographics, productivity

cokelife-socialdemographics-productivity-smaller1. Coke Life is the harbinger of death for Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola’s attempt to launch their new brand, Coca-Cola Life, has had the question raised byMarketingWeek, about whether their latest product a dud? Filled with 89 calories per can, Coca Cola Life has been described as a ‘half-way house’ between the regular 139 calorie can, and the zero calories of Diet Coke and Coke Zero.

Although Coca Cola have made a good attempt with their 50 calorie reduction, the drink still contains a high amount of sugar that could result in consumers shying away from the new introduction as the world’s population strives to be healthier.

The new flavour is stated to be extracted from natural sources, but take one look at the listed ingredients on the new green can and you’ll see that the soft drink contains a number of less than ‘natural’ substances and is certainly no more ‘natural’ than its ‘full-fat’ sister drink. So, maybe Coca Cola aren’t being 100% truthful in their claims.

It begs the question, is Coke following in the footsteps of rival Pepsi’s previous attempts at bringing healthier options into the market?

To read more, click here.

2. The social media demographics report

Social media networks’ population profiles are constantly changing – some are cultivating millions of younger users, whilst others are reaching more mature audiences. But how are the demographics changing?

In a new Business Insider report, we see that Facebook is still the most popular among teens in the USA, whilst 6 out of 10 Snapchat users are in the 18 to 34 age group, making it the youngest social network of all. Another interesting revelation is the growth in male users on Twitter, whereas previously, the site had always typically been gender-neutral.

Is this a signal of further changing times in the world of social media?

To find out how other social networks are faring, click here.

3. Get it done: 35 habits of the most productive people

We all only have 24 hours in a day and sometimes all of us go through times where this just doesn’t feel like enough for us to accomplish everything we set out to do. But Anna Vital, co-founder of Funders and Founders, has now compiled a number of tips on how to become more productive.

The infographic she has created consists of a number of actions you can adopt to improve your productivity. Not wasting time on wondering what to wear, eating healthily, assuming you’re always right and limiting your email replies to one per minute are just a few.

To see the full list, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Facebook ads, Jack Daniel’s stories, Google structured snippets

facebookads-jackdaniels-google-smaller1. Nine best practice tips for Facebook advertising

E-Consultancy has compiled a list of the best marketing practices to use with Facebook. The tips include engaging with a vast audience in order to facilitate the opportunity for more clicks on your links, to separating mobile and desktop campaigns due to the behaviour changes in users depending on which platform they are using. Surprisingly, according to previous research, mobile users are more likely to click on links.

To read the other tips on optimising your Facebook ads, click here.

2. How Jack Daniel’s uses storytelling to personalise the brand

Many brands across the world employ focusing on the tradition and heritage of their existence; Jack Daniel’s is one of them.  On their website, the brand describes their timeline as a story of ‘independence and craftsmanship using years as chapters’. For brands such as Jack Daniel’s, the importance of history is clear and September happens to be the month of ‘Mr Jack’s birthday’, although no one knows the actual date. Much of the time, the stories that are told fail to mention the brand in any way, creating a more authentic and engaging atmosphere around ‘Jack’. On the Jack Daniels website you can rewind back to the early 1900’s by scrolling through the timeline of events that have followed the brand throughout its history.

To read the story of Jack for yourself, click here.

3. Google introduces ‘structured snippets’ into search results

Google is starting to test out ways to improve CTRs (click-through rate). The introduction of ‘structured snippets’ is one of the initiatives they are testing. You can see exactly what this means for yourself by Googling ‘Nikon D7100’ or ‘Superman’. You’ll see that extra detail is added to directly to the search listing on the result page itself, informing us of the camera specifications or Superman’s origins without the need to click through to the webpage the search result is directing you to. Structured snippets certainly help a result to stand out more but will this improve CTRs or will it have the opposite effect?

To see more, click here.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – infographics, thrilling branded videos, eco apps

econsultancy-thrillingvids-ecoapps-smaller1. Five of Econsultancy’s best infographics from 2014
Econsultancy has compiled a round-up of their favourite infographics from this year, all addressing the subject of marketing. Many of the surveys carried out during the year have discovered that there exists a continuous shift from traditional to digital marketing, with marketers top three priorities this year all being digital. Furthermore, the opportunities associated with mobile marketing are made stark, alongside the fact that 71% of businesses surveyed are looking to increase their digital marketing budget, reinforces the importance of digital marketing to today’s businesses. Discover the skills that make up the ‘modern’ marketer.

To see all 5 of the infographics, click here.

2. 25 most thrilling branded Vines and Instagram videos of all time

If you’ve got a few minutes to spare, take a look at these 25 thrilling viral videos from social media favourites, Vine and Instagram.

You may find comfort in the safety of your front row seat as you watch some of the daredevil stunts that could either inspire you to release your inner adrenaline junky, or force you to shy away from any extreme ventures for life.

Many familiar brands such as GoPro, Red Bull, Nike and Ford feature, giving us an insight into their weird yet exciting minds.

Sit down, relax and click here to watch all 25.

3. 7 apps to make you more environmentally friendly

Around the world today, more and more people are becoming increasingly aware of their impact on the environment. Many are keen to take measures to reduce this impact. Are you one of them?

If the answer is yes, then you might benefit from taking a look at this list of apps to help make you more environmentally friendly. View your carbon footprint, download NASA’s images of change app, where you can see the shocking changes place to our environment, there are 5 more. So whether you’re a business or an individual, if you are looking to reduce your impact on the environment, one of these apps should help you along the way.

