Picture this. You’re getting customers left and right without spending extra money on marketing. Customers are finding your roofing business on Google and calling you, scheduling appointments weeks in advance just to work with you.
That sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? But it can be a reality with an optimized Google Business Profile.
A Google Business Profile (GBP) will help you take advantage of local searches. And since 30% of all mobile searches are related to location, you can see a big uptick in leads simply by creating a GBP.
But what is a GBP? How do you create a Google Business Profile? And how do you optimize your profile once you have it? We’ll cover it all here, so let’s dig in!
What Is a Google Business Profile?
If you haven’t heard of a Google Business Profile before, it’s probably because it was called Google My Business until 2022.
A Google Business Profile is a free Google feature that lets you advertise your roofing company in Google searches. A GBP will look something like this.
Why Should Your Roofing Company Have a Google Business Profile?
Adding one more to-do sounds exhausting when you already have a list a mile long. So do you really need to make a Google Business Profile for your roofing company? The short answer is yes.
The long answer is that a Google Business Profile has several benefits that make it worth a small investment of your time.
With a Google Business Profile, you can:
- Post content like on a social media platform
- Interact with current and past customers
- Answer questions from prospects
- Show off your reviews
- Get data on how your business is performing online
But the biggest benefit is how much your Google Business Profile can supercharge your local search power.
Local search or local SEO is when customers do a Google search that includes “near me” or a specific city like “roofer in wichita ks.” They’re asking for a particular area so they know that the results will be relevant to what they’re looking for.
A Google Business Profile will help your roofing company show up in those local search results so that you can drive more traffic to your business.
What You Need to Make Your Google Business Profile
Now that you know how much good a Google Business Profile can do for your company, it’s time to reap the benefits by setting one up. Before starting, you’ll need a few things to make your profile.
- A business Gmail account
- A Google Business account
- Up-to-date information about your roofing company
You don’t want to use a personal email address for this profile since it makes it harder for other people to use.
How to Create a Business Profile on Google, Step by Step
Step 1: Go to the Google Business Profile Site
After you’ve got your business’s email address set up, head over to google.com/business. Once you’re there, click on the “Sign in” button.
Step 2: Sign in to Your Business Email Account
Enter the email address you used to set up your business Google account so you can continue setting up a Google Business Profile.
Step 3: Fill out Your Roofing Business’s Name
The key here is to spell everything correctly. You should also capitalize the first letter of every word (except for words like “of,” “the,” or “and”).
Step 4: Specify Your Business Type
As a roofing business, you likely will only need to select the “Service business” option here. But you can choose multiple if they apply to your company.
Step 5: Enter Your Business Category
Your business category influences the keywords your listing shows for, so it’s a good idea to look at what your competitors put as their category.
After you type in your primary category, you can also add secondary categories. These will hold less sway over search results than the primary category, so you’ll want to put your main category first.
You can always change your categories and swap them out later if you find something you like better.
We recommend categories like “roofing contractor” or “roofing company.”
Step 6: Add Service Areas
While adding service areas is optional, we highly recommend you fill it out. Adding those cities or counties will help customers find your business when they search locally.
Your service areas will also appear on your profile so everyone can see them.
Step 7: Provide Contact Information
Help your customers and prospects know how they can contact you. Besides your office number, you should also include your optimized roofer’s website URL.
Step 8: Verify Your Business
You have to verify your business before your profile is visible on Google. Google has three ways of verifying businesses, but most companies must verify through a postcard.
Postcard Verification
Sending a postcard is the default verification method for setting up a Google Business Profile.
Google will mail a postcard to your listed business address within a week. You’ll find a code to put into your Google Business Profile on that postcard.
Phone Verification
Some businesses can verify their account over the phone. If you select this option, you’ll get a phone call from Google with the code you need to put into your account.
Email Verification
Again, email verification isn’t an option for all companies. If you want to use the email route, you’ll get your verification code sent to the email address you have listed for your Google Business Profile account.
Once you get your verification code, return to the Google business page and click “Manage now.” Enter the code there.
Google may take up to 7 days to review your verification. If they accept your verification, you’ll get a notification. If the verification doesn’t work, you’ll have to try again with a different method.
How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile
If Google’s verified your roofing company, you might think you’re done with your Google Business Profile. But there’s a little more to do.
Think of it like building a car. The car is up and running, but adding a wrap, racing stripes, and some chrome will really make it stand out.
Now that you have your GBP, you need to optimize it. Here are a few things you can do to take your Google Business Profile up a few notches.
- Write a business description
- Add your hours (and update them with changes)
- Revisit your categories
- List your services and products
- Include attributes
- Think about adding a messaging option
- Upload pictures and videos
- Add your business logo
- Set your opening date (so customers can see how long you’ve been in business)
Start Improving Your Local Presence with a Google Business Profile
Bringing in more local business starts with a solid Google Business Profile. Try out this powerful free tool today to give your roofing company a leg up in the local community.
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