To see the full list of the apps, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Facebook, uni blunders, real-time marketing

facebook-uniblunders-realtimemarketing-smaller1. Facebook just changed mobile advertising. Here’s how…
Facebook has set itself on a new mission – to combat ‘the mobile problem’. In the UK alone, Econsultancy believes that there is £1.9 billion+ of opportunity that isn’t being grasped for brands to buy more mobile ad space and reap the rewards of the ever-increasing use of mobile platforms.

Fear not, as Facebook has now introduced Atlas, a new ad buying service that will use Facebook’s user data to target audiences across other websites on multiple platforms. Buyers will be able to track the journey of a user, from the first sighting of an advert, to the possible click-through and potential conversion. The idea is that marketers will now be able to see if their mobile ads work and consequently whether they should buy more of them.

Will it increase mobile advertising? We’ll have to see.

Click here to read more.

2. Five toe-curling blunders from university marketing teams

The university market has become increasingly competitive through the rise of tuition fees, meaning most are constantly developing their marketing strategies to embrace and engage with the younger generations. But sometimes even the biggest universities get it wrong.

Check out The Guardian’s article showing some of the worst mistakes made, including unfortunate acronyms created by Newcastle University when they attempted to trademark various names, and The University of California’s backlash after creating a new logo that some students believed resembled a flushing toilet.

Take 5 minutes and amuse yourself by clicking here.

3. Five lessons learned from leading brands’ real-time marketing efforts

Today, more and more brands are attempting to enter the pool of real-time marketing, or quite simply engaging audiences with content that is happening now.

By taking a look at The Guardian’s compilation of some recent examples, you can learn some valuable lessons. For example, it is useful to check your messages before they are sent out, as made.com found after the Scottish Referendum when they sent out the wrong verdict, and faced handing out discounts to those who had seen the blunder. One brand that succeeded with its real-time marketing is Samsung, who enjoyed picking at Apple’s launch of the iPhone 6 as part of their ‘it doesn’t take a genius campaign’.

To see other brands’ attempts and learn some lessons, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Facebook secrets, B&Q, startups

facebook-b&q-startups-smaller-11. Shh… three Facebook marketing secrets
You may have read some of our Facebook advertising news stories over the past few weeks, but this week even more has been revealed. Some of the most experienced Facebook marketers may be surprised to hear about some of the hidden features that they keep behind closed doors.

Now, Facebook can tell you all you need to know about your audience. For example, you can find out whether they’re using desktop or mobile, their age, and whether they’ve graduated or not. However, if you have an American audience of above 1000, then your ‘spying skills’ can gain much more depth, as you’re able to identify income brackets and even the cars they drive (although, this may be bordering on stalker tendencies).

To check out other insights, click here.

2. B&Q’s new £60m responsive website reviewed

What could you buy for £60m? Fifty Bugatti Veyrons? Possibly a chunk of Buckingham Palace? The list could be never-ending, yet did it cross your mind that you could also invest in a new website for yourself or your business? Maybe not, but that’s exactly what B&Q have done. Will their new web design blow you away?

Econsultancy undertakes a comparison between new and old, so you can make your judgements on whether the more contemporary design works for B&Q. They have now followed in many brands footsteps by introducing the ‘click and collect’ feature, although the products available to take advantage of this are unfortunately limited. An important point is has the company already lost customers by removing the option for a guest checkout, resulting in more shoppers ditching their virtual baskets?

To take a look at the review for yourself, click here.

3. 8 of the most first-world startups on the planet

Why are start-ups aimed at the world’s wealthiest people becoming increasingly popular? Well, it seems that 24% of your average app developers make nothing from their creations, so maybe attracting the millionaires of the world is the way to go. However, if you would like to indulge yourself in the high-life rather than create it for others,  these apps could be perfectly suited to you.

The apps consist of the seemingly normal and of course, the weird. For example, Priv is an app that allows users to pay rather steep amounts for professional beauty and wellness services sent straight to them. Whereas Hangover Club was created to send buyers specialised IV drips to cure the after-effects of the night before, for prices ranging from $175 to $250.

If these apps have interested you, then click here to see the remaining six

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#MarketingTitbits – life lessons, distractions, logos

lifelessons-distractions-logos-smaller1. 45 Valuable Life Lessons for People of Any Age
Everyone has moments where they need to be reminded of what’s important in life, and thanks ro Regina Brett (New York Times author), here is a comprehensive list to help give you that sense of perspective we all sometimes need from time to time.

Top of her list is ‘life isn’t fair, but it’s still good’, followed by ‘over prepare, then go with the flow’ and ‘however good or bad a situation is, it will change’.

Take a look at all 45 ‘lessons’ to see which ones you’ve still got to learn by clicking here.

2. Reclaim the Hour and a Half You’re Forfeiting to Distractions at Work (Infographic)

According to a study carried out by a subset of the Virgin Group, almost half of employees are distracted for 20 percent of the day. This means that the average worker will throw away between 1 and 2 hours of productive time every day. Surprising right? Fear not, as Entrepreneur has created an infographic to help you on your way to curbing those distractions.

54% of employees revealed that socialising with co-workers side-lined their focus, while 45% admitted that texting and emailing were top distracters. According to the infographic, in order to beat the distractions, a healthy lifestyle is key to getting down to business. For example, 70% of employees say that healthy habits improve their focus, but 70% of people rarely take part in any physical activity.

To read more about the distractions people face and how to overcome them, click here.

3. 40 Hidden Messages in Famous Brand Logos

In order for a brand to be successful, it will often come down to the design of their logos and the meanings they communicate. A logo should convey a brands identity, and as Oomph found out, many well-known brands do so very effectively.

FedEx cleverly hide an arrow between the ‘E’ and ‘X’ in their logo, advertising their speed and accuracy, while the Unilever logo incorporates small singular icons in the ‘U’ that represent aspects of their business. You may also be surprised to find out the origins of many brands like Toblerone and BMW.

Check out the remaining hidden messages by clicking here.

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